I've seen them above treeline at 9000' while hunting sheep but they are alot more plentiful below treeline in the forests. Why unit A? Unit C Laupahoehoe, and Piha have alot more pigs in my experiance.
http://www.state.hi.us/dlnr/dofaw/hunting/...egs_Chap123.pdf
See page 48 map 3 of 11
http://www.state.hi.us/dlnr/dofaw/hunting/...egs_Chap123.pdf
See page 48 map 3 of 11
I beleive DLNR is trying to maintain balance as to what each unit habitat can support. Majority of unit A is above treeline so not idea habitat for pigs but being adaptible pigs even inhabit this alpine region though in smaller numbers. Another thing to consider is pigs are what they eat so these alpine pigs that feed mainly on herby shrubs and roots will taste more gamey than the forrest pigs which feed mainly on fruits like guava and banana poka fruit. If you have the time i'd recommend you hunt both units A & C openning opportunity for pigs as well as sheep and goat. There's Mauna Kea Sheep, Mouflon, and their hybrids.
Glass eye:
Unit A is not worth hunting pigs. I've been up there about 15 times now,hunting birds, turkey, and sheep, and have seen pigs on only 3 occasions. That's after glassing and hiking and bushwacking for hours. There are very, very few pigs in Unit A. Laupahoehoe and Piha, on the other hand, are full of pigs that have never, ever seen a human. These places, by the way, are also on the slopes of Mauna Kea, but they are on the NE part where there are forests and a lot of fruits. I left retirement and now teach, and one of my teacher friends used to be a government hunter in Piha, picking off pigs. He used a revolver and stopped counting at 75. He told me that he often encountered grizzly old boars that just stood there while he walked up to within 25 feet and plugged them. My own experience is that the entire Luapahoe/Piha area has so many pigs and so few hunters that you will absolutely, positively get at least one pig per day there. And remember, this is public land. If you're going to hunt hogs, go there, as Uncle Ji suggests. By February, the grass will be gone and the hunting will be unbelievable. The scenery is magnificent, too, like a Tarzan movie. Feel free to email me and I'll guide you.
You're from El Centro, right? I lived there from 1962 through 1966, and graduated from Central Union High School in January of 1966. It's a small town and I imagine we have some friends in common. I recall peddling my bicycle down towards Heber and hunting dove after school. I usually got 4 or 5 with my old Winchester Model 12, shooting shells that had the wad in front, not the modern crimp. Man, that was forever ago!! We lived at 755 Tangerine [Drive?] which is probably a dump today.
Keep in touch and if you want hogs, Unit A ain't the place to go. I'd be happy to take you [and Uncle Ji anytime] out to Laupahoehoe. You'll never, ever forget that hunt and it will ruin you forever.
Aloha for now.
Unit A is not worth hunting pigs. I've been up there about 15 times now,hunting birds, turkey, and sheep, and have seen pigs on only 3 occasions. That's after glassing and hiking and bushwacking for hours. There are very, very few pigs in Unit A. Laupahoehoe and Piha, on the other hand, are full of pigs that have never, ever seen a human. These places, by the way, are also on the slopes of Mauna Kea, but they are on the NE part where there are forests and a lot of fruits. I left retirement and now teach, and one of my teacher friends used to be a government hunter in Piha, picking off pigs. He used a revolver and stopped counting at 75. He told me that he often encountered grizzly old boars that just stood there while he walked up to within 25 feet and plugged them. My own experience is that the entire Luapahoe/Piha area has so many pigs and so few hunters that you will absolutely, positively get at least one pig per day there. And remember, this is public land. If you're going to hunt hogs, go there, as Uncle Ji suggests. By February, the grass will be gone and the hunting will be unbelievable. The scenery is magnificent, too, like a Tarzan movie. Feel free to email me and I'll guide you.
You're from El Centro, right? I lived there from 1962 through 1966, and graduated from Central Union High School in January of 1966. It's a small town and I imagine we have some friends in common. I recall peddling my bicycle down towards Heber and hunting dove after school. I usually got 4 or 5 with my old Winchester Model 12, shooting shells that had the wad in front, not the modern crimp. Man, that was forever ago!! We lived at 755 Tangerine [Drive?] which is probably a dump today.
Keep in touch and if you want hogs, Unit A ain't the place to go. I'd be happy to take you [and Uncle Ji anytime] out to Laupahoehoe. You'll never, ever forget that hunt and it will ruin you forever.
Aloha for now.
Hey Bruce, when I lived Big Island handgun hunting was not allowed in the state but now things have changed. Looking over the regs I see handguns are now allowed in Laupahoehoe. Have you tried handguns there yet. I have a double action 44 mag and a 357 mag Blackhawk i'd love to give a try.
