A report of suspected hunters and a burst of gunfire at a West Oahu ranch has produced what officials believe is Oahu’s first felony arrest under Hawaii’s new Duke’s Law. A 24-year-old Waianae man was arrested after investigators found four people at the property.
The ranch owner contacted the Department of Law Enforcement on Saturday morning after hearing what sounded like numerous gunshots and reporting that people were hunting without permission, according to Hawaii News Now. DLE investigators responded and detained the 24-year-old man, a 19-year-old man, a 20-year-old woman and a 17-year-old girl.
The Waianae man was arrested on suspicion of prohibited hunting on private lands without the landowner’s permission, then released pending investigation. Additional illegal hunting, firearms and trespassing charges could be filed against him or the others as the criminal investigation continues, the report said.
DLE Deputy Director Ernest Robello said the arrest is believed to be “the first felony arrest on Oahu made under Duke’s Law,” while also thanking Department of Land and Natural Resources officers who assisted at the ranch.
What Duke’s Law Changes For Oahu Ranches
Act 235, the 2025 law known as Duke’s Law, was named for Cranston “Duke” Pia, a Makaha rancher who was killed by a hunter trespassing on his property. Earlier Hawaii News Now coverage reported that the law also created an agricultural-enforcement pilot program focused on Oahu and Hawaii Island.
The statute makes prohibited hunting on agricultural land a class C felony. For a first offense, the law provides for a five-year prison term with at least 180 days behind bars, or four years of probation that must include at least 180 days of imprisonment; property used in the offense, including firearms or vehicles, may also be subject to forfeiture, according to the text of Act 235.
Officials Urge Ranchers To Report Gunfire And Trespassing
The case underscores the law’s practical purpose for ranchers: unauthorized hunters can endanger livestock, damage property and send bullets toward homes or other people. The DLE says agricultural crimes can be reported anonymously around the clock by calling 808-427-3323 or through the DLE website.
No charges had been announced against the other three people detained at the ranch as of Friday. The investigation remains active, and officials have not said whether anyone was injured or whether a specific animal was taken.
