Bison hunt the grand Grand Canyon

[duckhunt]

For anybody interested I just read an article about the park service wanting to reduce the numbers in the herd. Looks like there will be a draw for 25 tags may 3rd and 4th. That might be a good hunt for somebody.

 

[thebestusernamesaretaken]

delete, delete!!!!

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

What is the cost to apply?
As this is not a hunt, the only cost to selected volunteers is the $65 fee associated with requesting a background check from Arizona Department of Public Safety.

What kind of time commitment will be required of volunteers?
There will be 4 lethal removal operations during the pilot year 2021. Each period will last 5 days. Volunteers will be expected to attend training on the first day and will be expected to participate in a full week of work. Operational Periods are as follows: Sept 20-24, Sept 27-Oct1, Oct 18-22, Oct 25-29. Volunteers will not be able to select which operational period they are interested in participating in.

How much meat will I be able to keep? Will I be able to keep the head or hide?
Grand Canyon National Park will transfer bison carcasses to Arizona Game and Fish Department at the end of each volunteer/ operation period. Arizona Game and Fish Department may distribute what they choose to skilled volunteers on the last day of their service. Skilled volunteers may share with Support Volunteers. Carcass distribution will not exceed one bison per volunteer team. Any parts not desired by volunteers will be transferred to the Tribal governments of GCNP’s 11 traditionally associated tribes.

It's not a hunt, just FYI.

 

[jt13]

I've been seeing this so many places that I will be suprised if there's less than 100k applicants

 

[duckhunt]

I didn't know any of the details. Just thought I would throw it out there if anybody might be interested.

 

[Bluffgruff]

I feel bad for the selection committee/unsuspecting recipient (victim) of the applications. This isn't a hunt and it won't be the type of fun that most people think of when they go hunting, even those of us who prefer type 2 fun. Now that gohunt has publicized it, as well as a bunch of other outlets, and I've gotten a text about it from everyone I know who even just overheard that I hunt, I bet this becomes a debacle.

This is not hunting, this is a slaughter, and while I applauded them for getting the public involved, I wish it were being done differently. One selected HUNTER (could be native, resident, non-resident, I don't care) at a time, escorted by park personnel, and hell get a volunteer guide and butchering crew on call as well to prevent any spoilage. Meat gets used. Hunter gets first right of refusal for anything they want. Park personnel keeps hunter from doing anything stupid.

I won't be applying because I want the bison to be more than a nuisance to be "removed."

 

[rmyoung1]

Only 12 of the 25 will be selected, if I’m understanding the process correctly. Three bison removed each week for four weeks.

 

[kwyeewyk]

The impression I got is that you're signing up to work for them 5 days and your job is to kill and pack bison for those 5 days, and maybe they will let you keep up to one bison at the end. Not 1 and done, the objective is to kill 200 bison. I was thinking they must mean 12 shooters per 5 day period, otherwise it seems pointless to involve the public, they could do that with staff.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

The impression I got is that you're signing up to work for them 5 days and your job is to kill and pack bison for those 5 days, and maybe they will let you keep up to one bison at the end. Not 1 and done, the objective is to kill 200 bison. I was thinking they must mean 12 shooters per 5 day period, otherwise it seems pointless to involve the public, they could do that with staff.

I believe they will take all the apps, pick the top 25 that meet all the requirements then pick 12 at random.

For five days your packing meat for the NPS, you might get some meat, probably not a skull or hide, and definitely not more than 1 animals worth of meat.

 

[Dave N]

Pass.

 

[Jdp010]

Carcass distribution will not exceed one bison per volunteer team

So the volunteer gets up to 1/12 of one bison? Or up to 1/25 of one bison? The "team" is the 25 selected for the given mon-fri, correct? And that entire team will share one bison (or less).

And the skilled shooters only "may share" bison with the 13 guys that weren't classified as skilled? (Probably the lowest 13 guys scoring on the shooting)

Sounds like I would be lucky to fill a 20 quart cooler with neck and rib meat I scavenged myself. While various tribes would be dining on backstrap they didn't carry?

And I paid over $4/round for the copper ammo for this privilege?

