Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
a local fishes for
halalu
at Manele Harbor
Hunting
There is a joke among Lana'i locals that the only groceries you ever need to buy on Lana'i
are beer and ingredients. Despite the fact that the island has a number of small supermar-
kets, a large percentage of Lana'i's population still puts food on the table by hunting, farm-
ing, and fishing. While fresh fish is something to be expected on a tropical island, many
people are surprised to find out just how much hunting takes place here.
Although there are no wild boar or goats, one of the main prizes would be the island's
large population of axis deer. Smaller in size than many North American species, these
100-200 lb. deer were introduced to the island of Moloka'i in the 1860s as a gift from
Hong Kong to King Kamehameha V. Over time the deer were also introduced on Lana'i
and Maui. With no natural predators the population has exploded to the point of a being
a nuisance. Lana'i is also home to a healthy population of mouflon sheep, a species nat-
ive to the Caucasus Mountains, introduced in Hawai'i in the 1950s. For bird hunters, vari-
ous species such as Rio Grande wild turkeys, ring-necked pheasant, Chukar partridge, and
