WILD SHEEP Magazine Winter Issue 2022

the journal of the mountain hunter and committed conservationist

HEAT THAT’S NO SWEAT

AMBIENT HOODY

ACTIVE

INSULATION THAT’S MADE TO MOVE

Nature is nothing if not adaptive. Wild places and the animals that call them home are in a continual state of adaptation. Through our years on the mountain, in the marsh and up in trees we have learned the value of a clothing system that adapts. The Ambient Hoody is the pinnacle expression of this learning - an active insulation layer that retains heat when you are static and expels it when you are on the move. The Ambient Hoody is one of the most advanced active insulation layers that has ever been made.

The

On the Cover:

A sheep hunter is born! First Lady of Indiana Janet Holcomb is Kicked Out of the <1 Club® with her stunning Yukon Dall’s ram taken with Mervyn’s Yukon Outfitting. She was accompanied by her sheep hunting mentor, Jim Craig, with 7 & 3/4 FNAWS to his credit, on the hunt. See full story starting on page 36.

Cover Story: I Think I Might Be A Sheep Hunter by Indiana First Lady Janet Holcomb Meeting the challenge for a first-ever ram and loving every minute of it. 48

Beyond Reach by Brent Glidden

Once-in-a-lifetime hunts are built on shock and disbelief. 62

Once-In-A-Lifetime by Michael Sawicki

A father and son team realize true blessings all around. 74 Lightning

In The Air

by Kris Rauch

A heavy pack never felt better when a liflelong pursuit comes to a happy ending. 86

The Golden Bear Ram by

Jim McEnroe

A firsthand realization of the efforts of conservation.

®

the journal of the mountain hunter and committed conservationist

Official publication of The Wild Sheep Foundation

WSF World Headquarters: 412 Pronghorn Trail • Bozeman, MT 59718 • 406-404-8750

Cody Office: 1285 Sheridan Avenue, Suites 260/275 • Cody, WY 82414 USA • 406-404-8750

OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

CHAIRMAN: Glen Landrus • ramslamvideo@gmail.com

VICE CHAIR: Kyle Stelter • kylestelter@gmail.com ..................

SECRETARY: Larry Jacobs • lljacobs4@aol.com

TREASURER: Charlie Kelly • azsheepguy@gmail.com ...............

Term Expires 2025

Term Expires 2024

Term Expires 2024

Term Expires 2023

Term Expires 2024 Julie Chapman • jhelmchapman@yahoo.com .............................. Term Expires 2025 Wayne Henderson • henappram@hotmail.com Term Expires 2023 Larry McGovern • ltmcgovern67@gmail.com ............................. Term Expires 2025

Tony Caligiuri • tcal@boytharness.com

Glen Pyne, DVM • pawsnclaws@sbcglobal.net

Term Expires 2023

Emilio Rangel W. • emiliorw@me.com .................................... Term Expires 2024

Peregrine L. Wolff, DVM • falcolupus@gmail.com Term Expires 2025

PRESIDENT & CEO Gray N. Thornton • gthornton@wildsheepfoundation.org

HEADQUARTERS STAFF

PRESIDENT & CEO - EDITOR IN CHIEF, WILD SHEEP ® MAGAZINE: Gray N. Thornton • gthornton@wildsheepfoundation.org

Kim Nieters, Vice President of Operations –Auction & Awards Director knieters@wildsheepfoundation.org

Kevin Hurley, Vice President of Conservation –Thinhorn Programs Lead khurley@WildSheepFoundation.org

Terry Ziehl, Finance Director tziehl@WildSheepFoundation.org

Keith Balfourd, Director of Marketing & Communications keith@WildSheepFoundation.org

Paige Culver, Development Manager pculver@WildSheepFoundation.org

Maddie Pennaz, Membership Manager/<1 Clubs Manager mpennaz@WildSheepFoundation.org

