PTA to open areas for bird hunting

Army officials are opening several training areas for bird hunting from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. this weekend at Pohakuloa Training Area.

Training areas one, two, 10 and 11 and the Keamuku Training Area will be open for shotgun bird hunting only. Use of shotgun slugs is not permitted.

All hunters must check in and check out at one of the following hunter’s check-in stations: Kilohana, located on Saddle Road between mile markers 43 and 44; Puu Huluhulu, located at the intersection of Mauna Kea Access Road and Saddle Road near mile marker 28; or Puuanahulu, located on Mamalahoa Highway across from mile marker 15. Checkout time is no later than 7:30 p.m. each day.

Hunting passes will be provided at the check-in stations beginning Friday after 5 p.m. These passes must be signed and placed on the vehicle’s dashboard. Hunters who do not have a signed hunting pass on their dashboard will be barred from hunting for 30 days.

Hunter access to training areas one and two is through any of gates one through five on East Saddle Road, east of Pohakuloa’s main gate. Hunter access to training areas 10 and 11 is through any of gates one thoguh seven on West Saddle Road, west of Pohakuloa’s main gate.

Hunter access to Keamuku is through gates two and seven on Old Saddle Road, gates 11 and 14 on Mamalahoa Highway and at mile markers 49 and 50 on the Daniel K. Inouye Highway. Hunters are required to park in designated parking areas.

Firearms, alcoholic beverages, all-terrain vehicles, dirt bikes and recreational vehicles are not allowed in the training and hunting areas. For more information, call the PTA hunter’s hotline at 969-3474, visit garrison.hawaii.army.mil/pta and click on the “Hunting” tab, or refer to instructions on the hunting pass.