KAHULUI, MAUI – Axis deer continue to negatively impact Maui Nui forested watersheds, agricultural land and population centers. To combat these problems, the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) is inviting eligible private landowners and lessees to apply to the Landowner Incentive Program (LIP) to achieve appropriate, sustainable population levels.

This program aims to incentivize landowners on Maui, Moloka?i, and L?na?i to increase the number of axis deer removed from their properties and enhance protection efforts for the state’s threatened natural and agricultural resources. Applicants awarded a contract will be eligible to receive up to $50 for each qualifying deer tail presented. Awards are based on the availability of funds.

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 May 19, 2025 at 4 p.m. Once approved, the LIP for each participant is 12 months. Compensation for deer in any given fiscal year is limited to the annual legislative appropriation for the program, and no further compensation will be paid once the funding allocation is exhausted.

Watershed partnerships spend hundreds of thousands of dollars annually building fences to keep feral ungulates from trampling native plants. Left unchecked, axis deer will steadily decrease overall forest health. Recent harvest rates suggest a promising trend toward minimizing environmental and economic damage to property and land and reducing the overall deer population.