Maui Nui Venison was one of the 15 companies selected for the latest cohort. The company seeks to simultaneously alleviate the damaging impact invasive deer have on Hawaiʻi’s vulnerable ecosystems while unlocking a healthy, local food resource.
For decades, axis deer have threatened everything from ranching to watersheds. Hunters can limit the destruction while feeding their families but accessing the land has proven difficult.
Lawmakers and community leaders continue to look for solutions to the axis deer overpopulation problem on Maui. The Conversation sat down with Maui Nui Venison CEO Jake Muise to get his insight on the situation. He shared how the business’s plan will contribute to efforts to reduce deer populations on the Valley Isle.