Sheep Fever

Launched in 2015 with financial support from WSF and others, the Wild Harvest Initiative sought to calculate, for the first time, the total amount in pounds or tons of healthy, wild protein humanely harvested by sportsmen every year in the US and Canada. Keith caught up with Conservation Visions President and CEO Shane Mahoney to go over the numbers documented thus far and most importantly, how this data is being used to generate a broader public understanding and appreciation for sustainable use hunting. The sheer tonnage of wild protein consumed as meals and shared by hunters every year is staggering. It really puts into perspective the value of conservation and healthy ecosystems as nature's pantry, as it has been for a millennium. People may not hunt or agree on hunting's modern relevance, but no one can dismiss food as nonessential.

Artist, film producer, television host, outdoor communicator, ambassador, hunter, conservationist, father are just a few descriptives of Montana native Jason Matzinger. In this episode Jason and Gray cover a broad range of topics from Jason's roots, what makes him tick, outdoor media, where it came from, where it is going, and its benefits and burdens. Jason is the real deal and this episode covers topics coast to coast including the status of the outdoor industry. We also learn there is one descriptive that Jason does not consider himself to be…an “influencer.” Find out why. We're already looking forward to Part II.

Tough to choose, but here is a Best of Sheep Fever 2024 special episode. Actually, our listeners choose for us by most popular downloads. A lot of ground covered by some pretty seasoned folks in sheep hunting, conservation's history and future, wild sheep biology, predator management, shooting technology and marksmanship, to name a few. ·  Episode 40: Wild Sheep & Predators - Kevin Hurley, Kurt Alt, Tom Lohuis, and Eric Rominger (02:00) ·  Episode 46: Shooting Tech and the Era of Marksmanship - John Snow (28:19) ·  Episode 50: WSF Ambassador Talk Sheep Show - Jana Waller (52:08) ·  Episode 63: What Next for Conservation - Shane Mahoney (1:08:03) You'll like this one.

Often consumed to celebrate victory, sometimes even survival, but just as often to mourn defeat, whiskey and wild sheep do go together. Such was the vision of founder Robert Gertsner when he conceived of wild sheep inspired distilled adult beverages now known as Full Curl Brand's. Rob is a successful entrepreneur and a passionate and equally successful sheep hunter. A bowhunter, his coveted offerings of bourbon, rye, gin, and vodka match his pension for doing it the right way even if that is not the easy one. Sheep Fever co-host Gray Thornton and Rob discuss how the brand started, sheep and mountain hunting, the liquor business, the Sheep Show, partnerships and how Rob pays it forward by donating a portion of every bottle sold to fund wild sheep conservation. Pour yourself a glass, grab a fine cigar, relax, make no apologies, and sit back and enjoy this episode.

Admittedly, hunters are gear junkies. When it comes to our knives, as we learned from MKC founder and CEO Josh Smith, it runs deeper than that. Grandpa's knife can be Dad's knife; can then be our knife as a rite of passage. Sheep Fever sat down with Josh and a true American brand success story to discuss his humble beginning as a Montana boy knifemaker at age 15 to becoming the youngest Master Knifemaker in the country as certified by the Knifemaker's Guild, onto becoming one of the most successful startup knife companies in a very crowded field. His story and his philosophy about cutting tools, his team, and what goes into each MKC blade is an interesting journey into tradecraft for the hunter, and now the ranch, the kitchen, and who knows what next.  The timing couldn't be better. WSF has secured a limited number of their famous Blackfoot 2.0 knives for our current Life Member promotion giveaway. Like all MKC knives, if you blink, they're gone. Full details at this link https://www.wildsheepfoundation.org/life-summitlife  

Post Sheep Show, Sheep Fever co-host Keith Balfourd and WSF's Director of Publications and Awards, Julie Tripp reconnect with Dustin Diefenderfer of Mtn. Tough Fitness Labs to walk, or limp back through the first TOUGH SHEEP workout that took place at the Show. The TOUGH SHEEP workout was conceived by Dustin and his team to engage mountain fitness enthusiasts. The event aimed to not only welcome participants to the Sheep Show but also to provide a calendar event for their workout goals, create opportunities for in-person connections beyond their private workout spaces, contribute directly to wild sheep conservation efforts, and offer a chance to win a Dall's sheep hunt. The event raised $50,000 for wild sheep. It was a lot to unpack, but with the maximum of 500 registrants on the books, 428 making it to Reno and starting and all completing the workout, TOUGH SHEEP was a huge success and all the buzz of the 2025 Sheep Show. Plans are in play for an even bigger and better event for 2026.

In Part II of our Spotlight on BC, Kyle, Scott, and Gray weigh into the status of wild sheep and wildlife in the province, and the status of wildlife conservation and management given Ministry, staff, and other recent political changes. The trio of CEOs discuss the prospects for restoring the grizzly bear hunt, other wildlife challenges, dollars to the resource vs. impact to the resource and social license issues effecting conservationists ability to fund our efforts. 

British Columbia holds a special focus for the Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF), with three of North America's four wild sheep calling it home.  During the past three years, WSF directed $1.9 Million in Grant in Aid to the province to conserve and enhance thinhorn and bighorn sheep, improve their habitat, mitigate the impact of predation, support the hunting and conservation industry, and fund outreach programs to educate the public on the conservation benefits of hunting. In addition, WSF directed $828,000 to British Columbia's Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation through the sale of the BC Minister's Special Sheep License to fund wild sheep projects during the same three-year period for a total of nearly $2.8 Million. This equates to almost $1 million per year. In this Spotlight on British Columbia episode, Sheep Fever co-host Gray Thornton visits with  two of WSF's affiliates, Kyle Stelter, CEO Wild Sheep Society of BC & Scott Ellis, CEO Guide Outfitter Association of BC to talk all things wild sheep in the province.  

