Wild boar and feral pigs in Hawaii

Feral hogs in Hawaii: where they are

Pigs came to Hawaii with people. A 2016 genetic study of Hawaiian feral pigs found they are mostly descended from the pigs Polynesian voyagers brought when they settled the islands, with some mixing from European pigs introduced after Captain Cook's 1778 visit. That makes Hawaii's wild pigs a lineage of their own, and it's part of why pua'a matter so much in island culture and in local hunting.

Today the state's Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW), part of the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), lists feral pig as a game mammal hunted in public hunting areas on Hawaiʻi Island, Maui, Molokaʻi, Oʻahu and Kauaʻi. No official statewide population estimate is published, and we won't put a number on it.

Pigs are also the main threat to Hawaii's native forests. DLNR says feral pigs pose a significant threat to native biodiversity and watershed integrity. Their rooting destroys native plants, exposes soil to erosion, spreads alien weeds and, in some reserves, wipes out nests of endangered ground-nesting seabirds. That's why you'll see fenced natural area reserves and watersheds, where DLNR combines strategic fencing with animal removal.

That tension between hunters and forest managers runs through Hawaii's pig story. If you're comparing Hawaiian pigs with mainland "wild boar," our wild boar vs. feral hog guide covers the basics.

Feral pig status	Game mammal on Hawaiʻi Island, Maui, Molokaʻi, Oʻahu and Kauaʻi (DLNR)
Hunting license	Required on public and private land: $10 resident, $95 nonresident
Wildlife Conservation Stamp	Required, $10 (signed and attached to the license)
Hunter education	Required (narrow exception for long-time license holders born before 1972)
Private land	Year-round with license and landowner permission; landowner sets methods
Public hunting units	Seasons, methods and bag limits set by island and unit (HAR 13-123)

Hog hunting and trapping rules in Hawaii

As of 2026, hog hunting in Hawaii is run by DLNR's Division of Forestry and Wildlife under Hawaii Administrative Rules Chapter 13-123 (game mammal hunting).

License, stamp and hunter education

You need a valid Hawaii hunting license to hunt or possess a bagged animal: $10 for residents and $95 for nonresidents. You also need a current-year $10 Hawaii Wildlife Conservation Stamp, signed across the front and attached to the license. To get a license you must show proof of a hunter education course recognized by the National Hunter Education Association. The only exception is for people born before January 1, 1972 who held a Hawaii hunting license before July 1, 1990. The license year runs July 1 through June 30.

Private land

Pig hunting on private land is allowed year-round with a valid state license and the landowner's permission. The landowner sets any fees, weapons and methods, and blaze orange is required only if the landowner says so.

Public hunting units

Each main island has one or more state Hunting Units, and pig seasons, legal methods (archery, muzzleloader, rifle, shotgun, dogs) and bag limits differ by island and by unit. DLNR also announces special pig hunts and permits island by island. Recent ones include a Kauaʻi Unit A pig hunt that required a permit from the Kauaʻi DOFAW office, and adaptive management rule changes on Hawaiʻi Island. For hog hunting on the Big Island or any other island, start with the island's DOFAW page and the unit's exhibit in Chapter 13-123 before you head out.

Hunting with dogs

Pig dogs are central to local hunting, but dog use depends on the unit. Check the unit rules for whether dogs are allowed, and on private land, follow what the landowner allows.

Before moving any live animal between islands, check with the Hawaii Department of Agriculture.

Cooking wild hog, Hawaii style

Kalua pig is the dish every Hawaii pig hunter knows: a whole pig wrapped in ti and banana leaves and cooked for hours in an imu, an underground oven of hot stones. Wild pig is much leaner than the fat luau pigs often used, so you have to work with that.

At home, rub a shoulder roast with Hawaiian sea salt, wrap it in ti or banana leaves (or foil), add a little liquid smoke and a strip of wild boar belly or bacon on top for fat, and cook it covered at 300°F (149°C) until it shreds. That's well past 160°F (71°C). Serve it with rice and cabbage. For a backyard luau, a skin-on whole wild boar roasted slow, with the whole hog roasting guide for timing, feeds a crowd.

Wild boar meat delivery to Hawaii

We ship wild boar from our plant in Hubbard, Texas to every part of Hawaii — frozen, vacuum sealed and packed with dry ice. Estimated transit: 2–3 business days by air only (estimate), including Honolulu, Pearl City, Hilo, Kailua, Kapolei and Kahului. Orders over $199.00 ship free; smaller orders ship for a flat $39.95.

Estimate from Hubbard, TX. Hawaii orders ship by air only and carry a $35 surcharge on top of standard shipping. Frozen meat from inside the U.S. is generally allowed into Hawaii, but import rules can change on short notice, so check with the Hawaii Department of Agriculture if in doubt.

Feral hogs in Hawaii: FAQ

Sources

1. Hawaii DLNR — Game mammal hunting (species, islands, license, stamp, private land)
2. Hawaii DLNR — Rules regulating game mammal hunting (HAR Chapter 13-123)
3. Hawaii DLNR — Hono O Nā Pali Natural Area Reserve (feral pig impacts)
4. Linderholm et al. 2016 — A novel MC1R allele for black coat colour reveals the Polynesian ancestry of Hawaiian feral pigs
5. Hawaii Department of Agriculture — Traveling and shipping from the U.S. mainland to Hawaii
6. USDA APHIS — Feral swine distribution maps

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