{"id":4317,"date":"2025-12-22T04:25:03","date_gmt":"2025-12-22T04:25:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/range\/spot-and-stalk-hunting-axis-deer-in-lanai\/"},"modified":"2025-12-22T04:25:04","modified_gmt":"2025-12-22T04:25:04","slug":"spot-and-stalk-hunting-axis-deer-in-lanai","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/range\/spot-and-stalk-hunting-axis-deer-in-lanai\/","title":{"rendered":"Spot and Stalk Hunting Axis Deer in Lanai"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bow Hunting Axis Deer<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">It was early August on the Hawaiian island of Lanai. I\u2019m with my good buddy Randy, his son Gatlin, and our guide Alec for a three-day Axis deer hunt as we labored over maps and strategized our hunt for Hawaii\u2019s most coveted big game species.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Season 7, Episode 2 -  Hawaii Axis Deer\" width=\"801\" height=\"451\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/B9Ge_MN3i_k?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h4>Spot And Stalk Hunting For Axis Deer<\/h4>\n<p>Spot and stalk hunting for Axis deer in Lanai is simply tough. In many circles, they are regarded as the most challenging big game animal to get within bow range. This is partly because Lanai\u2019s Axis deer have no other predators other than the human hunter. Through generations of hunting pressure, these deer have learned how to evade hunters.<\/p>\n<p>Luckily, it\u2019s not uncommon to encounter as many as 50 Axis deer a day when hunting in Hawaii. They were introduced from Asia in the 1860\u2019s and flourished on the landscape. Now, their booming population grows at a rate of 20-30% each year.<\/p>\n<p>While I was sure we\u2019d have plenty of opportunities at seeing deer on this trip, I knew closing the distance was going to be difficult. To pull off a successful spot and stalk, I knew I had to be precise in my movements, slow in my approach, and aware of the wind.<\/p>\n<p>On day one we glassed a bachelor group of bucks in thick brush. With the wind in my face, I stalked slowly into position. I found a grove of bushes and tucked in close behind them. A trophy buck was bedded down just ahead and it was within archery range.<\/p>\n<p>I waited for the opportunity at an ethical shot. After 45 minutes, the buck finally stood broadside. I made my move, drew back, and locked into my anchor points before releasing an arrow. It was a tough shot on a big buck, and when the deer took off, I knew it was a clean miss. We headed back to camp, empty-handed yet undeterred, to prepare for the next day.<\/p>\n<p>Spooking an Axis deer on a failed spot and stalk attempt runs the risk of setting off a chain reaction. When one deer barks, so does every other one within earshot, and they all bolt in opposite directions, spooking even more deer. This can make for frustrating hunting conditions. But it also presents a challenge to the hunter that\u2019s hard to replicate anywhere else. In part, this is what makes the challenge of hunting Axis deer so alluring.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The next morning, we returned to the field with high spirits and renewed confidence. A bluebird day with low and steady wind. There plenty of Axis deer on the Lanai landscape. It\u2019s just about waiting for that right opportunity. We hiked all morning without finding a chance to redeem ourselves. Then, by late afternoon, we found a large herd of bucks and does and were able to creep within 40 yards of them.<\/p>\n<p>Daylight dwindled without a shot opportunity. Just before dark, we had to call it a day. We head back to camp for one more night of rest before the last day of our hunt.<\/p>\n<p>One of the beauties of spot and stalking Axis deer in Lanai is the weather. It\u2019s a far cry from chasing late-season elk in Montana and would put you more in the mind of spring turkey hunting with daytime temps reaching into the 70\u2019s and 80\u2019s. It\u2019s t-shirt weather, and that helps a lot when you\u2019re trying to cover a lot of ground on a spot and stalk hunt.<\/p>\n<p>There is usually wind on the Hawaiian Islands and keeping the wind in your favor is a must.\u00a0 Sometimes you may need to put on many more miles to get into position but make the wind your friend, not your enemy.\u00a0\u00a0Do your best to stay as scent free as possible, but playing the wind should be your priority. In Lanai, where a spooked Axis deer will run away seemingly forever, keeping your wind right is a huge factor in finding success. Dressing comfortably in quiet clothing allows you to move freely without much risk. Next to scent control and playing the wind, the greatest enemy when stalking a big game animal can be the unnatural sound of fabric on fabric friction, the scraping of clothing on bushes, or even squeaky boots.<\/p>\n<p>The next day I headed to a new spot where we saw a lot of deer. After we surveyed the land, a final spot and stalk was planned, this time with Alec by my side.<\/p>\n<p>It isn\u2019t long before we move in on a group of bucks. The wind is right, and a trophy Axis deer stood broad side at 66 yards. I am comfortable with the shot. I stand up, pull back on my bowstring, and sail an arrow just over the buck\u2019s spotted flank. A little lower,\u00a0or if they buck hadn\u2019t dropped as the arrow got close, and it would\u2019ve been in the sweet spot.