KULA, Hawaii (AP) — Two men arrested last month on a public road within Oprah Winfrey ‘s property on the Hawaiian island of Maui are suspected of illegal night hunting, state officials said Monday.
The two Maui men, both 19, were arrested just before midnight on June 21 after officers found them using a hunting spotlight on a public road that runs through Winfrey’s ranch in Kula, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources said in a news release.
While they were not caught actively hunting, officers found a loaded shotgun and a loaded rifle in the pair’s truck, and Winfrey’s ranch surrounds the road where they were stopped, the state said.
The men were arrested on suspicion of hunting on private lands without permission, not having a hunting license and other violations. One of them was also arrested for an unregistered semi-automatic rifle.
Invasive axis deer run rampant on Maui and other islands of Hawaii.
Maui County prosecutors will review the case and determine if there will be charges. Records show the men were released pending investigation, county officials said.
“Last month, DLNR reached out to Upcountry ranchers regarding their efforts to prevent illegal poaching throughout the area and we agreed to cooperate. The arrests did not happen on the property,” Winfrey’s production company, Harpo, said Monday in an emailed statement.
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Two men were recently apprehended on Oprah Winfrey’s Maui property on suspicion of illegal night hunting, Hawaiian state officials revealed this Monday. Both 19-year-old Maui residents were apprehended on June 21 just before midnight for using a hunting light on a public road intersecting Winfrey’s ranch in Kula, according to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. Although they were not caught in the act of hunting, authorities discovered a loaded shotgun and rifle inside the men’s truck. The men were taken into custody for allegedly hunting on private property without authorization, lacking a hunting permit, and other infractions. Additionally, one of them was detained for an unregistered semi-automatic rifle.
Invasive axis deer are a common issue on Maui and other Hawaiian islands. Maui County prosecutors will assess the case to determine if charges will be filed. County officials disclosed that records indicate the men were freed pending further investigation. Winfrey’s production company, Harpo, addressed the situation in a statement, mentioning that the Department of Land and Natural Resources had contacted Upcountry ranchers about preventing illegal poaching, and they had agreed to collaborate. Harpo emphasized that the arrests did not take place on their property.
