The Maui News
KAHULUI — The Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) announces the 2024 Axis Deer Control Landowner Incentive Program (LIP) for Maui Nui, through a competitive Request for Proposals for axis deer harvest from eligible private landowners and lessees.
Axis deer populations on the islands of Maui, Molokai, and Lanai have steadily increased since their introduction to the islands decades ago, increasing impacts to natural resources, public safety, and economic interests. The rapid population increases have posed significant challenges to landowners and land managers seeking to employ control measures to subdue the population and mitigate impacts. Recent years, however, have seen dramatic increases in harvest rates that are expected to help reduce impacts. The Landowner Incentive Program seeks to continue that trend by encouraging and incentivizing landowners to reduce axis deer numbers on their properties, thereby minimizing their environmental and economic damage across the landscape and bringing populations down to manageable levels.
Current control measures for these non-indigenous animals include fencing, public hunting, wildlife and game harvest permits, and landowner control efforts. The LIP will supplement these approaches and help establish management leverage, going forward.
DOFAW recently released a Request for Proposals to private landowners for this program and hopes to continue to raise interest and reach more eligible parties to participate. Multiple awards will be made under this RFP.
If selected, the contract will run for a 12-month period, approximately Feb. 1, 2024 – Feb. 1, 2025, with the possibility of a one-year extension. A $25-$50/deer reimbursement throughout the life of the contract is pursuant to DOFAW’s detailed fee schedule. All axis deer harvest/control must abide by all applicable laws including Hawai’i Administrative Rules Chapter 123, Rules Regulating Game Mammal Hunting.
The deadline to submit proposals is January 17, 2024 at 4:00 p.m.
Proposals will be selected on a competitive basis from available funds. Ranking criteria will include the number of axis deer to be harvested and impacts to overall population control goals. Full details of this RFP, including scope of work, proposal format, special provisions, and other information is at: https://hands.ehawaii.gov/hands/api/opportunity-attachment?id=23670&attachmentId=39660.
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