Posted by Woody on November 15, 2005, 6:37 am nearly unpassable trail draws Fewer hunters than expected by Betsy Tranquilli Hunters that were loading their rifles, sharpening their knives and licking their lips at the prospect of netting hundreds of pound of beef were met with less than ideal conditions as they headed out for the Big Island's first weekend of open hunting for feral and trespass cattle. The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) opened hunting for feral and trespass cattle at the Hilo Watershed Friday, where about 200 to 400 wild cattle have been trouncing on the natural resources of the area, the agency said. Licensed hunters are permitted to kill and remove two cattle per day, on weekends and holidays, with no season limit. But several hunters that made the trek to the Hilo Watershed actually turned around and left when they realized that paths leading in to the hunting area were virtually unpassable due to treacherous terrain, thick moss and overgrown brush. About five to six groups of hunters made their way to the cattle hunt area, fewer than the expected crowd for the opening weekend, said Joey Mello, a wildlife biologist for DLNR. No one had brought any cattle out as of Sunday afternoon, Mello said. "We haven't had as much as expected," Mello said. "It is quite a hike to get in there. One guy from Oahu came and left because he said it wasn't what he expected. The river has been high and the regular hunters that know the watershed know that the river is impassable right now." Hunters were allowed to enter the reserve between the 9 and 19 mile markers on Saddle Road, but the only real paths to access the hunting area were Wailuku River Road at the 15 mile marker -- which hunters found nearly unpassable even with four-wheel drive due to the swelling of Wailuku River last week -- or the Morita Trail at the 16 mile marker, which was only accessible by foot and had to be navigated for at least 3 miles to reach the area where cattle were likely to be located. "It was definitely a waste of time. A ridiculous waste of time," Waikoloa resident Cory Parsons said. Parsons and several other hunters made their way out Saturday to hunt cattle, but turned back after they damaged their truck trying to get into the area on Wailuku River Road and rejected the idea of hiking into the reserve for hours and having to lug back hundreds of pounds of meat through thick, slippery and overgrown trails. "I don't know how they expect a person to pack an animal that size and take it all the way back in," Parsons said. "No one is gonna pack enough of the animal in a backpack to make it worth it. It would be a waste of an animal. You can't even hike through that stuff. It's solid moss. ...I wasn't expecting it to be a walk in the park or anything, but it was impossible. I'm still don't understand the reason for the hunt." DLNR opened the hunt as a way to appease both hunters and environmentalists, District Wildlife Manager Ron Bachman said. "We have two very different intentions that can now both be met -- the environmentalists that have concern over the land and the hunters looking for recreation," Bachman said. Even if large amounts of wild cattle aren't hunted down, Bachman said the hunt can still be successful by breaking up the herds and moving them away from environmentally sensitive spots. Bachman predicts that the hunting will improve once the conditions clear up and more seasoned hunters make their way into the reserve. "The place is remarkably rough. The watershed is mushy and swampy, but that's why we're doing this, to keep it foresty," Bachman said. "I think when the buzz dies down, the real successful hunters will be in here."
Feral cattle hunt opens with less than a bang
West Hawaii Today
btranquilli@westhawaiitoday.com
Monday, November 14, 2005 8:56 AM HST
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