PTA offering bird hunting Thursday

Army officials are opening several site at Pohakuloa Training Area for bird hunting from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Christmas Day, which is Thursday.

Training areas one through four, nine through 16 and the Keamuku Training Area will be open for shotgun hunting of birds only. Use of shotgun slugs is not permitted.

All hunters must check in and 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 and Saddle roads near mile marker 28; or Puuanahulu, located on Mamalahoa Highway across from mile marker 15. Checkout time is no later than 7 p.m. each day.

Hunting passes will be provided at the check-in stations beginning Wednesday 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 areas one through four is through any of gates one through 10 on East Saddle Road, east of PTA’s main gate. Access to areas nine and 12 to 16 is through Ahi Gate, near mile marker 38.5, on West Saddle Road. Access to areas 10 and 11 is through any of gates one through seven on West Saddle Road, west of PTA’s main gate. Access to Keamuku is through gates two, seven and 10 on Old Saddle Road or gates 11 and 14 on Mamalahoa 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.

Hunters with disabilities can call Officer Brian Mabry at 969-2429 for assistance. 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.