Hawaii state agency unveils app for outdoor recreation, hunting in Hawaii

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources unveiled a free mobile phone app Thursday offering information to the public on hiking trails and hunting areas around the state.

Described as the agency’s official outdoor recreation app, it will provide information and updates on a variety of recreation spots and public wilderness areas, plus information on hunting seasons and rules, along with the ability for hunters to check in and out electronically.

The Hawaii home screen offers weather advisories, COVID-19 updates, features on exceptional trails, places to go for epic views, maps and more.

“You can just touch on any area and read about it, different check stations in the area, natural area reserves, hunting areas, even state parks,” said Jason Omick, state wildlife biologist with the state Division of Forestry and Wildlife.

The app is operating on the cloud-based Outer­Spatial platform, the same one used by the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Serv­ice, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and several other state agencies, municipalities and nonprofit groups.

The development of the Hawaii app cost an estimated $140,000, officials said, and there is a $10,000 annual charge from OuterSpatial.

The app has special utility for hunting. Not only can hunters do the required check-in electronically; they can report what they’ve harvested.

For the Division of Forestry and Wildlife, it will help save the time and expense it currently requires to physically collect the data.

“We’re getting that data electronically — a little bit easier for us to analyze, and makes it a little bit more convenient for the hunter,” Omick said.

The data, he said, will allow officials to better understand what’s happening in the watershed and learn, for example, just how successful hunters are in a particular area.

Hunting unit maps will also allow hunters to clearly view boundaries and safety zones and see access routes in and out of an area, he said.

The app tracks location via the phone’s GPS, a function Omick says should help give people a sense of security while they are out in the wilderness.

As long as it is open, the app will work offline.

“Even when you are offline, you will be able to navigate state forest reserves and trails in the Na Ala Hele Trails and Access system with confidence,” he said.

With data from the app, state officials will be monitoring each trail and recreation area to make sure they are open and closed when they’re supposed to be.

The app offers social media integration, and users can take and share photos and report trail hazards and problems to the division or other state agencies.

The app has room to grow. Officials say they plan to continually add information and functionality based on user needs.

“We eventually may have a check-in for trail users where they can check in and check out knowing that they made it home safely,” Omick said.

“It’s kind of limitless,” he said of the potential. “You know, we’re going to continue to make it more robust throughout the years, as we beta-test it with folks and they’re using it on the trails, our hunting areas. And so, the sky’s the limit.”