With the Sheep Show just over the next ridge, Sheep Fever hosts Gray Thornton and Keith Balfourd sat down with Mike Schoby of Field Ethos to discuss what's new and what to expect at the Show, what our new partner, donor, and exhibitor Field Ethos has in store, and announce a special featured auction item.  Field Ethos is a relatively new outdoor adventure media company founded by Donald Trump Jr. and Jason Vincent. Their goal was to unapologetically revive the action-adventure into hunting, fishing, and exploration of the outdoors around the world. With print, digital, and social, they have amassed quite a following of raw adventure seekers searching for a rush wherever they can find it.  Along those lines, Field Ethos has fully donated a VIP Mongolian ibex hunt with Donald Trump Jr. and Shikar Safaris to the Sheep Show auction for Saturday night's Grand Finale banquet. Watch live-stream and bid on the Sheep Show nightly live and silent online auctions at this link.

With the 2025 Sheep Show just around the corner, Sheep Fever co-hosts Gray and Keith visit with newly welcomed WSF Ambassadors Jana Waller Bair and Rachel Ahtila to discuss their journeys as hunter-conservationists, and to get their thoughts on why the Show is such a highlight on their travel schedules. Is it the positive vibe for wild sheep conservation or hunting in general, seeing old friends, making new ones, sharing stories where everyone is family, or simply a week of feel-good packed into three days? Along the way, the group covers many of the fan-favorite events that happen in Reno every year, plus what's new for the 2025 Show. If you're planning on attending, we'll see you there. If not, there is still time. Full event details are available at this link.

In our previous episode, we discussed that conservation is at a crossroads. More people are turning to nature and the outdoors for health and fulfillment, yet far too many are demonstrating a lack of knowledge of the differences between conservation and preservation and the benefits of both. As a result, emotion is trumping science, sound conservation actions are being pulled in all directions or tied up in court, and harmful measures are showing up on ballot initiatives.  In this episode, we drill deeper into this topic with Shane Mahoney, president and CEO of Conservation Visions. We begin by reflecting on a quote from Aldo Leopold's book, A Sand County Almanac, published in 1949.  “There must be some force behind conservation— more universal than profit, less awkward than government, less ephemeral than sport; something that reaches into all times and places, where men live on the land, something that brackets everything from rivers to raindrops, from whales to hummingbirds, from land estates to window-boxes. I can see only one such force: a respect for land as an organism; a voluntary decency in land-use exercised by every citizen and every landowner out of a sense of a love for and obligation to that great biota we call America. This is the meaning of conservation, and this is the task of conservation education.”   We end up with the need to create an overarching conservation policy, a conservation template that puts wildlife, the environment, and more people all on the same page. How we get there is the challenge.

Is conservation at a crossroads? If challenges to wildlife and the environment are evolving and, in many cases, mounting. If we believe that conservation is everyone's responsibility and that it is a progressive journey rather than a final destination, then we are at a crossroads.  The conservation movement in the early 1900s was born out of crisis. We were taking too much off the land and taking too much for granted. The Environmental Revolution of the 1906s and 70s was another gut check. Both resulted in the establishment of new laws, organizations, and institutions to address the challenges of those days. We knew what was bad and wasn't working, and we set out to fix things with nothing more than the motivation that using natural resources wisely and not wasting them was the right thing to do. In those days, there wasn't a roadmap to follow, nor was there a conservation policy or constitution to hold up as a litmus test for decision-making.  Would something like an overarching conservation policy, something a board cross-section of stakeholders could agree upon, take conservation into the next century?  In this episode of Sheep Fever, we talk with Conservation Visions president and CEO Shane Mahoney about where conservation is today, what it is facing, how it is being pulled in all directions, and the need, for the lack of a better term, a conservation template that puts wildlife, the environment, and people all in the same house. After all, we are living in the same house.

Bill Pastorek, author of Dream Rams of British Columbia will soon release his recent and highly anticipate work, Dream Rams of the North. Bill caught the sheep bug early in his life and his chosen career path of self-employment and building a successful gardening business allowed him plenty of time in the mountains to pursue his passion for wild sheep. An avid conservationist, and one who walks the talk of giving his time, talent, and treasure to the resource he loves and the organizations focused on their conservation, Bill has dedicated Dream Rams of the North to those volunteers, staff, and organizations focused on putting and keeping wild sheep on the mountain. Sheep Fever co-host Gray Thornton sits down with Bill to talk about his new release, its inspiration, how he curates the stories in it, and his plans for at least two more books in his Dream Rams series. Dream Rams of the North in the regular, limited, and conservation editions are available to pre-order at www.dreamrams.com. Bill will also be doing book signings and sales alongside his friend and fellow author Jim Manley at the January 16-18, 2025 Sheep Show® in Reno Thursday, Friday, and Saturday near the WSF Membership Booth.  

Spike Camp is an online community of hunter conservationists. On Wednesday, September 16th Spike Camp founders Chuck and Blake Peeling conducted a live stream podcast featuring WSF Ambassadors Jana Waller Bair and Rachel Ahtila as well as WSF Women Hunt® Committee members Julie Chapman, Brandi Love, and Women Hunt® founder & chair, Renée Thornton. The seven of them talk hunting, conservation, the Wild Sheep family, the Sheep Show®, and the impact hunting has had on their lives. They also covered the three current programs under the WSF Women Hunt® umbrella: 1) Women Hunt® sponsored FTW/SAAM Field to Fork class in Texas, 2) the Women in Hunting® community, and 3) the Ruby Mayflower Blake Legacy Fund.   Sheep Fever co-host Gray Thornton visits with Chuck and Blake on their vision for Spike Camp and they tee up their guest podcast featuring these exceptional women hunters and leaders.   For more information and to join Spike Camp visit https://spikecamp.com.   For more information on WSF's Women Hunt® programs visit https://www.wildsheepfoundation.org/womenhunt

