Fitness
Maui Nui Venison Brings an Invasive (and Delicious) Species Field to Table
Smack in the Pacific, thousands of miles from the nearest landmass, the Hawaiian Archipelago is as isolated as it gets. It’s the world capital of endemism—with one of the highest numbers of species existing nowhere else on Earth. There are more endangered species per square mile here than anywhere else, making the islands of Hawaii one of the planet’s most unique—and uniquely vulnerable—ecosystems.
Prior to human influence, new plants and animals carried by wind and water were incredibly rare here. A single new species made this commute every 50,000 years or so. Today, invasive species arrive in Hawaii once every 18 days. Most of the species on the island today co-evolved over millennia, creating a diverse and stable balance. Add in one dominant species though, leave it unchecked, and Hawaii’s delicate ecosystem is in trouble.
Environmental imbalance can be tough to gauge globally, but in Hawaii it’s felt almost immediately. Invasive deer, pigs, goats, sheep, and cattle are responsible for widespread destruction of lowland and native ecosystems, including critical watersheds.
What’s the largest invasive threat of all in Hawaii at present? No question, the seemingly benign Axis deer—a relatively new species surging toward a monoculture.
Muise and his team aim to monitor and manage Mauiʻs Axis deer population to a healthy carrying capacity. Lucianna McIntosh
Multiplying like… deer
In 1959, nine Axis deer were introduced to the island of Maui. Today, their population threatens to soar to hundreds of thousands, compromising the island’s open space if they aren’t managed effectively.
Enter Maui Nui Venison, a company founded on a single goal: tackling this problem head-on in a grounded and environmentally sound way.
“We’re never going to have sales goals,” says company founder and CEO Jake Muise. “We’re only going to have management goals.”
Maui Nui officially opened for business last year, but it’s been in the works for over a decade. The catalyst dates back to a clerical mistake during Muise’s college years. A native of northern Canada, he moved to Hawaii and was accidentally placed in an all-Polynesian dorm. This led to extended stays with local families over the holidays who familiarized him with the island’s Axis deer (over)population.
“It started with recreational bow hunting,” Muise recalls. “Eventually, figuring out a way to manage this invasive species became my biggest passion.”
NIght shift. The Maui Nui Venison crew. Courtesy Image
A win-win business idea is hatched
For his capstone project, Muise wrote a business plan mimicking New Zealand’s deer management program.
“My thesis was completely wrong,” notes Muise. “You can’t domesticate Axis deer. But it did put me on a path toward starting a non-profit—the Axis Deer Institute, which eventually became Maui Nui Venison.”
Muise’s first project out of college was removing four Axis deer that had been illegally introduced to the Big Island—a 90,000 square mile area. Despite very few invasive species projects being successful in Hawaii, this one was.
“That spurred a lot of conversations in Maui,” says Muise. “Eventually we realized that to be effective on an island-wide basis, we couldn’t rely on the grant process for funding. That led to the creation of Maui Nui.”
By working with large landowners across the island, Muise and his team aim to monitor and manage Mauiʻs Axis deer population to a healthy carrying capacity. “Having the Axis deer viewed as a resource instead of an invasive species is ultimately best at every angle—for people and the animal too,” says Muise.
Populations of Axis deer are located using Forward Looking Infrared (FLI) technology, which detects heat signatures. Lucianna McIntosh
Maui Nui’s method starts with data. All its venison is sourced from the field—a process unique to the company. Using Forward Looking Infrared (FLI) technology to detect heat signatures, the Maui Nui crew is able to compile deer population surveys and assess large areas with strikingly accurate population density predictions—of about 95 percent.
“This helps us understand resource availability and explain to landowners the cost of deer on their property,” says Muise. “It also forces us to be accountable and harvest responsibly.”
Jake Muise gearing up for the night shift. Courtesy Image
Night time’s the right time…
All the harvesting is done at night. It’s less stressful for the deer, which are never baited, fenced, penned, or corralled. Thanks to the absence of natural predators and seasonal swings, Axis deer experience minimal stress in general. “When animals are stressed, they rapidly deplete sugar stores and lactic acid levels, causing serious effects on meat texture and flavor,” Muise explains. “Our effort to source stress-free is an ethical choice—and a difference you can taste.”
Using a mobile slaughter facility, Maui Nui also does its processing in the wild, while following the regulations of a brick-and-mortar facility. The company’s mobile harvesting process is both USDA and FDA approved, with a USDA inspector for the duration of the harvest and a USDA veterinarian to inspect every animal.
“We only have a three-hour window every night, so the only way to make it happen is to bring the processing part with us,” says Muise.
Night shift. The Maui Nui Venison crew. Courtesy Image
Balance is the key
Thankfully, with years of collected data on Axis deer, Maui Nui is able to harvest with incredible efficiency. Muise says their database details every deer sighting, bullet fired, and weather condition from each harvest along with any other factors that enable effective tracking. “We’re able to harvest seven deer in an hour,” says Muise. “That pace wouldn’t be possible without all the data we’ve collected.”
Muise and his team spent years flying in inspectors from Oahu, all out of pocket. Using a local inspector since last year, Maui Nui can perform up to 14 harvests each month, creating a more consistent supply of venison. The company employs 16 full-time staff—and counting. The company is growing, but the standard exponential growth model isn’t the vision here.
Maui Nui recently partnered with Patagonia Provisions, to scale distribution and gain market exposure.
