MEDORA, N.D. (KXNET) — Starting on Saturday, October 14, a bison capture will start and continue throughout the week.

According to a news release, it’s going to happen in the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

This operation is closed to the public for safety reasons.

The bison population is currently at 700, and they will remove animals in multiple age classes until the population is at 400.

Bison will be moved into a holding area via helicopter. The crew will do a survey of the landscape and population count before beginning the gathering.

The last time there was a bison capture in the South Unit was back in 2021.

The bison that are removed will be offered to Tribes through the InterTribal Buffalo Council (ITBC), which is a federally recognized Tribal organization that delivers bison to member tribes, supports the establishment of Tribal bison herds, and supports the historical, cultural, traditional, and spiritual relationship between Tribes and bison.

More information can be found here.