\u00a0These are spooky critters.\u00a0 Much like hunting the hyper-alert whitetails in Texas, you should concentrate on aiming for the heart.\u00a0 If they drop, you\u2019re still in the lungs and if they don\u2019t, you\u2019ve still hit the heart.\u00a0 I failed to remember that on this buck and I was hoping for another opportunity, but it\u2019s the last day of our hunt and were forced to call an end to our Axis deer adventure<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" class=\"wp-image-9207\" src=\"https:\/\/www.purehunting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/PureHunting_AxisDeer_Pic3-1024x768.jpeg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/purehunting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/PureHunting_AxisDeer_Pic3-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/purehunting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/PureHunting_AxisDeer_Pic3-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/purehunting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/PureHunting_AxisDeer_Pic3-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/purehunting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/PureHunting_AxisDeer_Pic3-100x75.jpeg 100w, https:\/\/purehunting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/PureHunting_AxisDeer_Pic3-1073x805.jpeg 1073w, https:\/\/purehunting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/PureHunting_AxisDeer_Pic3-1500x1125.jpeg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The Hawaiian landscape offers boundless outdoor opportunities, and although I wasn\u2019t able to fill my Axis deer tag, Gatlin was able to fill his. On our final day in Lanai, we head offshore for a productive day of fishing and return to camp for a delicious backstrap dinner from Gatlin\u2019s Axis deer, bidding Lanai, and its coveted herd of Axis deer, a final farewell.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" class=\"wp-image-9212\" src=\"https:\/\/www.purehunting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/PureHunting_AxisDeerBlog_Pic4-1024x768.jpeg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/purehunting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/PureHunting_AxisDeerBlog_Pic4-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/purehunting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/PureHunting_AxisDeerBlog_Pic4-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/purehunting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/PureHunting_AxisDeerBlog_Pic4-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/purehunting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/PureHunting_AxisDeerBlog_Pic4-100x75.jpeg 100w, https:\/\/purehunting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/PureHunting_AxisDeerBlog_Pic4-1073x805.jpeg 1073w, https:\/\/purehunting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/PureHunting_AxisDeerBlog_Pic4-1500x1125.jpeg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Read the full article <a href=\"https:\/\/purehunting.com\/hunting-axis-deer-in-lanai\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">here<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bow Hunting Axis Deer It was early August on the Hawaiian island of Lanai. I\u2019m with my good buddy Randy, his son Gatlin, and our guide Alec for a three-day Axis deer hunt as we labored over maps and strategized our hunt for Hawaii\u2019s most coveted big game species. Spot And Stalk Hunting For Axis<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4319,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.purehunting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/PureHunting_AxisDeer_Pic2-1-1024x768.jpeg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4317","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-hunting"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/range\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4317","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/range\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/range\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/range\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/range\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4317"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/range\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4317\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4320,"href":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/range\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4317\/revisions\/4320"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/range\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4319"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/range\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4317"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/range\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4317"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/range\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4317"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}