“I’ve always looked up to Yvon [Chouinard] for his tireless focus on environmentalism while growing a sustainable business. We don’t plan to work with many companies, but Provisions was a perfect fit. We needed their help to tell our story and educate more people. A big part of their business model is to find smaller producers—farmers, fishermen, and hunters like us—to incorporate our products into their platform. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship. And they support our mission of management before profits,” says Muise.
The goal is to achieve balance, working with major landowners to help them manage Axis deer to a population that works with the ecosystem. The population curve is on pace to quickly triple, so time is of the essence.
Once that benchmark is reached, Maui Nui won’t get any bigger. “We’ll actually get smaller, which I guess makes this a fairly odd business structure,” Muise laughs. “Hopefully we’ll be here in three years.”
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!
The key to 360-degree muscle: 90-degree eccentric isometrics. It might seem like we’re throwing a lot of geometry at you, but the concept behind time under tension (TUT) is simple, says Joel Seedman, PhD, owner of Advanced Human Performance: “Perform the lowering phase of a movement in a slow, controlled fashion, usually 3 to 5 seconds; pause in the stretched position, typically around 90 degrees; then perform the lifting phase in a powerful yet controlled fashion.” Believe us, a time-under-tension workout can humble even seasoned lifters…Eccentric isometrics are like the pressure cooker of training.
“Rather than mindlessly performing slow-tempo reps, you’re using the increased time under tension as a means to fine-tune your body mechanics and alignment, which requires more mental engagement and focus,” Seedman adds.
If you want to forge functional muscle mass and strength while simultaneously bulletproofing the joints and connective tissue, give this 10-move, full-body eccentric isometrics workout a go.
Directions
Perform the following moves as 90-degree eccentric isometrics following the above protocol. Use heavy weight, but not at the detriment of proper form. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets and 2 minutes between circuits. Perform once every 2 to 4 days for optimal results.
Best Time-Under-Tension Workout for Total-Body Strength
Circuit 1
A. Barbell Back Squat
Set a squat rack up with heavy weight, then grasp bar and step under it. Squeeze shoulder blades together, then stand to unrack bar and step back with feet shoulder-width apart. Inhale, hinge at hips and slowly bend knees to 90 degrees. Pause, keeping natural arch in low back, then extend through hips to powerfully stand. 3 x 4-6 reps
B. Renegade Row
Start in the top position of a pushup with hands shoulder-width apart on moderate-to-heavy dumbbells (shown). Explosively drive right elbow back to row dumbbell toward ribs while balancing on opposite hand and feet. Pause, then slowly lower weight, stopping a few inches above floor. Switch sides after all reps are done. 3 x 5 reps each side
Circuit 2
A. Dumbbell Bentover Row
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding two moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in front of thighs, palms facing you. Push hips back and hinge torso forward so it’s nearly parallel to floor, soft bend in knees. Dumbbells should be near shins. Drive elbows back to row weights toward ribs. Pause, then slowly lower down for 3 to 5 seconds. 3 x 4-5 reps
B. Incline Dumbbell Chest Press with Legs Raised
Set an adjustable bench to a 30- to 45-degree angle and lie back with dumbbells in either hand. Engage core and lift legs off floor, flexing feet. Press weights overhead, palms in. Slowly lower to 90 degrees, staying tight and compact. Pause, then drive weights up directly over chest. 3 x 4-5 reps
Circuit 3
A. Dumbbell Bulgarian Squat
Stand lunge-length in front of a flat bench, holding heavy dumbbells in each hand by your sides, palms facing in. Rest the ball on top (shoe’s laces) of your right foot behind you on the bench. Slowly lower your body until your front thigh is parallel to the floor. Pause, then drive through your heel to stand. Switch sides after all reps are complete. 2 x 3-4 reps each side
B. Single-leg Romanian Deadlift
Stand with feet hip-width apart holding dumbbells or kettlebells. Drive right leg up, foot flexed, knee aligned with hip, making a 90-degree angle. Hinge at hips as you slowly lever your torso toward floor, lowering weights and driving right leg back for counterbalance. Hold, then squeeze glutes to reverse. 2 x 3-4 reps each side
Circuit 4
A. Pullup
Hang from a pullup bar using an overhand grip with legs extended and feet flexed. Engage lats and draw shoulders down your back, then pull yourself up until chin is higher than hands. Pause at the top, then slowly lower. Pause at bottom, then reset before your next rep. 2-3 x 4-5 reps
B. Kneeling Overhead Barbell Press
Hold a bar with moderate-to-heavy load at shoulder level with forearms perpendicular to floor. Kneel at end of bench with feet flexed to grip edge for support. Inhale, engage your core and glutes, then press the bar overhead, pushing your head forward so it passes your face, exhaling at the top.
Slowly lower until elbows are at 90 degrees, then hold to maintain tension. Begin your next rep from here. 2-3 x 4-5 reps
Circuit 5
A. Dumbbell Pushup
Place hands on dumbbells (this provides greater range of motion) at shoulder width and feet wider than shoulder width with just toes touching the ground. Keep head neutral and hips high to increase tension on core, chest and tris and reduce stress on spine. Slowly lower to the floor. Stop
once elbows hit 90 degrees, pause, then push up to start. 1-2 x 6-8 reps
B. Biceps Curl
Stand with feet hip-width apart with moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in each hand hanging by sides. Engage biceps to curl the weights up, keeping upper arms still. Pause at the top, then lower slowly. Don’t let arms drop all the way down to keep greater time under tension on biceps. 1-2 x 6-8 reps
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!
