More than 45,000 people applied for a chance to hunt bison in the Grand Canyon after the National Park Service enlisted help from the public to reduce the size of the herd in the area.
NPS is seeking “skilled volunteers” to kill a number of bison damaging “water, vegetation, soils and archaeological sites” in addition to hampering the visitation experience of tourists, the agency announced April 26.
Of the applicants, 25 will be selected initially, of whom 12 will take on the task after a random lottery.
DENVER DONATES 14 BISON TO TRIBAL NATIONS
Those interested had to be older than 18, needed to pass a criminal background exam, and were required to have a “firearm safety certification.” Applicants were also required to show proof of “a marksmanship proficiency test” and were mandated to be in good physical shape.
The removal will commence Sept. 20 and conclude at the end of October. Applications for the program have since been closed.
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“Future volunteer removal operations will be announced on a later date,” NPS added.
