Planning for elk management is over and now Theodore Roosevelt National Park can move ahead with the decision to allow volunteers to shoot elk in the park's South Unit, according to a press release from the park issued Monday.
Midwest Regional Director Ernest Quintana on Friday signed off on the National Park's Elk Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement Friday making the move possible, according to the release.
The method of reducing the herd is for park employees to lead teams of up to four volunteer shooters into the park. The park may also use other methods if the volunteer effort is unsuccessful.
"The selected alternative implements a team approach to elk reduction and teams will be expected to efficiently and safely remove elk while keeping in mind this is a National Park," park Superintendent Valerie Naylor said in the release.
The hunts may begin as early as mid-October and run through January. Once the final application procedures are developed, the public will be notified as to how to apply.
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An annual aerial survey conducted in February showed the number of elk in the park to be about 950 and the park objective is 200 to 400, according to the release. The higher numbers are not causing measureable changes in the park vegetation or environment, according to the release.
