GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE – The National Park Service is looking for sharpshooters to cull an elk population that has grown too large in Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in Colorado.
Hunters must pass a shooting test which requires hitting 12”x14” targets from 200 and 300 yards three times in a row without a miss within three minutes. Officials say it’s a difficult requirement for even the most seasoned elk hunters.
Hunters also need to complete an application process, pass a background check and must be at least 18 years old.
A similar method was used in Rocky Mountain National Park between 2009 and 2011. Colorado is reported to have the biggest elk herd in the world at about 300,000 animals.
