After an uptick in the axis deer population in Maui County, HI, Senate Bill 1486 SD1 could be a solution to control the population.
The bill would expand the state’s meat processing and distribution capacity to allow for meat from axis deer and other wild game to be processed for distribution by nonprofit food distribution services.
Maui County councilmember Yuki Lei Sugimura told local news outlet KITV4, “It’s just going to open the door to really mitigate the overpopulation of deer, we need to bring the numbers down and it’s a food source.” Sugimura continued that passing the law could help other industries and those in need.
As of WLJ press time, the bill had moved to the House. A House version of the bill (House Bill 606 HD1) has moved to the Senate.
