Hunting Lanai Hawaii Axis Deer

[Bowhica]

Talking to the 1%er's here. Who has been to hunt the Island of Lanai for Axis deer? Outside of the cool story, destination hunting these animals, was it worth it? If any of you 99%er's know of someone who has hunted there, what was your take on their experience?

I did some high level research and it seems very doable, but the cost of logistics is my next step. I guess you could make it a vacation with benefits sort of thing with a little different souvenir. But I am not a fan of Hawaii. Everything is expensive, flights are long and the exchange rate is crap.

I'm all ears.


ps: YES I cold just go dust some axis on a ranch in the Edwards Plateau. So shush. Grown ups are talking here. (sticks out tongue)

[BTLowry]

No idea

Mainly curious about the "exchange rate" since last I checked they were part of the United States and used the US dollar?

Would not be my first choice but if someone donated me a hunt I would dang sure go
Would definitely be something that not everyone had done

[mev002]

I am hunting axis on Molokai between Christmas and new year this month. It is by far much cheaper than hunting on lanai. If you are interested I can give you some info on who we are using.

this is also going to be a little side trip/ hunt to our overall vacation in Oahu during this time.

[myway]

I suspect his point was a 100$ gets you a lot further here than it does on any island. It will get you lunch (at some places) was my experience while there.
I looked into it last summer and couldn’t justify it. It was a family trip so losing 3ish days off hunting didn’t make sense to me. Part two was they kill some decent ones but for the most part every pic I was seeing I would not consider a “trophy”. Now if it is the adventure in a different setting it would definitely be cool and the prices I saw were not crazy.
Different island but they are definitely there. Every hike I went on I saw rubs and saw a small herd while on a beach which was cool.

[Dale Moser]

If the logistics are tough, you don't like Hawaii, or long flights.....then why bother? Just the experience of hunting on a volcanic island? I'm not kicking you in the seeds, I'm just curious.

[Farmdog]

I went once to Kauai and didn’t want to come home. Was thinking about a tent on the beach.

[Farmdog]

Ther

[Farmdog]

Klitch in the New TBH matrix carry on

[TildenHunter]

Seems like it would be a cool trip but from what I have seen, the trophy quality is supremely lower than here in Texas. I would like to do the hunt sometime but it will only be when I am already planning on going to Hawaii for a vacation and then hunt for a couple of days. I wouldn't book a Hawaii trip revolving around axis deer hunting. More like book a Hawaii trip and squeeze in 2 days of axis hunting at the end.

[dangerdan87]

I saw some axis on the big island. And some really really nice rams out on the lava flats snd mortar impact areas

[bowaddict40]

There is nothing on Lanai or Molokai either one really. Lanai has one resort up on the mountain and one resort on the beach. They are both 4 seasons resorts so not cheap. Nothing to really see or do/visit. Molokai from what I remember is basically all one ranch and has a small town on it. So pretty much nothing to do there as well. There is a guide on Mauai that you can hunt on the back of the mountain with. I shot a smaller one because he told me to then hunted the rest of the day for a bigger one. I killed a much bigger one about 30min before dark. Got to keep all the meat and was not charged any extra for killing the first one. I did tip him pretty good since I got to kill 2. Having said all of that I have never seen any Axis that are near as big as the ones you can get here in Texas. So going to just hunt in Hawaii to me is just a waste of a lot of money. If your there and you have an extra day, why not. Now if you want to kill some monster goats Mauai is the place. I saw hundreds when I was hunting there. Again would not make a special trip but I would hunt a goat before an Axis. Anyway just my 2 cents.

[Smell the Glove]

I've also been to Lanai. I would only do a hunt there if I happen to go back to vacation, just like TildenHunter said.

[diamond10x]

Have not been personally but researched it quite extensively as well as know several people who have been.

I looked into it to pretty extensively to hunt Lanai on our honeymoon for two days but neither my wife or myself could justify the cost for what you could get TX.

I also have a buddy who went down there for axis and mouflon. He has some navy friends who went a few times before he did. He enjoyed it but he said he wouldn't ever do it again as it was just too expensive and too much logistics just for what is basically a meat hunt. He claimed the trophy potential or quality has never been great but after the corona stuff it really dropped due to an influx of hunters.

Hawaiians also come up here to work in the summer. Several I met this summer I talked to about the axis hunting on Lanai and other islands. They all basically echoed what my buddy's sentiments were about trophy quality and potential. They also said even though they live there, they don't even attempt to hunt there as its just too much.

Saying all that, if I find myself in Hawaii with the family on vacation in the next few years I will probably give it a go, but I won't just make a specific trip there for the hunting.

[Bowhica]

No idea

Mainly curious about the "exchange rate" since last I checked they were part of the United States and used the US dollar?

Would not be my first choice but if someone donated me a hunt I would dang sure go
Would definitely be something that not everyone had done

Just poking fun at the USD. In the Navy, our dollar would stretch at every port, but Hawaii was our last stop on our WESTPAC cruise. So after using very little money for months, having to use USD sucked. Hence the exchange rate joke.

[Bowhica]

I recently found out we have a family friend that has a house on Kauai. May have to reach out for some info on visiting.