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Contact: Valerie Naylor, 701-623-4466
Elk Reduction Requires Midweek Backcountry Closures Backcountry areas and hiking trails in the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park will be closed on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from October 18 - December 22 to accommodate the park's elk reduction effort. "For safety reasons, we are closing the South Unit's backcountry and hiking trails three days per week while teams are shooting elk in the park to reduce the herd," said Superintendent Valerie Naylor."We regret having to close any portion of the park at any time.However, this is necessary to ensure visitor safety and to enhance the effectiveness of the elk reduction teams." This is the second year of the park's elk reduction effort, which is conducted so that the backcountry areas and trails in the South Unit are open Friday - Monday when visitation is highest.The South Unit's roads and overlooks, as well as Cottonwood Campground, will be open daily. The four front-country trails in the South Unit - Buck Hill, Wind Canyon, Ridgeline Nature Trail, and Coal Vein Trail - will also remain open. The elk reduction is starting two weeks earlier this year and is ending a month earlier.Last year's elk management action lasted 12 weeks; this year it will be 10 weeks in length.No entrance fees will be charged in the South Unit on the days when the backcountry areas are closed. "This change in schedule should maximize efficiency of the elk management effort and minimize disruption to park visitors," said Naylor."The North Unit and Elkhorn Ranch Unit are not affected by the elk reduction effort, and we encourage hikers to enjoy those areas this fall." As part of a multi-year elk reduction, five National Park Service team leaders and up to 4 volunteers per team work together to reduce the elk population with firearms.Elk meat is packed out of the park and donated to North Dakota American Indian Tribes, Sportsmen Against Hunger through North Dakota Community Action, and the North Dakota Game and Fish Department (NDGFD).The NDGFD donates some of the meat back to the volunteers who assisted with the elk reduction effort. -NPS- |
Last updated: April 10, 2015