Hunting in Hawaii: 3 Things to Know Before Applying for a Hunting Permit for Your Kids

Hawaii welcomes hunters of all ages, including children and teenagers, and the state offers a variety of opportunities for hunting different animals.

In many families, hunting is a time-honored tradition that strengthens their bonds and provides an activity family members of all ages can appreciate. In fact, taking your children hunting offers the opportunity to teach them about safety, sportsmanship, ethics, and the role wildlife and nature play in our society.

In Hawaii, hunters must meet the same hunting permit guidelines as adults and abide by the state’s hunting and wildlife-related laws.

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For example, they must understand basic safety procedures and know which species you can hunt in each season. Just like adults, children can hunt on all six of Hawaii’s major islands, each of which has public lands open to hunters.

Before you apply for a hunting permit for your children, make sure they meet the following three criteria:

1. Your child must meet minimum age requirements
Hawaii’s minimum hunting age is 10. According to the National Council of State Legislatures, children younger than 15 years old can hunt in Hawaii if they have a valid hunting license, but only when they’re accompanied by a licensed adult who is not hunting.

2. Children must complete hunter education training
All hunters must take a hunter education course, unless they’ve completed hunter education in another state or have a license issued before July 1, 1990. Courses last three nights, and a child must attend all three to pass the class and qualify for a Hawaii hunting license, according to the State of Hawaii website.

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You can register your child up to two months before the class starts, and must provide his or her full name, birth date, phone number, mailing address, and gender when calling to sign up for the course.

3. An adult must purchase the minor’s license
For any minor under the age of 18, his or her parent or legal guardian must obtain the license on their behalf, including completing the application and reading and signing a statement of liability, a state hunting website reports.

There is no special license just for minors; instead they purchase the same license as adults. A resident hunting license cost $10 in 2015, and a nonresident license cost $95. To qualify as a resident, your child must have resided in Hawaii for at least one year.

This article is for information only. Please check current regulations before hunting.

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• Hunting in California: 5 Things to Know Before Applying for a Hunting Permit for Adults