 

[geetar]

As a naive child bison was my favorite of all wild animals. If I’d know the politics that surrounded them I’d have probably picked a different favorite lol. Cant do anything with a bison without it getting complicated these days. That being said I still apply for tags because my childhood appreciation of them hasn’t waned even with the politics but yea like @Dave N said I’ll pass on this one.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

So the volunteer gets up to 1/12 of one bison? Or up to 1/25 of one bison? The "team" is the 25 selected for the given mon-fri, correct? And that entire team will share one bison (or less).

And the skilled shooters only "may share" bison with the 13 guys that weren't classified as skilled? (Probably the lowest 13 guys scoring on the shooting)

Sounds like I would be lucky to fill a 20 quart cooler with neck and rib meat I scavenged myself. While various tribes would be dining on backstrap they didn't carry?

And I paid over $4/round for the copper ammo for this privilege?

The FONSI lays it out in more detail, but the TLDR is you are not applying for a hunt, you are applying to work as a volunteer with the NPS, you might be compensated for your time with some meat.

It is an interesting opportunity in the hunting space but it’s definitely not something people should apply for if they have any expectations of it being a hunt, as we are typically accustomed.

 

[Wildabeest]

I feel bad for the selection committee/unsuspecting recipient (victim) of the applications. This isn't a hunt and it won't be the type of fun that most people think of when they go hunting, even those of us who prefer type 2 fun. Now that gohunt has publicized it, as well as a bunch of other outlets, and I've gotten a text about it from everyone I know who even just overheard that I hunt, I bet this becomes a debacle.

This is not hunting, this is a slaughter, and while I applauded them for getting the public involved, I wish it were being done differently. One selected HUNTER (could be native, resident, non-resident, I don't care) at a time, escorted by park personnel, and hell get a volunteer guide and butchering crew on call as well to prevent any spoilage. Meat gets used. Hunter gets first right of refusal for anything they want. Park personnel keeps hunter from doing anything stupid.

I won't be applying because I want the bison to be more than a nuisance to be "removed."

Seems like a job for @mtnprst and a film crew...

 

[geetar]

The FONSI lays it out in more detail, but the TLDR is you are not applying for a hunt, you are applying to work as a volunteer with the NPS, you might be compensated for your time with some meat.

It is an interesting opportunity in the hunting space but it’s definitely not something people should apply for if they have any expectations of it being a hunt, as we are typically accustomed.

Just so we are clear I read FONSI as this.

 

[Bluffgruff]

Seems like a job for @mtnprst and a film crew...

Dont lump me in with that buffalo chip.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

Just so we are clear I read FONSI as this. View attachment 182092

that’s actually what came up in my initial google.

For those curious.

https://parkplanning.nps.gov/showFile.cfm?projectID=49574&MIMEType=application%252Fpdf&filename=Initial%20Bison%20Herd%20Reduction%20Signed%20FONSI%2009%5F01%5F17%2Epdf&sfid=297104

 

[dgc1963]

This seems like someone from NPS takes you out n says ok shoot it and its over
then you with others pack it out and spend a week helping pack out others too

 

[OverlordBear]

I feel bad for the selection committee/unsuspecting recipient (victim) of the applications. This isn't a hunt and it won't be the type of fun that most people think of when they go hunting, even those of us who prefer type 2 fun. Now that gohunt has publicized it, as well as a bunch of other outlets, and I've gotten a text about it from everyone I know who even just overheard that I hunt, I bet this becomes a debacle.

This is not hunting, this is a slaughter, and while I applauded them for getting the public involved, I wish it were being done differently. One selected HUNTER (could be native, resident, non-resident, I don't care) at a time, escorted by park personnel, and hell get a volunteer guide and butchering crew on call as well to prevent any spoilage. Meat gets used. Hunter gets first right of refusal for anything they want. Park personnel keeps hunter from doing anything stupid.

I won't be applying because I want the bison to be more than a nuisance to be "removed."

That is how South Dakota does it on the Custer national forest land

 

[Bluffgruff]

That is how South Dakota does it on the Custer national forest land

Not quite. CSP is a well managed herd bordering on domestic operation, which I have no issue with because they call it what it is. You pay to shoot your meat there.