Sheep Fever

WSF began developing Conservation Vision documents in 2013/14 to serve as a guiding document for WSF's conservation and wild sheep enhancement priorities. The first was the Convention Vision (CV) 2020, followed by CV 2025, and our most recent is CV2030 developed during the 2025-26 fiscal year to guide our conservation funding priorities to the year 2030. In this episode, Sheep Fever co-host Gray N. Thornton walks through the process with WSF Conservation staff and biologists Corey Mason, Kevin Hurley, Kurt Alt, and Bill Jex. They discuss the why and how of the current vision and the intended impact and outcome WSF intends to achieve. WSF CVs are collaborative visions from experts on our Professional Resource Advisory Board (PRAB), WAFWA Wild Sheep Initiative and WSF conservation staff all working together to craft a future for wild sheep. The document also provides the base for WSF Conservation Funding Priorities for Grant in Aid. All of this is covered in this informative episode on how wild sheep conservation works in North America and around the globe.

WSF Chairman Kyle Stelter joins Sheep Fever co-host Keith Balfourd to share his vision for the Wild Sheep Foundation as it approaches a defining milestone—its 50th anniversary in 2027. Stelter outlines ten priorities for his two-year term, building on a decade of remarkable momentum while keeping the focus firmly on what comes next. For Stelter, understanding how far wild sheep conservation has come matters most when it helps chart the path forward. Can we put more wild sheep on more landscapes? The answer is yes. But getting there will require a clear plan, strong partnerships, and an unwavering dedication to purpose. It's a conversation about momentum, opportunity, and ensuring WSF's next 50 years are even more consequential than its first.

Established in 1977, and celebrating, like WSF, it's 50th anniversary next year, FACE represents the interests of Europe's 7 million hunters as an international non-profit-making non-governmental organization (INGO). This makes FACE the largest democratically representative body for hunters in the world and probably one of the largest European civil society organizations. As The Voice of European Hunters FACE is made up of its members which include national hunters' associations from 37 European countries including the EU-27. FACE also has 6 Associate Members and has its Secretariat in Brussels. FACE upholds the principle of sustainable use and has been a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) since 1987. FACE works with its partners on a range of hunting-related matters, from international conservation agreements to local implementation issues with the aim of sustaining hunting across Europe. WSF is an Associate member of FACE, a financial supporter of its outreach programs, and FACE is an affiliate of WSF. In this episode Sheep Fever co-host Gray Thornton visits with FACE Secretary General David Scallan as well as WSF International Conservation Director to introduce FACE to the WSF membership and discuss the importance and impact of our cooperative work in Europe and North America.

Sold to unsuspecting voters as an animal-cruelty initiative, this measure garnered enough signatures to make it onto the November ballot in Oregon but failed in the signature validation process. Regardless, this attempt will not be the last in Oregon or other states. What Oregonians would have actually been voting on is to eliminate the state's food production - ranching, farming, and animal husbandry- while also making hunting, fishing, wildlife conservation, and pest control illegal. In this episode of Sheep Fever, we sit down with Amy Patrick, a policy and legislative lobbyist who has spent the past five years on the frontlines of this latest attempt to rewrite how animals and wildlife are valued and utilized by people. There is a lot to unpack: how an initiative like this could get this far, what's the endgame, why Oregon has become a testing ground for such radical ideas, and what it could mean, if passed, for sportsmen, ranchers, conservationists, and rural communities, not to mention food at the grocery store, and mice in your house. Even if you do not live in Oregon, pay attention—your state could be next.

Matt Besko is the Executive Director of the Hunting and Fishing Branch within the Lands Operations Division in Alberta Forestry and Parks. He is tasked with the management, regulations, and policies affecting Hunting and Fishing allocation and use, trapping, managing carnivores and human-wildlife co-existence. In Part II of Sheep Fever's conversation with Matt, he and co-host Gray Thornton discuss the hunting cultures of Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and North America with a deep dive into Europe & North America. While Europe's hunting culture and traditions remain at the forefront of their hunting experience, North American traditions, while still robust in the First Nation/Tribal community, appear less prominent. Is this a problem? Does it contribute to a lack of understanding of hunting and hunters by the non-hunting majority? Has North American hunting culture and traditions been replaced by technology? By something else? Is hunting culture and art relevant? Besko is uniquely qualified to answer these questions and more.

