Grand Canyon Bison

[mbiewer]

buffalo meeting for the north rim. sounds like they want to do some changes:

 

 

March 7, 2016

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. - 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.

How to provide comment

The preferred method for submitting comments is through the NPS Planning, Environment and Public Comment website. You may also mail or hand-deliver your comments to the Superintendent, Grand Canyon National Park, PO Box 129, Grand Canyon, AZ 86023. Comments will be accepted through March 26, 2016.

Additional information can be found at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/grca_bison.

Background

The bison herd occupying Grand Canyon’s North Rim lands and adjacent land is estimated at between 400 and 600 animals. The population must be reduced to minimize impacts to natural and cultural resources within the park. In 2014, in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the NPS initiated public scoping for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to develop a long-term, coordinated approach to manage the current and future effects of bison on the park's natural and cultural resources. As a result of the change in scope to initial herd reduction, the NPS now proposes to complete an Environmental Assessment instead of an EIS. Cooperators on the project include NPS, U.S. Forest Service Bureau of Land Management, Arizona Game and Fish Department, and Intertribal Buffalo Council.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, religion, or disability in its programs and activities. If anyone believes that they have been discriminated against in any of the AZGFD’s programs or activities, including its employment practices, the individual may file a complaint alleging discrimination directly with the Director’s Office, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086-5000, (602) 942-3000, or with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Attn: Civil Rights Coordinator for Public Access, 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS:WSFR, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation or this document in an alternative format by contacting the Director’s Office as listed above

 

[Titanium700]

Hopefully they allow hunters to do the work rather than state sharpshooters.

[yotebuster]

They did a similar thing in ND to thin the elk herd in Theodore Roosevelt national park. They ended up doing a draw of hunters from the public. It wasn't as cool as it sounds. They pretty much used them as sharp shooters. They paired them in 2's and had helicopters locating the elk. The "hunters" then shot every single elk they could get, Bulls cows and calves. They left them lay and packers with horses came behind and boned them out and the meat was donated. The "hunters" didn't even get to approach them. I guess I like that they used public hunters instead of wasting money on sharp shooters, and to some people that might sound like fun, but for me that's not hunting and I wouldn't want part of it. They killed 8-900 elk in a week if I remember right. I'm guessing this "hunt" will follow a similar structure so don't anticipate a true draw tag and a hunt if they use public hunters. Could help if you were holding a tag across the fence that year but it's gonna make it really tough in the coming years after the slaughter. In my opinion this is not good for hunters.

[SirRoyal]

I already sent a comment to NPS.

I should of added allowing hunting in the traditional way either on horse back using my bow and or a .50 caliber Sharps.

Now you gotta admit that would be a blast!

[Weston]

As cool as it would be to have a few extra tags, it sure would be nice if they would do a wildlife swap and trade them to another state for other animals if we don't want them... Wild bison occupy a small fraction of their native range and with as few free ranging herds left in the world it would seem that in the interest of biodiversity and conservation the carrying capacity is no where near met, they just don't like them on the park...

[.270]

Good luck getting them in a trailer. Wild cattle can be widowmakers. Buffs are gonna flat out kill ya. Darting them ain't gonna work either. Too dam big to load. Lark

[Heat]

I highly encourage anyone who has any interest in hunting in this state to write a simple comment letter to the Park Service. One or two line will suffice if that is all you got.