National Park Service Seeks Public Input on Grand Canyon Bison Herd Reduction

By Justin Stakes

Grand Canyon, AZ -(AmmoLand.com)- The National Park Service (NPS) is seeking public comment on proposed changes to the scope of the Bison Management Plan at Grand Canyon National Park.

The focus of the planning effort will shift from development of a long-term management plan for North Rim bison to initial herd reduction.

Proposed National Park Service actions that will be analyzed in the Environmental Assessment include:

• Implementation of a suite of management tools (e.g., capture/removal, sharpshooting, and localized fencing of sensitive park resources) that would be used, in collaboration with state and federal partners, to reduce the bison population, currently estimated at 400 to 600 animals, to approximately 80 to 200 animals.

• Development and implementation of monitoring protocols to help improve understanding and to inform decisions about long-term bison management.

The Arizona Game and Fish Commission believes licensed citizen hunters should be considered as a significant part of a comprehensive solution to reduce and manage the bison herd. Allowing volunteer sportsmen and women to assist in managing the bison population would take the financial burden off the taxpayer and is the most economically and logistically effective option.

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