A new University of Hawaiʻi study has quantified the damage axis deer inflict on Maui ranchland, finding forage production roughly 25% lower where deer are present. Ranchers report cutting livestock herds by up to 30%, with annual statewide costs from wild ungulates estimated at up to $7.5 million.
- Axis deer were detected at 19 of 20 monitored Maui sites, with herds as large as 127 individuals observed at a single location.
- Forage production was about 25% lower in deer-heavy areas compared to fenced control plots, and at the worst site wild ungulates removed nearly 2,000 kg of forage per hectare in two weeks.
- Ranchers surveyed reported reducing livestock by 25–30% due to deer pressure, with some importing emergency feed at tens of thousands of dollars per month.
- Fencing protects individual parcels but displaces deer onto neighboring unfenced land, disproportionately hurting smaller farms and coffee growers who cannot safely hunt.
- The state has issued 29 emergency proclamations on axis deer since the problem was formally recognized, with the most recent issued September 8, yet population growth continues.
Source: Alohastatedaily
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