In this episode of Sheep Fever, co-host Keith Balfourd visits with Mountain Tough Fitness Lab founder Dustin Diefenderfer to learn more about their specific fitness programs for mountain athletes and the new TOUGH SHEEP workout scheduled for the 2025 Sheep Show® in Reno on January 17th. Inspired by modern-day military readiness and NFL training programs, MTNTOUGH designed physical and mental fitness programs geared for the mountain athlete/hunter that better prepared them for the strenuous weighted pack movements encountered and the duration on the mountain these hunts represent. When we are tired and worn down mentally and physically after just a few days on a long hunt, even though we're still in the field, we can quit hunting or are, at a minimum, not as sharp, alert, and willing as we were on Day 1. With so much invested in these hunts, investing in yourself and your preparation can make all the difference. Taking this readiness and the success of their fitness programs to the next level, MTNTOUGH has engineered a multi-stage TOUGH SHEEP workout for the 2025 Sheep Show® where anyone who registers and completes the workout will be in a drawing for a 2025 Dall's sheep hunt in NWT with Stan Steven and Mackenzie Mountain Outfitters.  TOUGH SHEEP is limited to 500 participants, so the odds of winning are tough to beat. 100% of the registration fee ($100) will be donated to WSF to help “put and keep more wild sheep on the mountain”. Visit this link to learn more and register before TOUGH SHEEP is sold out. https://mtntough.com/pages/tough-sheep

New Chief Operating Officer and Executive VP of Conservation, Corey Mason joined the WSF Team in August, bringing decades of conservation and industry experience.  Spending time on his grandfather's farm and hunting with his father, Corey quickly grew into a passionate hunter.  Continuing to avidly hunt, but now largely enjoying time afield with his wife and daughter and making family memories. At an early age, Corey desired a career in wildlife conservation. Beginning with undergraduate and graduate studies in wildlife conservation followed by years at Texas Parks and Wildlife and Dallas Safari Club, he has worked on private and public lands and across the globe on international conservation issues and opportunities.   In this episode, Sheep Fever co-host Gray Thornton visits with Corey on his background and family, professional career, and plans and goals at WSF. Corey also shares some of his past experiences and perspectives on conservation, policy, work in international arenas and many of the relationships built and maintained along the way. 

Wild sheep matter, and so does selecting the future leadership of the Wild Sheep Foundation in our upcoming fall 2024 WSF Board of Director elections. Last year, we started something new by introducing the candidates, not only in print with their biographies on our website and mailed ballots, but with brief interviews on this podcast. We have four (4) current director terms expiring April 30, 2025. The Nominating Committee approved five (5) candidates for the fall ballot for these four open director positions.  The fall elections open October 1, 2024, and close on December 15, 2024. New this year is a hybrid-style election process to make voting even easier. All WSF members in good standing will receive a paper ballot with a postage-paid envelope. Plus, members for which we have a valid email address will also receive their ballot and bios via email. You can vote by email or mailed ballot…but of course, only one ballot will be allowed per member. In alpha order, by last name, the 2024 candidates with recording time codes are: Bralli Clifford from Wyoming 4:09 Larry Johns from Nevada 15:54 Kevin Kehoe from Alaska 25:40 Kyle Stelter from British Columbia 35:57 Dr. Peregrine Wolff from Florida 46:50 Lastly, as a special thank you to all WSF members who vote in this fall 2024 election, our independent election vendor, YesElections, will randomly draw one name to win a WSF/Weatherby Bighorn Edition rifle package valued at $5,400. Read candidate bios and learn more about the Election and the Weatherby Bighorn Edition drawing on our Elections page. https://www.wildsheepfoundation.org/about/board-elections?utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=podcast  

Acclaimed and award-winning journalist and author, hunter, and sheep hunter Craig Boddington had this to say about WSF Summit Life Member Jim Manley's first book: “Tracks On A Mountain is one man's mountain hunting odyssey. Jim Manley and I have climbed some of the same mountains, enjoyed some of the same triumphs, suffered the same disappointments, and so often wondered why we are doing this to ourselves. Jim far exceeded my efforts in North America's mountains…Wish we'd shared some campfires on chilly mountain nights out, but through his book, we all can.” In this episode, Sheep Fever hosts Gray N. Thornton and Keith Balfourd sit down with Jim to talk about his inspiration for the book and the 12 hunts over six decades contained in it. Jim shares the how of his uncanny ability as a first-time author to bring the reader with him on the mountain, experience the climbs, taste the food, smell the smells, feel the burning legs and lungs, rejoice in the victories, as well as the anguish of the defeats. In his book Jim captures the essence of sheep hunting and the sheep fever infliction in spades - you'll see why when you listen to this episode. To order Tracks On A Mountain go to www.tracksonamountain.com. Jim will be conducting book signing sessions at the 2025 WSF Sheep Show® convention January 16-18, 2025 in Reno.

Azyre Gear founder and accomplished sheep hunter Cari Goss' goal is to inspire and empower women to pursue their hunting and outdoors passions with confidence. A great deal of that confidence comes from functional clothing that fits, keeps one warm, and dry.   For years Cari felt that the hunting apparel industry had overlooked women and that she and others had been left to wear apparel designed for men only later to be modified for women. She also feels that women have been often offered designs that don't reflect their true femininity.  Rather than complaining about the status quo, she wanted to do something about it. It became clear to her that she needed to create apparel as capable as the women who would wear it. In 2016 Azyre Gear was born. Sheep Fever co-host Gray Thornton visits with Cari on the inspiration for her brand, what makes Cari tick, and how her passion for sheep hunting helped launch her clothing line. Cari and Gray talk sheep and sheep hunting and what's next for Cari and her brand. For more information on Azyre Gear and to order visit www.azyregear.com.

Andy Moeckel is well known in the hunting and conservation community as The Flip Flop Guy and his unique cooking style called the Flip Flop. He has turned a culinary technique, that has been passed down for three generations, into a thriving business that sells a full line of sauces, spices, flip flop mops, and even whole bone in Maui Nui Venison legs perfect for Flip Flop.  It all started with his grandfather, Al Giddings shortly after WW II when he got off the ship in San Francisco and decided to join the California Department of Fish and Game in 1948. He became the main warden for the North Bay area, Marin, and Sonoma counties. He knew all the ins and outs of Marin county's big game hunting, from mountain lions that he issued bounties on, to blacktail deer.  In his time spent in west Marin, Al helped oversee fish ladders coming into the streams for the spawn as well as became familiar with all of the local hunting clubs and ranches. It was at a small sheep ranch in Nicasio, CA where it is believed that he picked up this amazing style of cooking from a Portuguese rancher. This family would do entire sheep legs on a spit and feed their families and local community. Al being the outdoorsman instantly had the idea that, “if sheep is this good…venison will be better.” And it is… Andy is a third generation Flip Flopper learning the technique from his grandfather and father. Andy performs Flip Flop BBQs around the country for special events as well as industry and political celebrities.  In this episode of Sheep Fever, Co-Host Gray N. Thornton talks with Andy about his past, an amazing turn of events and life challenges, Flip Flop cooking, sheep hunting, gear, calibers, long range shooting, and Andy's recent role as Sales Director for Best of the West Arms out of Cody, WY. This episode has plenty of short dirt roads, unanticipated nuggets, and antics you will be sure to enjoy! For more information on Best of the West visit www.bestofthewestarms.com. For more information on Flip Flop visit www.flipflopguy.com. 

