Skilled volunteers wanted to kill bison near Grand Canyon

The Arizona Game and Fish Department and National Park Service are seeking out volunteers to help with a “bison lethal removal effort” on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park.

The two groups are looking for skilled volunteers who have “excellent fitness” as all activities will take place at around 8,000 feet above sea level. The majority of the work will be done on foot.

According to an announcement by the National Park Service, applications for the effort are being taken through May 4, 2021.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department will randomly select 25 applicants who certify that they meet the required criteria for positions as volunteers. From there, the National Park Service will contact the 25 applicants by May 17, 2021, to “verify that the criteria are met” and will make a final selection of 12 skilled volunteers.

From there, the volunteers will be selected to work under a team leader and supervisor during an occupational period. According to the National Park Service, the periods for the 2021 removal are Sept. 20-24, Sept. 27-Oct. 1, Oct. 18-22, and Oct. 25-29.

“Volunteers will be expected to work for an entire 5-day operational period which will include lethal removal, field dressing, and hauling bison carcasses out of the field by foot without mechanized assistance,” the National Park Service said in the announcement.

According to the National Park Service, the removal is not a sanctioned hunt and is meant to protect the park’s resources as a means of conservation and herd management.

“Hunting is illegal in Grand Canyon National Park. Hunting in National Parks is prohibited unless such activity is specifically mandated by Federal statutory law,” the National Park Service said. “All reduction activities are guided by the 2017 Environmental Assessment completed by the NPS and supported by the State of Arizona and the US Forest Service.”

Because of the nature of the removal, applying or being selected for this skilled volunteer opportunity will not affect bonus points, count toward lifetime species limits, or invalidate any big game tag or draw application an individual may have with Arizona Fish and Game Department, the group said.

For more information, click here and here.

To apply to the program, click here.

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