Here's a the NDGF release:

State Encourages Volunteers to Help NPS with Elk Population
North Dakota state officials are encouraged that the National Park Service has started recruiting volunteers to help reduce the elk population in Theodore Roosevelt National Park’s south unit.

The NPS announced details of the process July 19. Under the plan, volunteers will have an opportunity to harvest elk within the park using firearms. The plan includes having five teams, each consisting of one team leader and four volunteers, in the park each week for 12 weeks, beginning in November 2010. Therefore, a maximum of 240 volunteers may be needed.

“This is very close to the alternative we recommended to the NPS, and North Dakota citizens asked for,” said Terry Steinwand, North Dakota Game and Fish Department Director. “We offer our support to the Park Service as this alternative is put into place, and we encourage North Dakotans to take the lead and submit an application.”

The NPS is the agency responsible for managing TRNP and is developing and implementing actions intended to reduce elk numbers in the park. The Game and Fish Department role as a cooperating agency is to provide technical advice and assistance to the NPS as it implements the process, and to facilitate the transfer of elk meat to the volunteers.

“We have worked to give North Dakotans an opportunity to help reduce the park’s elk population and keep part of the meat,” said Gov. John Hoeven. “Now we look forward to helping the Park Service succeed with this plan.”

In coordination with the park elk removal plan, Game and Fish has its elk seasons in units E3 and E4 outside the park open during November and December. In addition, the Department also plans to recommend an amendment to the proclamation that would allow licensed E3 and E4 elk hunters who were not successful during the regular season, to take cow elk outside the park in January.

Individuals who received a North Dakota elk license in the past are eligible to apply. In addition, participating in this elk reduction management plan does not eliminate someone from future consideration for a North Dakota elk license.

For more information on the application process, access the TRNPS website at  www.nps.gov/thro/upload/Application_Instructions.pdf. A question and answer summary of the elk reduction plan is available at  www.nps.gov/thro/upload/Elk-Reduction-FAQ.pdf. A link to the NPS website is also available on the Game and Fish website at  www.gf.nd.gov.

dang it timmers I didn't see your post before I posted mine.  delete it if you would.

I cant use my 243 with 85gr TSX? That sucks!

Lycanthrope Said:
I cant use my 243 with 85gr TSX? That sucks!

That'd never work anyway.  (grin)

I plan on using my 30-378 Weatherby w/ a 180 TSX Barnes.  3300 ft/sec will do.

Auggie1415 Said:
I plan on using my 30-378 Weatherby w/ a 180 TSX Barnes.  3300 ft/sec will do.

You're leaving about 200fps on the table if 3300 is all you're clocking.  I've run 180gn TBBC to 3250 from a bone stock 26" 300Win Mag.

Now now Horsager, speed is nothing without accuracy...

Actually looks like a pretty good deal.  I am truly surprised that common sense has prevailed in a govt run operation.  I think the pressure put on the elk in the park will make more "remote" areas of the badlands more appealing to the elk...which is good for ND hunters.  With this in place, hopefully the G&F can start managing E3/E4 the same way as E2....that is archery season during the rut, followed by an Oct rifle season.

I wouldn't be surprised if a few of these pressured elk make their way further North...hopefully find their way into the North Unit.  From what I have seen, its only a matter of time until the North Unit finds itself with resident elk as well.  There is plenty of habitat in the Long X/Collar Draw/Bennet areas on the East, Bear/Cinnamon/Horse Creeks on the West side to accomidate at least a few resident elk.

One thing is for sure this tells the NPS and federal government that there are people who care about the resource (i.e. the hunting public, NDGF and other common sense entities).  That is a powerful thing in its own.  Helps us gain some ground and as Randy from the NDGF indicated to me in an earlier, might open up other NPS areas.

To all those participating good luck to you all.

I might have to take a "big black scary" gun for this.... hehe. Wonder how many elk I can drop @ 300 yards with 30 rounds in less than a minute...

Only 3300 from a .30-338?   Not wanting to insult you, but as H says,  what's the point?   Why not use a reg .300 or even an easier to hit with  handloaded 06.    
I see the weeks plan is to get a 'ground school/chalk talk' on Monday with a shooting test and all that.  Wonder what they do if some guy shows up and can't hit the broadside of a barn at 10 paces?    Or doesn't have copper bullets, or old or out of shape and obviously physically unable to even drive through the park, etc.  Do they keep a B team on standby and send the lousy shot guy home?   
Glad they have meat packers.    That'll open it up for more guys who can hike and shoot and gut them out  but not pack so well.

Is there a caliber restriction?   I'm assuming no .50 bmg but maybe a .416 barrett?
A big black .416 barrett would scare the crap out of the people in funny green suits.

The only thing that bothers me with this all is the non-lead bullets.  Can't find any i really want to shoot out of my .338 lapua.  Barnes makes a 250 gr. but i'd like to stick with the 300's if i could.  I wonder if they could tell the difference between some matchkings and tsx's.  Also wondering how tough it is going to be to find a place to stay around that area.

My guess is that a handfull of the teams selected will get the majority of the work done.  Get 4 guys that know what they are doing in the right situation and those elk packer-outers will be busy for several days.

ggenthusiast Said:

I wouldn't be surprised if a few of these pressured elk make their way further North...hopefully find their way into the North Unit.  From what I have seen, its only a matter of time until the North Unit finds itself with resident elk as well.  There is plenty of habitat in the Long X/Collar Draw/Bennet areas on the East, Bear/Cinnamon/Horse Creeks on the West side to accomidate at least a few resident elk.

There are no elk in the north unit? Last fall my son and I saw a lot of elk within a few miles of the north unit both on private land and grasslands. Watched one of the biggest , if not the biggest bull I've ever seen breed a cow 50 yards from us one evening. Hard to believe there aren't any elk in the park when there were that many in the surrounding area.  

Bowhuntin Said:

ggenthusiast Said:

I wouldn't be surprised if a few of these pressured elk make their way further North...hopefully find their way into the North Unit.  From what I have seen, its only a matter of time until the North Unit finds itself with resident elk as well.  There is plenty of habitat in the Long X/Collar Draw/Bennet areas on the East, Bear/Cinnamon/Horse Creeks on the West side to accomidate at least a few resident elk.

There are no elk in the north unit? Last fall my son and I saw a lot of elk within a few miles of the north unit both on private land and grasslands. Watched one of the biggest , if not the biggest bull I've ever seen breed a cow 50 yards from us one evening. Hard to believe there aren't any elk in the park when there were that many in the surrounding area.  

I've never seen one, or any type of sign inside the fence.  The closest I've seen an elk to the North unit is along Hwy 85 a couple miles south of the bridge.  I would love to see a band of them find their way in and make the Stone Hills their permanent home.

We seen a lot of elk on the grasslands about 2 miles east of the bridge, funny they haven't gotten into the park yet. Also a lot of bighorns in that area.

Lots of them in every direction from the north unit.  Not many in the North unit itself for some reason.   I saw a lot of them a few miles NE when I had a ND tag.  Cows and one BIG bull.