Sadly, wild sheep numbers are down in many of their ranges. For our thinhorns up North, environmental factors, some of which are beyond short-term human control, have taken a toll in recent years. In other wild sheep ranges, fragmentation, contraction, and loss of habitat, both from a changing climate and land use policies (fire suppression, conifer/shrub encroachment, human footprint, public land grazing allotments, feral horses and burros), as well as disease from exotic and domestic ungulates in bighorn range, are all contributing factors.   What can we do? Ensuring wild sheep have quality habitat is #1, but can we improve the resiliency of wild sheep to environmental factors? Can we “grow” wild sheep? These are contemporary and often controversial topics that wild sheep advocates and some agency/ministry wild sheep managers are trying to define and address.   In this episode of Sheep Fever, co-host Gray N. Thornton speaks with WSF's “Tres Amigos of Conservation” - VP of Conservation Kevin Hurley, Conservation Director Kurt Alt, and retired Conservation Director Clay Brewer, on these topics. With nearly 150 years of combined wild sheep management and experience, the three speak of “growing” desert bighorn in the US southwest and Mexico and the successes, challenges, and failures experienced. They also speak of attempts to do the same with Rocky Mountain bighorns, and whether intensive management practices for desert sheep (water developments, captive propagation facilities, supplemental nutrition and minerals, etc.) are feasible, practical, sustainable, or even possible for thinhorn sheep.   

There is no question that forces are being placed on our systems, institutions, philosophies, and the science that manages wildlife. Situations and conditions change over time, and adjustments are necessary improvements. Balancing change and maintaining stability is crucial to ensuring the best outcomes for wildlife and people. But this doesn't appear to be where we're heading. Sheep Fever co-host Keith Balfourd visits with two guests who keenly understand historical precedents and the current pressures calling to rewrite wildlife management policy. Is all coming from anti-hunting efforts? What about wildlife commissions being stripped of diversified stakeholders to change the game against sustainable use? Is the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation a complete handbook, or is it vulnerable to criticism, misuse, and a tool for misdirection? If you're pushing for change in the court of public opinion and using ballot initiatives, does acknowledging ecological and social realities, past achievements, and who was responsible for these successes undermine your narrative? Is what's being left out of the conversation by design? Are there things that we, as hunter-conservationists, can do better? Are there things we should be distancing ourselves from? As a significant minority of the population, do we have allies? If doing right by wildlife is our mantra, does digging our heels in on everything sustainable? Change is inevitable. Sportsmen and women have had the lead in wildlife conservation. How do we maintain this lead? These are all good questions. Some, but not all, were answered in this episode. Like conservation itself, this topic is on a continuum.

The Wild Sheep Foundation is growing and is pleased to announce the formation and official charter of the Southeast Chapter of WSF! The mission of the Southeast Chapter of the Wild Sheep Foundation is to build a community of conservationists to raise resources in support of scientific wild sheep management practices and habitat improvement. This is to ensure that future generations will enjoy the healthy populations of North America's sheep herds. We are a volunteer organization dedicated to sharing our passion for mountain hunting, educating the public and youth about the sustainable use of mountain resources, and highlighting the important role hunters play in wildlife conservation, regardless of where we live. Sheep Fever co-host Gray N. Thornton visits with SE Chapter Steering Committee member Patrick Morse of Ponte Verde, Florida, on why the chapter was started, its goals, plans, and events for the coming year, as well as the inaugural chapter banquet in May/June of 2025 in Islamorada, FL which will coincide with the Chapter & Affiliate Summit XVII. While the chapter will serve members from Louisiana to Virginia and down to Florida, membership is open to everyone. Join us today! For membership options: https://www.wildsheepfoundation.org/memberships/chapters-and-affiliates/southeast-wsf

We're going to Texas in this episode to talk about restoring desert bighorn sheep to a mountain range that hasn't seen sheep since the early 1900s. Sheep Fever co-host Keith Balfourd visits with Texas Bighorn Sheep Society president Sam Cunningham, WSF's VP of Conservation Kevin Hurley, and Texas outdoor writer and WSF contributor Chester Moore to discuss the Franklin Mountains State Park desert sheep restoration project. From water guzzler installations awaiting the translocation of 80 sheep to herd surveillance and predator management, there is a lot of ground to cover in what will be a historic move for the Lone Star State's desert sheep population. The goal is a new nursery herd in a disease-free range for future translocations across the state.

Jana Waller Bair is the Host and Executive Producer of Skull Bound TV and Skull Bound Chronicles, a hunting and conservation series on Carbon TV that is currently in its 15th season. Jana has been a lifelong hunter and was appointed as a Wildlife Commissioner in Montana in 2021. After serving her term, she moved to Utah, where she resides with her husband and WSF auctioneer, John Bair. Jana is a proud member of the Wild Sheep Foundation as well as many other conservation and hunting organizations. Jana is an active supporter of WSF's Women Hunt® program and serves on the recently launched Rubye Mayflower Blake Legacy Fund committee, a program of Women Hunt®, which provides healing hunts, and other outdoor experiences, to women who have experienced abuse or other life trauma. In this episode Jana and Sheep Fever co-host Gray N. Thornton talk bear hunting, conservation, her start, leadership, and award-winning work in outdoor media, as well as the pivotal role women play in, and the powerful narrative they give, to the traditional outdoor and shooting sports. Jana also talks on a current Epic Hunt Series collaboration with WSF where a lucky raffle winner will join her in the Northwest Territories in the fall of 2025 for a bucket list all expense paid mountain caribou hunt with Mackenzie Mountain Outfitters. Both the winner and Jana will hunt caribou. Tickets are only $60 and non WSF members receive an annual membership with their first ticket purchased. The raffles concludes June 30, 2024 so don't delay! Get your tickets HERE. 

