Illegal hunting report at West Oahu ranch leads to first arrest under ‘Duke’s Law’ | Hawaii News Now
07/31/2026
The Department of Law Enforcement (DLE) arrested a Waianae man on suspicion of hunting on private lands without the permission of the landowner.
Officials said it the first felony arrest made under “Duke’s Law.”
The owner of a West Oahu ranch contacted DLE Saturday morning to report a group of people hunting on private ranch property without permission.
The owner also reported hearing what sounded like numerous gunshots in the area.
DLE investigators, along with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, responded to the incident. After a short search, DLE detained four people, including a 24-year-old man, a 19-year-old man, a 20-year-old woman, and a 17-year-old girl, officials said.
“They were caught trespassing on a private ranch,” said Ernest Robello, deputy director of administration for the Hawaii Department of Law Enforcement. “They were equipped with rifles and they were in the process of hunting on this private property without proper permits.”
After a brief investigation, authorities arrested the 24-year-old man and took him to the sheriff receiving desk where he was processed and released pending investigation.
Officials said additional illegal hunting, firearms, and trespassing charges may be filed against him and others after the investigation is completed.
State uses drones to target illegal hunting
DLE said the arrest comes as the department expands its enforcement efforts with a new fleet of drones equipped with cameras, thermal imaging and loudspeakers to help officers locate illegal hunters.
“These drones have voice capabilities. They have video capabilities, as well as thermal imaging,” Robello said. “We can traverse big areas of property now with these drones to help us pinpoint where these illegal hunters may be.”
Hunting ethics and trespassing rules
Legal hunters say the case reinforces the importance of getting permission before entering private property.
“If you have a hunting license and you don’t have permission to be there, I consider you a poacher,” said Roy Kainoa, president of the Pig Hunters Association of Oahu. “If you didn’t get permission, you shouldn’t be there.”
Hunters say if a wounded animal crosses onto private property, they should first contact the landowner before attempting to retrieve it.
“If we happen to shoot an animal that we want to take and it isn’t an instant kill and we have to pursue the animal onto another property, ethically we should do so and keep the incursion as quick as possible to recover the animal,” said Brent Hamasaki, owner of BNR Tactical.
Kainoa also noted that state law prohibits hunters from removing live feral animals from the field.
What is Duke’s Law in Hawaii?
In 2025, Gov. Josh Green signed Act 235, otherwise known as “Duke’s Law,” into law in Hawaii. Under Duke’s Law, prohibited hunting on private agricultural lands and ranches is a felony that carries mandatory prison sentences.
It was enacted in honor of Cranston “Duke” Pia, who was killed by a trespassing hunter on his ranch in Makaha in 2024.
Ag crimes can be reported anonymously, 24 hours a day, by calling 808-427-3323 or by filling out an electronic form on the DLE’s website.