In a bid to tame the burgeoning axis deer population that's wreaking havoc across Maui Nui's forests and farmlands, the Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife is reaching out to private landowners and lessees with a financial carrot. Through a program announced on their website, these property holders on Maui, Molokaʻi, and Lānaʻi are now invited to join the fight against the environmental menaces for a bounty, up to $50 per deer tail, which could help achieve sustainable deer population levels on their lands, as reported by the Department of Land and Natural Resources.
For those with the means to participate in the Landowner Incentive Program (LIP), time is, of the essence. The clock is ticking down to a May 19 deadline, by when applications must be sent in by 4 p.m. If selected, landowners can engage in a 12-month mission to harvest these ungulates under the constraints of state law, which includes the Hawai‘i Administrative Rules Chapter 123 on game mammal hunting, according to the Department of Land and Natural Resources.
Axis deer have become more than a nuisance on the islands; they are a veritable threat to the ecosystems they invade. The DOFAW website details the extent of the problem, noting that watershed partnerships are dropping serious cash, amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars, to construct barriers to protect the indigenous flora from the hooved hordes, as stated by the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Without intervention, these invasive deers are set to degrade forest health further, with far-reaching ecological and economic consequences.
Efforts to reduce the axis deer population seem to be working, with recent harvest rates showing progress in lowering their numbers and limiting damage to the environment and property, as per the Department of Land and Natural Resources. This offers hope for protecting Maui Nui’s ecosystems and farms. It may also encourage landowners to take part in game control efforts and help fight the spread of axis deer.