In this episode of Sheep Fever, we visit with Mark Truax, President and CEO of Pac/West Strategies, to discuss the attempted ban on mountain lion, bobcat, and lynx hunting in Colorado. This ban, proposed through a voter's ballot initiative and backed by out-of-state animal rights groups, raises important questions. Why mountain lions? Why Colorado? Why a voter's ballot process? The answers; because it's winnable. Mark and his company are on the ground in Colorado, trying to prevent this measure from becoming the law of the land and opening the door for other attempts in other states. As sportsmen, we understand the role of predator/prey relationships, ecological realities, and the necessity of science-informed wildlife management to prevent situations where too many are just as bad as too few, regardless of the species. But do Coloradoans have all the facts, especially those who have recently moved to this western state? Or does saving these beautiful cats from “trophy hunters,” as this initiative is being sold, look like the right thing to do?

Conservation has increasingly become a global topic and a global effort. In this episode, Sheep Fever co-host Keith Balford visits with Shane Mahoney, CEO of Conservation Visions, to discuss various topics, including the growing connectivity between conservation efforts here in North America and those happening beyond our borders. You'll learn how influential our North American Model of Wildlife Conservation is in other countries struggling to do what is best for wildlife and people, especially in the context of how important internal hunting is to these countries when most of their revenue comes from US sportsmen. The conversation shifts to an informative discussion on how hunting and sustainable use are being challenged like never before, who and what's behind these increased efforts, and what can be done. The question is raised: is our current suite of hunter-conservationist organizations built to take on such challenges when the focus for many is species conservation, not bumper sticker campaigns and ballot initiatives being proposed by anti-hunter groups? Shane believes it's time for an overarching wildlife conservation policy to codify successes to date that can't be denied, one that accounts for the challenges wildlife faces today and into the future and guards against those pushing for change for the sake of change yet are offering no durable solutions other than they don't like hunters hunting.

Preparation, readiness, and confidence are everything, especially on backcountry hunts. WSF recently became the title sponsor for the next three years of  Western Hunt Fest (WHF) events, and WSF's Women Hunt® program became the title sponsor of the women's division for the same period. WSF's Sheep Fever host Gray N. Thornton, and Women Hunt founder and chair Renée Thornton, visit with WHF co-owners Jeffrey DeVaul, Guy Duplantier, and Efren Gonzalez to discuss their motivations behind establishing this next-level archery shooting, fitness, and backpack challenge across Colorado, New Mexico, and Nevada this summer, as well as what shooters can expect. Archery hunting readiness has rightfully become a year-round pursuit. Giving bowhunters specialized events tailored for the type of shots and conditions they will encounter in the field elevates this preparation beyond just shooting foam in the backyard. Plus, friendly competition with like-minded hunters adds an element of community while helping duplicate the stress of making the shot count. 2024 Events: April 13-14 Raton, NM May 4-5 Palisade, CO May 25-26 Reno, NV June 1-2 Colorado Springs, CO June 27 Championship Baily, CO www.westernhuntfest.com  

Rifles, cartridges, loads, and bullets–the tools of trade for hunters, competition, and recreational shooters–have advanced rapidly in the past ten years. Sheep Fever host Keith Balfourd sat down with Bozeman local John Snow, Shooting Editor for Outdoor Life, to talk shooting tech and the “Era of Marksmanship” we're experiencing today. Is Grandpa's -06 still a player? Are longer projectiles better at longer range, and what about external performance? What's with the 6.5 craze? Are military snipers or competition shooters behind what is arguably some of the best shooting tools we've ever had? They cover it all but should have booked two hours.

Since the inaugural WSF Youth Wildlife Conservation Experience (YWCE) in 2012, and with the addition of the Shooting, Hunting & Ethics Education Program (S.H.E.E.P.) in 2013, WSF has impacted the lives of more than 114,000 young men and women introducing them to the wonders of the outdoors. The life skills they have been taught and learned include archery, shooting, game calling, fly tying and casting, tracking, game identification, and conservation principles. The numerous WSF-hosted events led by WSF Youth Programs Director Dr. Ryan Brock now also include rock climbing, kayaking, and field hunting trips.  In this episode, Sheep Fever co-host Gray N. Thornton visits with Dr. Brock on the genesis of the YWCE, its phenomenal growth under his leadership, the launch of S.H.E.E.P. and its reach and focus, Ryan's work launching a WSF-sponsored youth archery team, and new hunting programs currently in development. You will be inspired by Dr. Brock's enthusiasm, drive, and relentless pursuit of youth outdoors education.  

Unlike a traditional story where fathers, grandfathers, mothers, and grandmothers handed down generations of stories, hunting locations and secret spots, techniques, ethics, ethos, and even weapons, Blood Origins Founder Robbie Kröger's story is a little different. He had everything of the hunting life given to him, all but the personal experience of it. He was surrounded by the tools, the trophies, the stories, and even a letter from his grandfather telling him that the hunt was “In My Blood.”  Born and raised in South Africa, conservation and hunting was in his blood, but access to it was a dream. Now a proud American and avid hunter and conservationist, and with a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from Ole Miss, Robbie created Blood Origins, a global non-profit whose mission is to convey the truth about hunting and conservation to the non-hunting majority. Sheep Fever Co-Host Gray N. Thornton visits with Robbie on his vision for Blood Origins, its messaging, its impact, and most important, how Blood Origins and Robbie's voice can move the needle to ensure our hunting heritage remains not only in our blood, but as a pursuit, passion, and privilege all can enjoy if we choose.