What can we say about J. Alain Smith? Hunter, conservationist, adventurer, acclaimed author of articles, hunting books, and novels, musician, comedian, farmer, Rugged Expeditions show host, podcaster, emcee extraordinaire, Conklin Award winner, Weatherby Award winner, WSF's Chris Klineburger Mountain Hunter Hall of Fame inductee, and a successful businessman in commercial painting, real estate, and shipping. J. Alain is a modern day Renaissance Man. J. Alain and Sheep Fever Co-Host cover the gamut, from his early hunting beginnings in the Pacific Northwest, his hunts around the globe, his passion for sheep hunting, and why he hunts. Hunting Awards, trophy hunting, how to protect our hunting heritage from the threats of today and how we ensure its future are all covered in J. Alain's characteristic style and flair. You'll enjoy this episode!

Colorado has become a proving ground for ballot-box wildlife management, from wolf reintroduction and efforts to ban mountain lion hunting to recent pushes targeting trapping and predator management. In this episode of Sheep Fever , we welcome back Dan Gates of Coloradans for Responsible Wildlife Management to break down what's happening in Colorado, who's behind these initiatives, and why the latest effort to establish a Constitutional Right to Hunt and Fish matters. If successful, Colorado would join 24 other states that have already secured this protection. The stakes reach far beyond Colorado. Across the country, hunting, science-based wildlife management, and predator control are increasingly being challenged by activist-driven campaigns. This conversation explains why sportsmen and conservationists everywhere should be paying attention. Even more can be found at https://savethehuntcolorado. com/

We often hear the phrase "for future generations" as one of the purposes for wildlife conservation and the long-term stewardship of game populations. But what about hunting itself? In this episode, Shane Mahoney joins us for a thought-provoking conversation about the future of hunting in North America and beyond. What will public hunting look like 10, 20, or even 50 years from now? As science-based wildlife management increasingly faces challenges in the court of public opinion, hunters and conservationists must confront a growing reality: the future of hunting can no longer be taken for granted. Shane explores the cultural, social, and political forces shaping public perceptions of hunting, the critical role sportsmen and women play in conservation funding and wildlife management, and why proactive engagement is essential if we hope to preserve hunting opportunities for future generations. This is a timely discussion about the challenges ahead—and what it will take to ensure hunting remains a valued and relevant part of conservation's future.

The reestablishment of bighorn sheep in North Dakota was nearly shelved after numerous translocations of bighorn not suited to the terrain and harsh winters which hampered lamb recruitment. A phone call from WSF's Kevin Hurley, then with Wyoming Game & Fish Department to Brett Wiedmann, North Dakota Game and Fish Department's Bighorn Program Lead and Biologist, turned the tide when Hurley advised Wiedmann of an opportunity for some Missouri River Breaks bighorns from Montana. Similar in bloody size to the extirpated Audubon sheep that called the Mandan country home, and with financial support from the Minnesota-Wisconsin chapter of FNAWS, now Midwest WSF Chapter that initial translocation from Montana to North Dakota was what was needed. Brett Wiedmann and Kevin Hurley join Sheep Fever co-host Gray Thornton for a conversation of the initial challenges, at times failures, and then success of the North Dakota bighorn comeback. Brett gives a history of bighorns in the state, he and Kevin discuss that fateful phone call, and they both share where bighorn sheep restoration and bighorn sheep hunting in North Dakota are today.

The 91 st North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference recently concluded in Columbus, OH, hosted by The Wildlife Management Institute (WMI). Why a podcast about a conference? Because this is where the rubber meets the road as far as wildlife and natural resource conservation is concerned, for everything from whales to hummingbirds. Sheep Fever sits down with WMI President & CEO, Tony Walsey, and WSF's own Corey Mason to share a glimpse of the incredible width and depth of conservation efforts taking place every day across North America and internationally. Take what you see in the "media" with a grain of doubt. Not everything is in crisis. There is and has been a colossal effort taking place by people, businesses, departments, universities, agencies, institutions, and organizations working under the banner of wise use without waste – the true definition of conservation.