Uncle Ji:
I've never tried a handgun there but would love to. I've got a Ruger Redhawk 44 mag with a scope and a Colt Python in .357 with no scope. I'm not good enough without the scope so it would be the Redhawk for me. I've shot 6 pigs at Laupahoehoe so far [out of 7 trips, the first being an exploratory venture in which I did everything wrong and got skunked] and the farthest shot has been about 70 yards, give or take. Several shots have been at 30 yards or less.
I need to get over the "If I don't get a pig the trip was not successful" mindset and go more for the sport. What beautiful country Laupahoehoe is!! And I get it all to myself almost every time I go. I also think archery would be a lot of fun. I've got 3 Pedersoli Kodiak Mark 4's in 50 cal, 58 cal, and 12 gauge/50 cal, all double barrel muzzleloaders with triple express sights. Now, that would be a blast to carry one of those on a hunt. I'd feel like I was in Africa back in the Old Days.
Hope your back is improving. I know it's been a tough road and is probably frustrating at times.
Take care.
I've never tried a handgun there but would love to. I've got a Ruger Redhawk 44 mag with a scope and a Colt Python in .357 with no scope. I'm not good enough without the scope so it would be the Redhawk for me. I've shot 6 pigs at Laupahoehoe so far [out of 7 trips, the first being an exploratory venture in which I did everything wrong and got skunked] and the farthest shot has been about 70 yards, give or take. Several shots have been at 30 yards or less.
I need to get over the "If I don't get a pig the trip was not successful" mindset and go more for the sport. What beautiful country Laupahoehoe is!! And I get it all to myself almost every time I go. I also think archery would be a lot of fun. I've got 3 Pedersoli Kodiak Mark 4's in 50 cal, 58 cal, and 12 gauge/50 cal, all double barrel muzzleloaders with triple express sights. Now, that would be a blast to carry one of those on a hunt. I'd feel like I was in Africa back in the Old Days.
Hope your back is improving. I know it's been a tough road and is probably frustrating at times.
Take care.
Glass eye
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Thanks Uncle Ji and Doccherry
I think I'll try Piha and also the bowhunting unit G on the west slope.
Back in my early twenties I spent 4 months on the Big Island backpacking, okay, I confess, I was dirtbagging it, and I spent some time above Akaka falls. I had a pig grunt at me from about 3 feet away, scared the crap out of me. I always wanted to hike up the trail further but I stumbled onto some "plants" so I turned back down the mountain. As I was leaving a local with a 30/30 was heading up there and wanted to know exactly where I had been, it made me very nervous.
doccherry, I'm sure you wouldn't recognize El Centro. I've only lived here for 13 years and I've seen major changes. Houses are popping up everywhere and we even have a big indoor shopping mall like the ones in San Diego and it's on Dogwood road south of the freeway. I wonder what surprises I'll find on the Big Island, the last time I was there was 17 years ago. I hope that nothing is built up around Kawaihae, I always liked that area, don't know why but I guess I just like the desert.
I think I'll try Piha and also the bowhunting unit G on the west slope.
Back in my early twenties I spent 4 months on the Big Island backpacking, okay, I confess, I was dirtbagging it, and I spent some time above Akaka falls. I had a pig grunt at me from about 3 feet away, scared the crap out of me. I always wanted to hike up the trail further but I stumbled onto some "plants" so I turned back down the mountain. As I was leaving a local with a 30/30 was heading up there and wanted to know exactly where I had been, it made me very nervous.
doccherry, I'm sure you wouldn't recognize El Centro. I've only lived here for 13 years and I've seen major changes. Houses are popping up everywhere and we even have a big indoor shopping mall like the ones in San Diego and it's on Dogwood road south of the freeway. I wonder what surprises I'll find on the Big Island, the last time I was there was 17 years ago. I hope that nothing is built up around Kawaihae, I always liked that area, don't know why but I guess I just like the desert.
Nic Barca
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I've heard of people seeing them in the Mauna Kea Ice Age NAR. That's over 10,000 feet. But I wouldn't try there. It gets to be very dry the higher you go. Rainfall is only about 40 inches per year at the 6500 foot line on the east slope. On Mauna Kea, unit A, rainfall probably ranges between 15 and 40 inches per year, depending on where on the mountain. In comparison, further downslope sees an average of as much as 236 inches per year in an area above Hilo. I prefer areas with between 100 and 150 inch/year. The higher altitude areas lack mosquitoes as well.
The strict bag limit would probably have to do with maintaining huntable populations in less than ideal pig habitat. It is dry and rocky with little water. Unlike sheep and goat, pigs require water... or at least I think they do.
The strict bag limit would probably have to do with maintaining huntable populations in less than ideal pig habitat. It is dry and rocky with little water. Unlike sheep and goat, pigs require water... or at least I think they do.
