Teddy Roosevelt park elk reduction going well

MEDORA, N.D. (AP) — An elk reduction project at Theodore Roosevelt National Park in western North Dakota has reached the halfway point and 200 elk have been killed, more than expected.

The park's goal is to remove 275 elk by the end of the program Jan. 20. Superintendent Valerie Naylor tells The Bismarck Tribune that results so far have exceeded expectations.

Five teams of four volunteers led by park staff are shooting the elk to reduce the herd, which has surpassed what park officials deem a manageable size.

Naylor says nearly 12,000 pounds of elk meat has been donated to residents of American Indian reservations in North Dakota, and another 4,500 pounds has been given to Sportsmen Against Hunger for food pantries statewide.

Tags: north dakota, elk, hunting, medora, environment