For decades, the hunting and conservation community has advocated—through organizations, programs, and initiatives—for educating the non-hunting majority on the value of hunting to wildlife and habitat conservation. This need is even enshrined in the Wild Sheep Foundation mission: to educate the public and youth on sustainable use. But have we succeeded? Is this focus still critical? And how do we move the needle on public perception? In this episode, Mark Hall of the Wild Origins Canada Foundation joins Gray N. Thornton to explore how storytelling can reach the "moderate middle"—impacting, educating, informing, and challenging thought around hunting and conservation. They discuss what messages resonate, which fall flat, and how to shape hearts and minds in a changing landscape. Mark also shares the vision behind Project Grizzly Balance—an effort to restore the sustainable use of grizzly bears across British Columbia and beyond for the benefit of both wildlife and people.

Matt Besko—Executive Director of the Hunting and Fishing Branch with Alberta Forestry and Parks—joins Sheep Fever co-host Gray Thornton for a conversation on modern wildlife management. Besko oversees hunting and fishing regulations, allocation, trapping, carnivore management, and human-wildlife coexistence across Alberta. With more than 30 years working as a wildlife, fisheries, and habitat biologist, he brings a practical perspective on balancing opportunity with long-term conservation. The discussion covers Alberta's management approach, bighorn sheep stewardship, and the realities of managing wildlife across a range of landscapes and competing interests. They also get into hunting traditions in North America and Europe, and why those roots still matter. It's an honest conversation about the challenges, the tradeoffs, and why this work continues to matter.

In this episode of Sheep Fever, Gray Thornton sits down with Ricardo Olivieri of Beretta to explore what it means to represent a brand with over 500 years of history. Olivieri shares insight into Beretta's enduring philosophy, from its deep-rooted commitment to craftsmanship to the generational knowledge passed down through its workforce. The conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at how a firearm moves from concept to completion, highlighting the precision, artistry, and innovation that define the brand. The episode also touches on Beretta's role in conservation, including a standout moment from the 2026 Sheep Show where a one-of-a-kind SO6 EELL Sparviere Marco Polo shotgun raised more than $500,000. Those funds are now supporting wild sheep conservation efforts through the ION Partnership across Idaho, Oregon, and Nevada—putting a 500-year legacy to work on the ground for wild sheep.

Bighorns in Nebraska? When one thinks of bighorns, you'd likely get a pass if you do not first point to green and yellow fields of corn as far as the eye can see. But there are mountains and excellent bighorn sheep habitat in the cornhusker state. In fact, before their extirpation in the early 1990s, about 1,000 bighorns and particular Audubon bighorns thrived in the Pine Ridge and Wildcat Hills regions of the Nebraska Panhandle. Over harvest by unregulated hunting, habitat loss, and disease were the primary factors of their disappearance. But due to the conservation efforts of Nebraska Game & Parks, and years of funding by partners such as the Wild Sheep Foundation, Iowa FNAWS, Nebraska Big Game Society, Midwest WSF, and others, bighorns have made a comeback. Translocated in multiple actions, from Montana and Alberta bighorn sheep are back and Nebraska Bighorn Program Lead Todd Nordeen and his exceptional team at Nebraska Game & Parks work tirelessly to keep them there. Sheep Fever co-host Gray Thornton sits down with Todd to discuss the history of bighorns in the state, their comeback, the set-backs that continue, as well as the path forward to return the their high of 1,000. The two go beyond Nebraska as well, diving into building source stock, the success of captive breeding at a facility in the historic Ft. Robinson State Park, future work at a new disease clearing facility, and the prospects of growing bighorns and thinhorn sheep throughout their range. Todd is a best in class wild sheep champion, humble, and effective. We're fortunate to call him one of ours in the WSF family.

