The bison of the United States is declared the “national mammal of America in the year 2016.” But their ever-growing size is a threat to different archaeological sites, traditional religious spaces, vegetation, and even the waters and green expanses. An effort was thereby made till the previous year to prune down their numbers and currently, the country supports almost 11000 bison.
Their population is scattered in around 12 states of the United States with some places having a bigger population than the rest. Grand Canyon is also a site where almost 500-800 bison posed a constant threat to the flora and fauna seeing as their annual planned reduction has brought down the numbers to 200+.
What is the Grand Canyon Bison Hunt?
Bison are prevalently witnessed in the northern rim of the Grand Canyon. Usually, a hundred feet distance is instructed between a man and a bison if ever a human has to face one. It is being devised that by 2025, the authorities want to bring down the bison count below 200. To work towards it, the bison reduction plan took effect in 2018. During this time, almost 300+ bison have been dealt with by killing 203 of them and shifting 182 to different other locations.
Till last year, applications were invited from different hunters who could hunt down these bison through an application for the lottery system.
What is being planned for this year fall by the authorities about the Bison Hunt lottery?
Given that so many have been lethally eliminated from the Grand Canyon area, officials do not want the Bison Hunt operation for this year’s fall. Instead, the park authorities are primarily targeting live capture of these animals this year. After capture, their job would be to transfer these to the InterTribal Buffalo Council.
They are the team responsible for the transfer of these bison populations to the Native American Indian tribes who are occasionally demanding the addition of bison to their tribes to expand the numbers within their herds. But, it does not mean if the Bison Hunt will not happen this year, it will never happen again.
It only means that the current third-party collaborations are enough to resettle a few of them here and there. Some of them are even being confined within closed spaces to ensure they are not damaging the flora and fauna of the Grand Canyon in any which way. Estimated arrangements can keep the herd numbers within reach now that they already have reduced or fallen up to 200+ in numbers.
What are the eligibility criteria?
The eligibility criteria for the Grand Canyon Bison Hunt program are being chalked out below as they might still occur in the future. Knowing the eligibility criteria can help individuals, willing to apply for the hunt next, whenever it is being planned.
- Anyone who is a citizen of the United States can apply if they can provide proof of their identity primarily a driver’s license or even a passport.
- All applicants need to be 18 years or more and must be mature as per their State laws.
- The participants must agree to pull out the bison carcasses driving them out manually instead of using motor vehicles.
- Before the fieldwork begins, the park authorities will inspect the firearm safety certificate and one needs to agree to it.
- Every instruction given must be taken seriously by the participating people.
- Verbal communication skills are a must for those who participate in these programs.
- You need to fend for yourselves during this period- food, boarding, rifles, and ammunition without lead in them.
What are the application requirements?
- An unpaid voluntary program (NPS VIP Program) needs to be signed for five days while participating in the program.
- Physical fitness certification will need to be done by self to proceed with the process.
- One must pass the firearm proficiency test whereby 3 out of 5 shots need to be fired successfully within a 100-yard distance within a circle covering 4 inches. The certificate proof must be tagged with the Bison Hunt application.
- Anyone willing to participate must prove they have completed a firearm safety course like anything similar to a hunter safety course or likewise. They need to provide the certificate copy to prove the same with their application.
- A valid photo ID is essential to apply for the Bison Hunt application.
- You must provide your social security number (SSN) for their verification.
How to sign up Grand Canyon bison hunt?
Initially, there are some requirements you would need to fulfill when applying for the role. If you fulfill all the requirements, check the terms and condition box.
You also need to agree if you are a National Park Service employee or not and if you are an Arizona game and fish employee or not since such people are not eligible to apply.
Even SKV-skilled volunteers cannot participate in it.
Click on the next tab and begin the application process by entering the,
- Name
- Date of birth
- Street
- City
- Zip code
- Phone
- Email ID
- Territory or region
- ID number of any state-issued ID.
After that click on the register tab and then create your account with the site.
Proceed further by filling up the necessary details.
Benefits of participation
There are a few benefits of participating in the hunt for the hunter as well as the surroundings.
- Too many of them mean no control over where they can invade or intrude. Keeping their counts low therefore can prevent unnecessary accidents among people.
- Those volunteer groups that participate will be able to keep the meat and the carcass of one bison. If any of the parts they do not want to keep they will be taken back to the tribes.
- Conservation of the wild and humans is what makes up the benefits part of the hunting process.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Can you hunt in Grand Canyon National Park?
Hunting is not allowed in the Grand Canyon National Park unless there is special permission to hunt down the bison.
How to enter the Grand Canyon Bison Hunt?
Whenever there is an application announced for participating in the Grand Canyon Bison Hunt, you can enter the contest if you are a seasoned hunter. But in 2022 there is no such application process as the animal count is well within limits.
What is the cost of sending them the Grand Canyon Bison Hunt application?
An applicant needs to pay $65 for their application if they want to be selected as volunteers.
Why are the Grand Canyon authorities allowing the elimination of the bison?
Too many of them can be a threat to human ecology and the properties of humans are at risk. To prevent more and more human-bison encounters it is essential to decrease their numbers in the community.
Conclusion
If you were a part of the previous hunt and want to be a part again, you might want to find out more about eligibility and other necessities. Those who are wondering why the Grand Canyon forest authorities have still not announced the 2022 hunt need to understand it since they do not need any more bison killing this year. They plan to mitigate the current numbers through regular confinement and transfer from one place to another.
