The Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota is looking for a few volunteers to help with elk herd reduction efforts.

In fact, they're looking for up to 20 volunteers per week for twelve weeks starting November 1 and running through January 21, 2011.

The goal is to cull up to 250 cow elk from the approximately 950 animals that make the south unit area of the park their home. Volunteers may receive meat from up to one elk, depending on their particular week's harvest success rate.

And the opportunity is one that might seem almost too-good to be true. NO hunting license or tags will be required, and no fee for participation. Apply, get selected, get there (on your own dime) and you're elk hunting.

Park Superintendent Valerie Naylor says there's been "strong interest in volunteering for the program for some time" adding that the process has been automated and streamlined as much as possible to speed the process and "make the selection of volunteers as fair as possible."

So streamlined and automated is the process that only online applications are being accepted. Instructions, forms, and FAQs can be found on the parks website at: http://www.nps.gov/thro/naturescience/elk-management.htm

If you've never done much rough-country hunting, don't expect the park service to train you to hunt elk. Requirements include the ability to demonstrate a "high-level of shooting proficiency using lead-free ammunition" and be able to stay for the entire five day volunteer period. No shoot-and-scoot here.

If you're selected, you will also be expected to help with field dressing, collection of biological samples and certified fit enough to perform all of the duties required.

You also have to be able to legally possess a firearm- and willing to sign a formal volunteer agreement when you arrive there.

Volunteers will also include those who are not shooters, but packers. They will collect the meat and transport it via pack horses/mules to a cold-storage facility located inside the park. Depending on the particular week's harvest success rate, volunteers may receive meat from up to one elk.

If you have three friends and want to try and go as a group, that's OK as well. Up to four people can volunteer together. It might be the hunting opportunity of a lifetime if your group did get chosen.

The selection process is pretty simple: complete an online application and submit it.

When it goes into the database, it's assigned a unique identification number. At the close of the application period (August 9, 2010) a random selection process will choose the applicants. You should have notification of your selection "2 to 4 weeks after the close of the application period."

Our pal John Richardson over at the No Lawyers-Only Guns and Money blog (http://onlygunsandmoney.blogspot.com) tipped us to the opportunity, and reminds us that there are a couple of downsides to the deal.

You have to get to North Dakota on your own, and you should be prepared and equipped to hunt in North Dakota in December or January. The average temperature then is eighteen degrees. Remember, average means it might be warmer - or colder.

The closest town - Medora (pop.100) has 1 hotel and 2 motels. Twenty additional visitors might have an impact on the availability of accommodations, so anyone selected might want to either get a reservation made - fast- or consider alternative accommodations.

Questions about the program - or opportunities for paid elk-packer positions should be directed to Theodore Roosevelt National Park Chief of Resource Management Bill Whitworth at (701) 623-4466.

If you apply - and are chosen- we'd like to know about it. We'd also like to talk with you about your providing us the story of your hunt to share with all our readers.

You might score a free elk hunt- and begin your career as an outdoor writer.