Whether on a multi-day campaign or day hike hunt, if we're not fueling the machine properly, are we still hunting at a high level, or just out on the mountain, or worse? A fascinating discussion with Kyle Kamp and Valley to Peak Nutrition and Julie Tripp, WSF's Director of Awards & Publications, on the realities and nuances of how nutrition and hydration play key roles in an often overlooked or misunderstood part of a hunting and fitness lifestyle, which is applicable every day. Learn more at v2pnutrition.com

More maulings, deaths, and livestock losses. More lawsuits, political posturing, and ballot initiatives. More misinformation and fundraising over what should be a conservation story, turned into a tragedy. Are we asking the US Fish & Wildlife Service to make decisions based on science or values? We visit with WSF's Legislative Affairs expert and consultant, Greg Schildwachter, who has had these issues and the Endangered Species Act in his portfolio for the past 25 years, to find out how we got here, what's really happening behind the provocative headlines, and if there is a common-sense way forward that will work for people and

When Chelsea drew a coveted Alaska sheep tag, she knew it would require everything—physically, mentally, and emotionally. In this episode, she walks listeners through the full journey: months of preparation, the doubt and determination that shaped her mindset, and the pivotal moments on the mountain that tested her limits. Hunting alongside another woman added a unique layer of support and camaraderie, reminding her that shared grit can carry you further than sheer strength. Chelsea about the highs and lows of the hunt, from chasing rams across steep country to the quiet moments of reflection when no one else was around. Her story reveals the dedication behind a dream hunt and the sense of fulfillment that comes from earning every step. This isn't just a hunt—it's a testament to what happens when passion, preparation, and opportunity collide. Whether you're a seasoned mountain hunter or simply someone who loves stories of perseverance, this episode will leave you inspired to chase your own "once-in-a-lifetime" goals.

In this episode of Sheep Fever, we sit down with Gunwerks founder Aaron Davidson—an innovator and engineer who's helped redefine precision shooting and modern rifle systems. Davidson shares the philosophy behind Gunwerks' "Unrivaled Shooting Experience," a concept built around integrating advanced technology, smart design, and real-world performance to create better shooters and more ethical hunters. But this conversation goes deeper than gear. Davidson challenges us to think about the experience of shooting—the connection between preparation, confidence, and respect for the game we pursue. Whether you're a long-range enthusiast or simply want to make your first shot count when it matters most, you'll take something valuable from this discussion. Tune in to Sheep Fever as we explore how precision, purpose, and innovation intersect in the field with Aaron Davidson of Gunwerks.

In this special episode of Sheep Fever, we sit down with the candidates for the 2026 Wild Sheep Foundation Board of Directors—four passionate individuals with deep roots in conservation and a shared commitment to wild sheep and the hunting heritage that sustains them. At 02:49, Jann Demaske shares how her connection to wild sheep has shaped her life and leadership. She focused on the importance of strong advocacy, community involvement, and protecting both the animals and the traditions that make conservation possible. At 17:27, Charlie Kelly reflects on his long history with WSF and the conservation world. With years of experience leading collaborative projects, he talks about the power of partnerships, the challenges wild sheep still face, and how strategic fundraising keeps critical work moving forward. At 35:20, Ken Locke brings a hands-on perspective, emphasizing his desire to be a working board member who helps create real, measurable change. He speaks about making sheep hunting and conservation accessible to more people and keeping the focus on results that matter for wildlife. Finally, at 48:54, Logan Young shares his excitement for what's ahead—discussing youth engagement, long-term planning, and ways to build on WSF's momentum to strengthen future conservation efforts. Together, these conversations capture the dedication, experience, and heart behind each candidate—and the shared goal that unites them all: to put and keep wild sheep on the mountain for generations to come.

In this Sheep Fever – Kicked Out episode, host Maddie Richards catches up with John Hubbard to hear the story of his recent sheep hunt in the Yukon. For John, the trip represented more than just a hunt—it was the culmination of years of dreaming, planning, and preparing for one of the toughest adventures in North America. He walks listeners through the entire journey, from gearing up and training to the demanding days in steep, unforgiving terrain. John talks about the grind of the mountains, the emotional ups and downs, and the moments of awe that remind hunters why they chase wild sheep in the first place. From the early morning glassing sessions to the final approach on his ram, every step tested his determination and deepened his appreciation for the experience. Along the way, Maddie and John reflect on how the pursuit of a sheep isn't just about the harvest—it's about the personal growth, the connection to wild places, and the respect for the animals that call them home. Whether you've hunted sheep yourself or dream of making that journey someday, John's story captures the essence of what it means to be part of the mountain hunting tradition.