Conflicts over land use, conservation vs. preservation, sustainable use vs. protectionism, rural vs. urban values and politics, historical vs. contemporary knowledge, my science vs. your science, and even what constitutes an indigenous person are topics covered in this fast-paced conversation between award-winning filmmaker Tom Opre and Sheep Fever co-host Gray Thornton. Opre's latest film, The Last Keeper, dives into the history and lives of Game Keepers in the Scottish Highlands and the challenges they and other rural peoples face while attempting to live, work, and stay on a landscape their forefathers have lived for generations. While centered in Scotland, the conflict over lifestyle, values, and land use is being repeated across the globe as the human population exceeds 8 billion, and competition for land, water, wildlife, resources, and their use is debated and fought over. Whether on the Isle of Skye, the Rocky Mountain Front in Montana, the forests and mountains of British Columbia, or the wilds of the Yukon, the issues are the same. This podcast pulls no punches. Enjoy! To view the trailer for The Last Keeper, click HERE. 

Sheep Fever co-host Gray Thornton joins WSF Director Emilio Rangel, founder and co-owner of Rancho La Palmosa in Coahuila, Mexico, Dr. Sam Cunningham, Texas Bighorn Society President, Froylan Hernandez, Desert Bighorn Sheep Program Director with the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, and Jim Breck Bean of High West Outfitters to discuss aoudad as a big game animal, their value to Texas landowners, and their impact on the health and viability of desert bighorn sheep.  Aoudad were introduced into Texas from northwest Africa (Barbary sheep) in the late 1940s and have taken hold, increasing more than 1800% to more than 30,000 in Texas today. By contrast, desert bighorn sheep were extirpated from Texas in the 1960s, but through the cooperative efforts of private landowners, Texas Parks & Wildlife, and organizations such as Texas Bighorn Society and WSF, were restored, reaching a population high of 2,000 in the mid-2010s. Tragically, those 2,000 have been reduced to about 500-600 desert sheep in the Lone Star State today. A significant factor contributing to this decline has been competition for habitat with aoudad and pathogens such as M.ovi transmitted from them, causing all age die-offs. This is a very complex issue with no simple answer. This esteemed panel discusses these challenges, opportunities, as well as possible solutions.

The ban on the use of lead shot for hunting waterfowl was phased-in starting with the 1987-1988 hunting season. The ban became nationwide in 1991. Over the concerns of lead fragments in gut piles and the non-recovered game being ingested by other wildlife, namely scavenging birds, some states now require non-lead ammunition for big game hunting, and pressure is being placed on the USFWS to make non-lead the norm on all National Wildlife Refuges. Chris Parish, President & CEO of The Peregrine Fund, Leland Brown, Non-Lead Hunting Education Coordinator with the Oregon Zoo, Paul Juergens, The Peregrine Fund VP of Conservation all with the Non-Lead Partnership, and WSF Lobbyist Charlie Booher join Sheep Fever co-hosts Gray Thornton and Keith Balfourd to speak on the issue of lead vs. non-lead big game hunting ammunition, proposed legislation regarding its use, what the science says, and the role sportsmen could play as this issue is brought to the fore.

Join Sheep Fever co-host Gray N. Thornton for a fascinating and educational conversation on wild sheep predation with four career wildlife biologists with a combined ~180 years of agency and NGO experience. Kevin Hurley, WSF Vice President of Conservation, Kurt Alt, WSF Conservation Director – International Programs, Tom Lohuis, Dall's Sheep Research Biologist, for the Alaska Department of Fish & Game, and Eric Rominger, (Retired) Bighorn Sheep Biologist, with New Mexico Department of Game & Fish have managed and studied a wide spectrum of ungulate species across multiple western states and Central Asia. These four biologists have focused on wild sheep for many decades, and share their perspectives on predator-prey dynamics, biological and social factors influencing wild sheep management, stakeholder expectations, and the multiple, complex, and often controversial factors involved in managing wild sheep in ecosystems with a full suite of mid- to large-sized carnivores, plus efficient aerial predators of wild sheep, particularly lambs. From “top down” predation-driven systems to “bottom-up” vegetative communities, these seasoned wild sheep biologists offer at times diverse but fully interesting thoughts on the challenges of wild sheep/predator interactions.   

Founded by Roy Weatherby in 1945, to say the company that bears his name is an iconic brand in the firearms industry would be a gross understatement. The Mark V Deluxe with super high gloss blued barrel, mated to the “strongest in the industry” 9-lug action, bedded into diamond patterned inlaid fine walnut Monte Carlo styled stock and pistol grip , has been for decades the epidemy of the gunmaker's art. Times have changed and so has Weatherby. Third generation leader of this fine brand, Adam Weatherby joins Sheep Fever co-host Gray Thornton to share the company's beginnings in South Gate, California to its current state-of-the-art factory and headquarters in Sheridan, Wyoming. Adam shares his vision for the transformation of the brand and products which still include the Mark V Deluxe, to ultra-lightweight sheep rifles borne from titanium and carbon fiber, new Weatherby magnum and non-magnum calibers, the new Model 307 700 action-based platform named for Wyoming statewide area code, and an expanded line of sporting and field shotguns. Adam uses what he makes and sells testing new products and calibers from the first game animal with the then new 6.5 x 300 Weatherby, his Dall's sheep in NWT, to his Oregon bighorn also with the 6.5x300, to his third wild sheep, a Fannin taken with the Weatherby WSF Thinhorn Edition in 6.5 RPM. Adam is donating the Thinhorn Edition he used in the Yukon and Brenda Weatherby's WSF Bighorn edition used in a Montana's Unlimited unit for auction at the upcoming Sheep Show® to complement their Presenting Sponsorship of WSF and our convention.

The Sheep Show® is without a doubt the Ferrari of mountain game hunting and conservation expos. Sheep Fever co-hosts Gray Thornton and Keith Balfourd sit down with Team WSF – the staff of the foundation to share what's lined up and what is new for the January 18-20, 2024 convention in Reno. A dozen sheep hunts to be given away, many, many more on auction as well as $3 million in hunts, trips, gear, art, and other offerings of all genre. $95,000 in auction and/or floor credits to win! The best-in-class banquets, live entertainment, raffles, seminars, the Full Curl Cinema, Camp Chef Culinary Corner, a Youth Wildlife Conservation Experience and the finest guides, outfitters, and equipment purveyors from around the world. There is something for everyone at the Sheep Show®! Come for the Sheep, Stay for the Party™!  December 6th is the last day for Early Bird Registration discount. Don't delay, register for the Sheep Show® today!

