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Posted: Tuesday, February 26th, 2013 9:20 AM HST

School organization denies aerial hunting

By Associated Press

KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii (AP) — A Big Island man says he heard hunters firing at animals on Hualalai's upper slopes. However, a Kamehameha Schools spokesman says the organization was not doing any aerial hunting. West Hawaii Today reports that Frank Oda of North Kona says he was at his home near Palani Ranch on Feb. 18 when he heard a helicopter, followed by the sound of gunfire. He says he heard gunfire again on Friday. Oda says he learned that the helicopters were flying over Kamehameha Schools and Bishop Estate land. He says he believes that Kamehameha Schools officials signed off on the flights, which he said took hunters up to shoot feral cattle. But Kamehameha Schools spokesman Kekoa Paulsen says the helicopters were only delivering hunters and helping keep track of goats. ___