Lanai Axis Hunt 2023

[Jag770]

Hey Y'all,

Any frequent Lanai Axis hunters who can give some advice? Going for my first-time next year.

Me and two buddies just applied for the Lanai Stateside hunt in February 2023. A few issues/questions.

The permit/tag process is easy and cheap. Everything else isn't. I don't have any connects over there unfortunately. What do you guys do to reduce cost between a rental car, a place to stay that can also take care of meat, etc?

My overall assessment is that this trip from Oahu to Lanai is going to cost thousands between rental car, place to stay that can accommodate meat care, and shipping my equipment to and from Lanai. My other two buddies are already planning on not going due to cost, but I am dead set on going as this will be my final chance for an Axis hunt in Lanai for a long time as I am headed to Fort Carson next year.

I am open to any suggestions from you guys on how I can reduce cost!

 

[Scott85]

Your questions are the reasons I never did the hunt when I was stationed at Pearl.

 

[jryoung]

I've tried to crack the nut of hunting axis on with Lanai, Maui or Molokai and everything keeps coming back to pay to play.

I'm sure there's a path forward there but damn if it isn't incredibly difficult.

 

[Dsnow9]

Couldn’t you camp on lanai and take the ferry from Maui to save a lot of money? I guess meat care would be the crux but when there is a will there is usually a way. A soft cooler with dry ice and a few reuse-able ice blocks seems like it could do the trick unless your going for multiple animals. Never done it though, just throwing out ideas.

 

[kiwi hunter]

just got back from there(i live in nz/australia) well worth the flight
fly to maui(honolulu) then fly to lanai
getting from maui airport to boat harbor is a pain
look at my post in other hunting locations to glean info
you can always make money but once youre dead money is of no use
you might be better off hiring a private rifle block that way one can hunt to a more suitable time for you n your friends
there is a camping ground just along from the boat arrival area but only just three days max n need to book thru the island co operative

 

[Jag770]

Appreciate the feedback Gents. Good ideas around the board. I am going to keep brainstorming and make this happen. Hopefully between now and then I can connect with a Lanai resident for a hookup.

 

[winmag]

You’re not allowed to have any kind of weapon, bow or rifle, in the camping area next to the ferry port. And dispersed camping is illegal on Lāna‘i.

 

[kiwi hunter]

You’re not allowed to have any kind of weapon, bow or rifle, in the camping area next to the ferry port. And dispersed camping is illegal on Lāna‘i.

ah i see, bit of a bummer.

Your questions are the reasons I never did the hunt when I was stationed at Pearl.

that would have been cheap, as against me say flying from nz. two to three hunter can lower the price significantly

 

[winmag]

It really is a logistical nightmare. Very few houses for rent on the island (12 permitted houses total, I think?) and 3 hotels.

Two of those three hotels are Four Seasons resorts at about $2000+ per night. About half the rental houses expressly prohibit hunters from renting, because some bad apples have left carcasses on the property when they left, etc etc.

Some if not all of the jeep rental businesses on the island won’t rent to hunters because they get them stuck or break them too frequently. So you end up having to call around to find some local dude that wants to rent their truck to you, which can still be close to $200/day.

Other than that it’s great!

Oh and you’ll never get the red dirt off of you. It’s hard to tell if I got a suntan or just stained red.

 

[kiwi hunter]

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