Within the hunter-conservationist and outdoor writing, film, and television communities, Jim Shockey needs no introduction. Now an internationally best-selling novelist, Jim visits with Sheep Fever host Keith Balfourd and WSF's Development Manager, Paige Culver, to discuss his new book, Call Me Hunter. His debut novel has only been out a month to rave reviews. As a member of the Wild Sheep Family and an advocate for conservation and hunting, we wanted to learn more about his motivations for this novel, which we learned he had been planning for most of his life. Published by Simon & Schuster, Call Me Hunter is fast-tracking up the bestseller list. In this episode, Jim graciously shares far more about his book and life's travels than we bargained for, which is very much like the book itself: a surprise and great read.

There was a time when hunting was only found within a circle of those who participated in this traditional outdoor pastime and lifestyle. No longer. Hunting is now available to anyone with a television, computer, or cell phone through videos, films, and social reels. While some have celebrated hunting's “coming out party,” others had concerns. Would these public mediums represent hunting and the killing of wildlife in the proper light and context? Would the non-hunting public, now with total access, understand what they were seeing and remain supportive? Ultimately, this would be up to the television networks, individual producers of these shows, videos, and films, who was showing them and where, and what was been shown and not shown. On the heels of a new Films & Video Standards Policy passed by WSF's Board of Directors, this episode of Sheep Fever peels back the curtain on the topic of what has been gained by hunting going mainstream media, what are the ramifications, what's appropriate where, and who should decide.

The Wild Sheep Foundation fall 2023 Director Elections begin October 15th and conclude December 15th. Per WSF Bylaws every WSF member in good standing as of September 15, 2023 has been sent a ballot and biographies for the seven director candidates running for four WSF Board of Director positions for the May 1, 2024 through April 31, 2027 three-year term.  The seven candidates running include (in alpha order by last name with start times) are:                                 1.    Clint Bentley                   00.01.58              Nevada, USA                 2.    Sam Cunningham          00.09.55             Texas, USA             3.    Larry Jacobs                  00.22.16              Oregon, USA                 4.    Rob Kopecky                  00.32.29             Alberta, Canada             5.    Emilio Rangel                  00.42.07             Nuevo Leon, Mexico             6.    Kyle Stelter                     00.52.49             British Columbia, Canada         7.    Frank Turner                    01.01.51              Alberta, Canada We hope this bonus podcast helps WSF members make informed decisions and help encourages members to exercise your right to vote in the election to determine WSF's leadership.

Man's (and woman's) best friend has been an important part of the human experience for ~40,000 years. Faithful companion, worker, beast of burden, hunter, protector, rescuer, and best friend. Dogs have been and continue to be all of these and more. Most recently working dogs have also been an important tool and arrow in the quiver of wild sheep managers and advocates as well as domestic sheep producers to detect the presence of pathogens such as Mycoplasma Ovipneumoniae (M.ovi) in both wild and domestic sheep scat and nasal samples. Sheep Fever co-host Gray Thornton visit with Working Dogs for Conservation (WD4C) Executive Director Dr. Pete Coppolillo and WSF Vice President of Conservation Kevin Hurley to discuss how these four-legged friends are making an impact on wild sheep conservation, trap & translocations, and test and remove programs throughout the west.

Alaskan Master Guide Dick Gunlogson is an icon of the north and our wild sheep family. WSF Director Larry McGovern has hunted with Dick numerous times over several decades including a harrowing adventure during the terrorist attack on the USA on September 11, 2001. Sheep Fever Co-host Gray Thornton joins Dick and Larry for a fabulous campfire discussion on hunts, Dick's storied career, life in Alaska, the early days of Super Cub polar bear hunting, and of course, Dall's sheep and other hunts in the Last Frontier. Grab your favorite beverage, sit back, relax, and enjoy this conversation with an Alaskan legend!  

Adventure Wild is a collection of five rare hunting and fishing films produced over 40 years ago by FNAWS Charter Member Don Prince and his hunting and angling partner Eugene Vugteveen. Don Prince was a pioneer in the outdoor film industry, traveling to Africa, British Columbia, the Yukon Territory, Saskatchewan and many other remote locations in pursuit of filming big game and unchartered waters. These films take you back to a bygone era of hunting and fishing with names and hunting area WSF members know and love. Sheep Fever co-host Gray Thornton visits with Don and his grandson David to talk about the early days of outdoor films, the areas and game, the early days of FNAWS and why wild sheep are so special. David Prince has recaptured the original 16mm films on DVD and digital download so we can travel back to the late 1960s and early 1970s on epic 21-day Yukon and BC sheep hunts, one of the last safaris in Kenya, and angling adventures. Listeners can download the series or individual films or buy the DVD set at www.adventurewildfilms.com. Be sure to use the Discount Code SHEEPFEVER10 for $10 off!

In this episode, Gray and Keith sit down with a seasoned veteran in guiding and outfitting western big game hunts, and it wasn't what we expected. Dan Adler owns and operates Diamond Outfitters, offering a complete species list of adventures across Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, and Sonora, Mexico. Dan is a retired Air Force Captain that brought a fresh approach and perspective to the business of outfitting, from proven service industry business practices down to the staff he recruits and trains, 61 in total, mostly retired military, law enforcement officers or other first responders, border patrol agents, local cowboys, and career guides/outfitters. Dan started Diamond Outfitters in 2006 with an “I can do better, the business can be better, the industry can be better, the reputation of guides should be better, and most importantly, the clients deserve better” mindset. You'll enjoy this one, and yes, we do get to talk a little about hunting.

Field Ethos was the brainchild of Donald Trump Jr. and Jason Vincent, a multi-media platform to tell the stories of time in the field, but with an unapologetic, cut-to-the-chase brand of adventure, exploration, and the things that matter most, the life-long bonds we create with those we share campfires with. In this episode, co-host Keith Balfourd visits with Bozeman local Mike Schoby, Field Ethos's COO. Mike's resume includes past Editor-in-Chief of Petersen's Hunting and Guns & Ammo magazines. He's hunted everything from everywhere and is a key piece of the Field Ethos platform, including a website, newsletter, printed Field Journal, newsletter, and podcast. Their approach to sharing information and story-telling is unique, edgy, and entertaining, as if you were telling tales with friends over a campfire with a bottle of brown. The unapologetic part is we hunt because we hunt; it's in our blood.

