Author Topic: pics from Hawaii (Read 1352 times)

DHR · « **on:** November 30, 2009, 12:06:00 PM »

hey all, I just got back from a three week trip to Kauai, which is the northernmost island of Hawaii. It was ostensibly my honeymoon so I was wasn't hunting the whole time (my wife, although supportive is no huntress), but I got to do a fair bit of hunting and had a great time. If anyone is looking for a year round hunting destination where non-hunters can have fun too Kauai is awesome and I'd be happy to help with whatever advice I can give. Pigs and goats are both abundant on the island, I had intended to hunt both, but for a variety of reasons didn't get to do any pig hunting (i'm still not quite over it) The goat hunting was awesome though. Kauai is incredibly diverse and on this one small island i hunted goats in habitats ranging from arid desert cliff to deep rainforest. Here's what it looks like.

And the goats look like this......At least while they're still alive!

Jeff Strubberg · « **Reply #1 on:** November 30, 2009, 12:21:00 PM »

Looks like the Na Pali coastline...one of the most beautiful spots I've ever seen.

Congrats on one cool honeymoon.

DHR · « **Reply #2 on:** November 30, 2009, 01:39:00 PM »

You got it Jeff a bunch of those pics are from the na pali coast and it is incredible. It's also the first place I connected with a goat on the trip. It was in the hanakapaiai valley, a side trail off the na pali coast trail. Eve and I went in for a day hike and encountered goat tracks about three miles in. we followed them and shortley ran into goats. The forest there is made for stalking critters and I quickly got into range for a shot at a young billy. The first shot hit squarely in the joint between the scapula and front leg bone. It split the joint but got no penetration into the chest cavity. my follow up shot did the job though, and the goat was down for the count.

I used a 56# bighorn recurve, gold tip 55/75 shafts, and 160 gr Stos heads for all my hunting on this trip all shots wer pass through except the above mentioned bone hit, and all blood trails were profuse.

Here is my first goat.

cacciatore · « **Reply #3 on:** November 30, 2009, 03:09:00 PM »

Very nice,congrats;thanks for sharing

lpcjon2 · « **Reply #4 on:** November 30, 2009, 03:40:00 PM »

If she let you hunt on your honeymoon you are going to have a great marriage.She got a sister?

NorthernCaliforniaHunter · « **Reply #5 on:** November 30, 2009, 03:52:00 PM »

I backpacked that trail, years ago. Most incredible adventure of my life. I just wish I had a bow... If I ever get another chance...

DannyBows · « **Reply #6 on:** November 30, 2009, 03:53:00 PM »

Excellent! Thanks for sharing. Congrats on the marriage and best wishes.

Benny Nganabbarru · « **Reply #7 on:** November 30, 2009, 04:12:00 PM »

Well-done!

DHR · « **Reply #8 on:** November 30, 2009, 04:30:00 PM »

So the second place I hunted was Unit F in Waimea canyon. As you can see it is a lot dryer than the Na pali coast, and quite rugged.

there are no trails at all in this unit and access is tough. I spent my first hunting day just trying to get to where the goats were at without falling oof a cliff. I found the goats in waimea canyon to be quite skittish and fairly difficult to approach. Since there are no hiking trails here pretty much every person these goats saw was a hunter, so a glimpse or sniff of a human would send them off, and when one goat spooked others would follow. It took me three days to connect with a goat here, but it was quite gratifying when I did. I spotted this nanny feeding on a ridgetop early in the morning and snuck up for the shot with the wind in my face. Find the goat in this picture.

Here's the closeup.

.

And one more.

I could have gladly spent the whole trip chasing the goats around in waimea canyon but hunting is only allowed on weekends, and my wife definately had different ideas.

Gatekeeper · « **Reply #9 on:** November 30, 2009, 05:02:00 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by DHR:
I could have gladly spent the whole trip chasing the goats around in waimea canyon but hunting is only allowed on weekends, and my wife definately had different ideas.

Congratulations it looks like you had a great time!

trad_bowhunter1965 · « **Reply #10 on:** November 30, 2009, 10:58:00 PM »

Thanks for the story and Pic Daniel.

DHR · « **Reply #11 on:** December 01, 2009, 09:43:00 AM »

Thanks for looking everyone. One more to go here. For the last hunt of the trip I was back up on the napali coast Eve and I had day hiked into the waiahuakua valley which is pretty spectacular.You walk between these two huge boulders and the whole thing kind of opens up below you.

toward the far side of the valley we spotted a fairly large group of goats strung out loosely on the side of a ravine. i pleaded with eve to let me go after them, which she was reluctant to do since it meant she would have to hang out on the trail wher the mosquitos were absolutely devastating. Finally she relented and I took off up a dry waterfall then across a steep densely vegetated slope toward the goats. Looking back toward the trail I could see my wife wrapped up in her bright yellow poncho for mosquito protection. Belabored as she was by the insects she still had the presence of mind to guide me to use hand signals to guide me to the goats, which had moved lower on the cliffs. I eased slowly toward them trying not to rain debris down on their heads. Eventually I could see goats below me working over the shrubbery, but I couldn't get any closer due to the steepness. As I pondered my course I noticed three large billies bedded much closer. I got into the best position I could for a shot and waited for something to happen. When one stood up and took a few steps my way I took a very steep 15 yard shot. I knew I'd hit where I was looking but the goat didn't react to the shot at all, just continued walking across the cliff and I began to worry something might be amiss. Then he laid down on a ledge and a few seconds later tumbled down the slope. This is why I love bowhunting

Lunch during the hike out

Deadsmple · « **Reply #12 on:** December 01, 2009, 10:58:00 AM »

Thanks for taking us along on your honeymoon!

That was the best pictorial I've seen so far on this site as far as hunting in Hawaii.

Awesome beard on that last one!

Irish Archer · « **Reply #13 on:** December 01, 2009, 11:05:00 AM »

Sweet! Looks like a ton of fun. Congrats.

SpikeMaster · « **Reply #14 on:** December 01, 2009, 11:09:00 AM »

That is just awesome!!! I would love to live there, I just coundn't afford it.

saltwatertom · « **Reply #15 on:** December 01, 2009, 11:15:00 AM »

Thanks for the pics, very nice all around. I am hoping to be there in March, same island. My bow will for sure be with me.

tradtusker · « **Reply #16 on:** December 01, 2009, 11:27:00 AM »

Awesome!

KentuckyTJ · « **Reply #17 on:** December 01, 2009, 01:17:00 PM »

Wow very cool stuff. Can you dehydrate SPAM for long hunting hikes?

DHR · « **Reply #18 on:** December 01, 2009, 02:04:00 PM »

Not sure about the spam but I'm sure it's been tried

. saltwatertom, if you want any info before you go i'll be glad to help if i can. It's a great island and I would gladly have spent the winter there. Hopefully i'll make it back someday.

homerdave · « **Reply #19 on:** December 01, 2009, 02:09:00 PM »

what did you do with the goats?
did you find a processor or were you able to bring them home in an ice chest?
i am planning a trip there in '11 for my 50th...
d


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