The History of Axis Deer in Hawaii

As the 8-seat Mokulele Airlines plane approached the Molokai airport, I noticed the very overgrazed Molokai Ranch below. Surely, the ranch owners know better than to let their cattle overgraze like this. And besides, don’t they know cattle produce catastrophic levels of greenhouse gases? Why do they have so many cows?  But wait, Molokai Ranch ceased most of its ranching operations back in 2008.  The overgrazing was not from cattle, but deer. Thousands and thousands of wild axis deer.   

Native to India, axis deer are also known as chital or spotted deer. Eight axis deer arrived on the Hawaiian island of Molokai in 1868, a gift from Hong Kong to King Kamehameha V. Strikingly beautiful with their tan body and white spots, the king placed a kapu (legal restriction) on their harvest. A similar kapu had been placed on cattle when they first arrived in Hawaii in 1793.  

With no natural predators on Hawaii, deer populations grew exponentially. After several years, residents raised concerns about increasing troubles with crop damage from deer. As Molokai resident Desmund Manaba described in an Outdoor Life podcast, one of the king’s servants presented the king with some deer meat, which he enjoyed. The kapu was lifted and harvesting was allowed. 

But, even with harvesting allowed, deer populations continued to grow until the king hired a Colorado based company to eradicate them. Although 13,000 deer were killed in one year, they weren’t eradicated entirely. With a year-round growing season, and does capable of breeding at 6 months of age, the population rebounded.  

Today, over 100 years after those original eradication efforts, Molokai’s axis deer are as abundant as ever. Current estimates range between 50,000 and 70,000, or about 200 deer per square mile of habitat. In 1959, 9 of Molokai’s deer were introduced to the neighboring island of Maui, where the population has exploded to 60,000-70,000. Another nearby island, Lanai, is estimated to have 20,000-30,000. 

An ecological disaster in the making

A typical roadside sight on Molokai: An axis deer stands in the shade, surrounded by an overgrazed and eroded landscape.

Large-scale farm and ranch operations have mostly come and gone from Hawaii. Since the 1970’s, the amount of land designated as pastureland has decreased over 50%. Dole, Libby, and Del Monte have ceased (on Molokai), or greatly decreased all their pineapple and other agriculture operations. A 1973 report highlights some of the challenges; water supply, erosion, and shipping costs. Hawaii, and Molokai in particular, is too isolated and too arid to support large-scale agribusiness. 

In spite of the land management challenges, one thing is for certain; businesses want to succeed. Problems like erosion and overgrazing are bad for business, so they are managed. 

But, what happens when large agribusinesses cease operations? On Molokai, that meant stopping land management on over a third of the island. In its wake, deer populations have exploded, exceeding the land’s carrying capacity and resulting in mass die-offs as recently as 2021. Often traveling in large groups, deer also present an extreme road safety hazard. 

Erosion rates are skyrocketing. With deer literally eating plant life into the dirt, there’s little left to hold back the soil after a rain. At Dixie Maru Beach, a surf spot on Molokai’s west side, historic satellite imagery reveals once blue shorelines are now Hawaiian dirt red. With current deer population growth estimated at 20% per year, that means just 10 years ago there were only 10,000-15,000 deer on Molokai, a much less destructive number. Current numbers are a sight to behold. On my recent trip, signs of large deer populations were everywhere. Only on Molokai’s far east end, with more abundant rainfall, did it appear plant growth might outpace deer populations. 

Google Earth satellite images of Molokai’s Dixie Maru beach in Jan. 2013(left) and May 2018(middle). On the right is Sep. 2022 author photo of a red wave breaking in the distance at Dixie Maru.

Moloka’s west side showed the biggest signs of deer overgrazing. With the incentives to manage erosion and overgrazing mostly gone, the excess deer have clearly exasperated the problem. 

Now, imagine a similar situation playing out worldwide. Unlike Molokai, countless places are not too isolated or too arid for profitable, large-scale farm and ranch operations. But, imagine if government overregulation forces farmers out of business due to unrealistic concerns about greenhouse gas emissions? Every location has grazing animals that will overtake unmanaged land, just like what happened in Molokai. And while irresponsible government leaders pat themselves on the back for reducing cow flatulence, water quality plummets and the land washes into the sea. 

Wise resource management is key

Of course, this is a stewardship issue. While some may frown at this truth nugget, the Bible from the start assigns humans the responsibility to “rule over” creation (Genesis 1:26-28). You can balk at this statement, but it’s true, humans are in charge. We can choose to be good rulers or bad. 

We can also learn from the past. For example, in Ecology and Management of Large Mammals in North America by Demarais and Krausman, we learn that during the 1800’s, market hunting and unregulated harvest for subsistence use resulted in white-tailed deer extirpation from much of their range. History teaches that resource management, or the lack of it, is key.

Thankfully, market hunting is making a comeback in Hawaii. Pioneered on Molokai by Desmund Manaba, deer harvested in “USDA hunts” are sold through Makana Provisions. On Maui, an offshoot company, Maui Nui Venison formed after Desmund explained his methods to them. As more companies form, a permit system would help with preventing overexploitation experienced in early American history. 

Hawaiian subsistence and sport hunting are slowly increasing, in spite of overly strict Hawaiian gun laws and anti-gun sentiment in this Democrat-controlled state. Small businesses like Go Hawaii Outfitters use local guides to take people sport hunting. In 2021, the non-profit Molokai Hunting Club was awarded a grant to conduct scheduled hunts, providing almost 20,000 lbs of deer meat to Molokai families in need. 

Recent research suggests that harvesting more females than males is the best way to quickly reduce numbers. Because of their polygynous breeding, there will almost always be a male available to breed with females. Removing 3-5 females for every male is recommended. Females are smaller, which is less attractive to “trophy hunters” or those wanting more meat per deer. Therefore, self-control and adjusting mindsets are crucial for hunters to become an important part of any deer management strategy. 

Excessive gun control in Hawaii also reduces incentives to hunt and makes hunting more dangerous and annoying. For example, standard hunting ammunition is loud and both bullets and sound can travel for miles. But, advances in ammunition like subsonic 300 blackout rounds, coupled with a suppressor(aka silencer), would provide quieter hunting and bullets that travel much shorter distances. Equipment like this would be much safer, and less irritating to neighbors. Unfortunately, ammunition is difficult to purchase, and Hawaii is only one of 8 states that outlaw suppressors. 

Through wise stewardship, a balance of sport and commercial deer harvesting is possible in Hawaii. Sustainable sport and commercial fisheries currently coexist all over the world. Alaskan salmon are a prime example. Will Hawaii be a leader in sustainable axis deer management? As it currently stands, no, but that can change.