Wild Sheep Foundation's Mission is “We enhance wild sheep populations, promote scientific wildlife management, and educate the public and youth on sustainable use and the conservation benefits of hunting while promoting the interests of the hunter.” Education of youth and the public is critical to our mission accomplishment. We address the youth component primarily through events and efforts led by W.S.F. Youth Education Coordinator Dr. Ryan Brock, including the Youth Wildlife Conservation Experience at our annual Sheep Show® convention and his Shooting & Hunting Ethics Education Program (S.H.E.E.P.) conducted at public events as well as our chapter and affiliate banquets and conventions. The National Bighorn Sheep Center (N.B.S.C.) in Dubois, Wyoming, is a world-class education and interpretative Center focusing on the needs of wild sheep and those who have and currently live amongst them. Thousands of visitors learn about wild sheep and their habitat each year by visiting the Center. A recent outreach tool used by the N.B.S.C. are webinars based from the Center, such as the recent disease webinar including expert panelists from throughout Canada and the U.S.A. conceived and led by N.B.S.C. Executive Director Sara Bridge. In this episode, Ryan and Sara visit with Sheep Fever co-host Gray Thornton to speak on their programs and their impact on youth and adults. The three discuss ways to expand and better collaborate WSF and N.B.S.C. programs to reach even more people to educate them on wild sheep, wildlife, wild lands, and the conservation benefits of sustainable use in which hunting plays such an integral part.

Suppressors (silencers) are legal to own in 42 US states and legal to hunt with in 41 of those. Brandon Maddox, CEO and owner of Silencer Central, is recognized as a national thought leader on Class 3 firearms. What began as Maddox's home-based Federal Firearms License (FFL) evolved into a Class 3 Dealership and has grown into the nationwide brand it is today. Maddox's NFA expertise makes him a popular voice for the industry, and he speaks regularly at National Compliance Conferences. Before his work with Silencer Central, Maddox practiced pharmacy and served as a marketing executive in the pharmaceutical industry. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and holds a Master's in Business Administration (MBA) from Duke University. Maddox is passionate about varmint hunting and has spent more than a decade honing his expertise in the Western Dakota prairies.   Sheep Fever Co-Host Gray Thornton, a suppressor enthusiast and user, visits with Brandon about the growth of suppressor use in big game and mountain hunting, the benefits of them, and demystifies the purchase process which WSF Sponsor and Conservation Partner, Silencer Central, has simplified and perfected. If you've ever thought about buying or using a silencer, listen to this informative and entertaining podcast.

High School educator and past President of Washington WSF, Glen Landrus of Anatone, WA is serving his second term as Chair of the Board of Directors of Wild Sheep Foundation. Former 747 pilot and CEO of Wild Sheep Society of British Columbia, Kyle Stelter of Victoria, BC is serving his second term as Vice Chair.  Glen and Kyle join Sheep Fever Co-Host Gray Thornton to reflect on the most successful year in FNAWS/WSF's 46-year history and the most impactful for wild sheep. This past year saw record amounts raised and Grant-In-Aid dollars directed to wild sheep conservation, education, and advocacy programs, as well as funds directed to state, provincial, and tribal agencies for their wild sheep and wildlife programs. With the bar set this high, our guests dive into plans and their vision for the new 2023-2024 fiscal year and beyond. As the old saying goes, plan your work and work your plan.

Chef Josh Schwencke owns and operates Gastronomy Outdoors in south Texas, a company designed in the building and facilitating of culinary courses centered around wild game preparation. Over the past 18 years Gastronomy has worked to connect its clients to the foundation of their food system by teaching cooking courses, game dinners and fireside meals all in the name of great food, fellowship, and conservation. As a hunter and outdoorsmen, Chef Josh brings his years of culinary service into the frontier by combining cooking methods, techniques and international influence to all his game cooking and instructing. Though based in San Antonio, Josh holds the position as the Executive Chef in Residence of Wild Sheep Foundation and Women Hunt®, headlining the Camp Chef Culinary Corner the WSF's annual Sheep Show as well as writing to Wild Sheep® magazine.    In this episode Gray discusses with Chef Josh the future plans for the culinary arm of Wild Sheep Foundation, the bedrock of his culinary story and the joy of cooking wild game.

For this episode, Keith and Gray are joined by Glenda Grout, owner of Canol Outfitters in the NWT, and filmmaker Jason Matzinger to talk all things NWT Dall's Sheep. After Covid delays, Jason was able to fulfill his dream of hunting a Dall's ram with Glenda this past July. This sheep hunt was an opportunity for him to gather what he needed to complete a new film project that will also explore the history and significance to conservation and game management, as well as the personal rewards of a selective harvest of a special animal, what we all refer to as a “trophy.” As we know, the notion of trophy hunting is being weaponized to pray away public support for all hunting. This film aims to take this narrative back. The group also discusses the opportunity for someone to win a Dall's sheep hunt in NWT, which WSF, the Association of Mackenzie Mountain Outfitters, and NWT Tourism are offering. The deadline to get in on this drawing is coming up fast, June 30th.

Blayne St. James owns and operates St. James Sporting Properties, a group of elite real estate professionals and outdoorsmen specializing in selling trophy hunting and fishing properties throughout the West. His company has exclusive marketing partnerships with some of the premier names in the outdoor industry and some of the most well-respected names in the non-profit space. In addition to working in the outdoor world, he is also an avid big game hunter who enjoys both archery and rifle hunting. He was awarded the Super Slam® of North American Big Games, holds Grand Slam® #1831, and has multiple archery awards. Conservation is a major priority to Blayne and his family. He holds lifetime memberships in the following conservation organizations: Wild Sheep Foundation, Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Society, Mule Deer Foundation, Grand Slam Club Ovis, Safari Club International, Dallas Safari Club, as well as the Pope and Young Club. Sheep Fever co-host Gray Thornton sits down with Blayne to talk hunting sheep, the NA 29, polar bear, and much more, including the essence of hunting and passing it on to future generations of hunters and conservationists. This conservation flows through a multitude of topics, from bow hunting to buying your dream recreational property.