In July, 2023, we streamlined our Forest Reserve Access system.
Please visit the Forest Reserve Access page for more information.
Legacy users will need to re-register once, and receive a new Access ID.
Gate Codes will be issued by text.
Detailed instructions below and on the Forest Reserve Access page of this website.
Hawaii's game bird hunting season for 2025-2026 runs from November 1, 2025, to January 25, 2026, and is open on Saturdays, Sundays, and state holidays. Hunters must have a valid Hawaii hunting license, a wildlife conservation stamp, and a game bird stamp to hunt.
Please see the DLNR Hawaii website for information.
Bird hunters do not need to request access to bird hunt. Access is through 'Āinapō gate, and hours are 6A to 6P. Gate will be staffed by DLNR personnel.
Users desiring to do other public use activities on bird hunting days must request access. If bird hunting, users MUST check in and out for bird hunting before doing any other activities. Users entering at 4:30 with a gate request must proceed through the ranch and cannot bird hunt before coming back to the check-in station.
OrFilmmakers Liz Barney and Alison Week spent several years filming and doing interviews to tell the story of two very different Ranches, both with leases with the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Their work has helped educate viewers as to the legacy of ranching on State Lands in a Multi-Generational setting. Search "Pacific Hearbeat - Island Cowgirls
or View Here .
A reliable source of water for cattle is a must. In 2011 we completed Kaniwai Reservoir. This high altitude reservoir can gravity feed throughout the ranch. In the early days we relied on pumps to make water available. We no longer burn fossil fuels for water distribution.
Wildlife, like the endangered Nēnē rely on Ranch water. A recent count by Forestry showed over 70 Nēnē gather in the area around 'Āinapō Reservoir
In addition to water resource the ranch tractor, trucks and personal have been used for firefighting. Grazing keeps fuel loads manageable.
Intensive, managed grazing of our large goat herd helps control Faya, Guava and Christmas berry. They also help with overgrown grasses and Popoki.
Grazing land represents an important component of terrestrial carbon dioxide (CO2) offset and is a significant sink for long-term carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas mitigation.
The Lifecycle of the Cow explains the years of a Cow used for breeding and, in the end, for meat that stays in Hawaiʻi.
Enough for the protein in about a million school lunches!
Business Contact Information
Mailing Address: PO Box 537, Palaha, HI 96777
email: Kapapala.ranch@aol.com
Response times vary pending work load and cell service availability.
Forest Reserve Access
email: operations@KapapalaRanch.com
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