Federal and state officials are looking for public input on managing bison in far northern Arizona. The meetings are planned for Tuesday in Flagstaff and Wednesday in Phoenix.

The bison were introduced in the early 1900s as part of a ranching experiment to crossbreed them with cattle. The state owns the hundreds of bison that roam the northern reaches of the Grand Canyon.

But the animals have been making their home almost exclusively on federal land, within the boundaries of Grand Canyon National Park. So, national and federal officials are looking to manage the bison in a way that rids them from the park and allows for a free-ranging populating that can be hunted on forest land.

The Phoenix meeting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Arizona Game and Fish Department Activities Center, 5000 W. Carefree Hwy.