Megan Costanza, Banquets & Events Manager mcostanza@WildSheepFoundation.org

Mike Aiazzi, Expo & Exhibits Manager maiazzi@wildsheepfoundation.org

Hannah Cantú, Expo & Membership Assistant hcantu@wildsheepfoundation.org

CONTRACT

Dr. Ryan Brock, Youth Education Coordinator rbrock@wildsheepfoundation.org Reno, NV

Greg Schildwachter, Lobbyist greg@watershedresults.com Washington, DC

PRODUCTION STAFF

Gray N. Thornton, Editor in Chief Scott Morrison, Editor/Art Director Ashley McEnroe, Field Editor/Staff Writer Craig Boddington, Contributor Andrew McKean, Contributor

Ken Nowicki, Field Editor Greg Schildwachter, Columnist Legislative Watch Wayne van Zwoll, Contributor

Contributing photos, articles, stories, and research pertaining to wild sheep or the interests of the members of WSF are always welcome. Contributed material will be published at the editor’s discretion. Please include a self-addressed stamped envelope if you wish materials to be returned.

Kurt Alt, Conservation Director –International Programs altwildlife@yahoo.com Brussels, Belgium

Marina Meyer, MadebyMimi, LLC, Social Media Consultant mjsams09@yahoo.com San Antonio, TX

Ashley McEnroe, Staff Writer aoliverio@gmail.com Big Sky, MT

CONSULTANTS

Shane Mahoney, Special Conservation Consultant shane@conservationvisions.com St. John’s, Newfoundland

The Wild Sheep Foundation’s mission is to 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. The tradition began on a November weekend at Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin, in 1974. Thirteen wild sheep enthusiasts passed the time by sharing stories about their encounters with the majestic mountain creatures. After realizing how fortunate they were to have all shared such incredible experiences, they decided it was time to give something back. They forged FNAWS so men and women everywhere could get more involved in the positive management of wild sheep. It was incorporated as a non-profit corporation in Iowa on September 14, 1977, and began accepting paid memberships in 1978 as more people joined the cause. The commitment and noble spirit of FNAWS quickly helped the foundation become the fastest-growing wildlife conservation organization of its kind.

DISCLAIMER While Wild Sheep Foundation strives to attract quality advertisers and donors, it cannot be responsible for the ultimate quality of the products which they may present to our members and buyers. Neither the Wild Sheep Foundation nor its Officers or Directors is a guarantor of your satisfaction with the products it makes available to you. Our dedication is to the wild sheep of the world and not to policing our advertisers or donors. We cannot, under the law, reject an advertiser or donation simply because of a prior complaint from a dissatisfied consumer. We will strive to make available quality merchandise and hunts, but without warranty or guarantee.

WILD SHEEP FOUNDATION®, WSF®, FOUNDATION FOR NORTH AMERICAN WILD SHEEP®, FNAWS®, WILD SHEEP® MAGAZINE, PUTTING AND KEEPING WILD SHEEP ON THE MOUNTAIN®, PUTTING AND KEEPING SHEEP ON THE MOUNTAIN®, THE SHEEP SHOW®, SHEEP WEEK®, MARCO POLO SOCIETY®, <1 CLUB®, <1iCLUB®, MOUNTAIN HUNTER HALL OF FAME®, and the CHADWICK RAM SOCIETY® and their respective logos are registered trademarks and cannot be used, commissioned, or otherwise represented without permission of the Wild Sheep Foundation. WOMEN HUNT PROGRAM®, WOMEN HUNT®, WH®, WOMEN IN HUNTING INITIATIVE®, WIHI®, and WOMEN HUNT®, are registered trademarks of the Wild Sheep Foundation.

GRAND SLAM® is a registered trademark of Grand Slam Club/Ovis. Used with permission.

Wild Sheep® (USPS# 009-460) is published quarterly by Wild Sheep Foundation, 412 Pronghorn Trail, Bozeman, MT 59718

Morrison Creative Company, Inc. Magazine Design/Production Yellowstone Graphics Graphics/Design

Advertising & Editorial Submissions

Wild Sheep Foundation Headquarters 412 Pronghorn Trail, Bozeman, MT 59718

ATTN: Editor

For more information on submission guidelines, meetings and convention information, and service, conservation and hunting award criteria, please visit our website at www.wildsheepfoundation.org. All membership dues include $28/year for a subscription to Wild Sheep® magazine.

PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE WILD SHEEP FOUNDATION OF BOZEMAN, MONTANA, IN CONJUNCTION WITH MORRISON CREATIVE COMPANY, INC. OF LIVINGSTON, MT.

Periodical Postage Rate is paid at Bozeman, MT 59718 and additional mailing offices.

Subscription Price $28.00 All membership dues include $28/year for a subscription to Wild Sheep® Magazine

Postmaster: Send address correction to Wild Sheep Foundation, 412 Pronghorn Trail, Bozeman, MT, 59718

Our

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

by Gray N. Thornton President & CEO

IT’S SHEEP SHOW® SEASON!

What a joy to be planning our annual convention without thinking about “virtual,” masks, and all other things covid that have made our lives a challenge the past couple of years! We are running full bore for what is shaping up to be the largest and most well-attended Sheep Show® in our history! Registrations are up over our 2020 record event, booths are way up and we’ll fill all three exhibit halls, sponsors are way up, and auction donations for both Live and Silent Auctions are off the charts! The pentup demand after two years of full and semi-pandemic are demonstrative in the enthusiasm the WSF family is showing to get back to business and back to Sheep Week® in all of our convention metrics. We are excited for the show and ready for all of you to come for the sheep and stay for the party January 11-14 in Reno!

Here is a quick snapshot of the show:

WEDNESDAY

• Day 2 of Exhibitor Move In

• Test & Remove Workshop 2.0

• Grand Opening Banquet Kick-off with Jimmy Herman

THURSDAY

• Full Welcome Breakfast for exhibitors in Mt. Rose Ballroom

• Sporting Clays Shoot

• FREE Ram/FNAWS/International Awards Luncheon in Mt. Rose Ballroom. Huskemaw scope and High West Outfitters aoudad hunt give

away—must be present to win!

• $1,000 (x5) Floor Credit Drawing

• ETFOWS Reception

• Conservation Night Banquet & Auction with special Working Dogs for Conservation demonstration

• Horse Packing Competition

FRIDAY

• Ladies luncheon

• $2,500 (x2) Floor Credit Drawing

• <1 Club & <1iClub Beer Reception and Seven Hunt Giveaway! Three Dall’s sheep from Alaska Outfitters Unlimited, North Curl Outfitters & Ultima Thule Outfitters, plus one desert bighorn sheep with Sierra El Álamo! The <1iClub drawing include three chamois with Caprinae SafarisCarpathian Chamois, Herederos Hunting Co. – Cantabrian Chamois and ATP Hunts – Pyrenean Chamois.

• Conklin Award Presentation and our Legacy Night Banquet & Auction

• Backpack Races

SATURDAY

• Life Member Breakfast and La Palmosa Desert Bighorn Sheep Drawing—must be present to win

• Sheep Hunters of the World Luncheon

• $5,000 Floor Credit Drawing

• Sheep Show Raffle Drawings

• Marco Polo Society Reception and Wine Tasting with Cervantes Family Winery

• Grand Finale Banquet & Auction

• After Hours with Tessy Lou Williams

Our day events include our world class exhibitors, Silent Auction, the Sheep Show® Raffle, daily podcasts, Floor credit drawings Thursday through Saturday for $1,000, $2,500 and $5,000, and free seminars featuring optics, USFWS permitting, backpack hunting for sheep, fitness, western big game, Women Hunt®, nutrition and wild game preparation and cooking demonstrations daily from Executive Chef Joshua Schwencke in our Culinary Corner!

The full agenda is available on our Sheep Show® App and will be in our attendee booklet. The schedule to date is also on pages 132-134 in this issue.

We will be sending out video messages in the final months before the show to share updates and a few surprises in store for Sheep Show® 2023.

Have a great holiday season. I look forward to see you all in Reno! WS

Gray N. Thornton

President & CEO, Wild Sheep Foundation

Editor-in-Chief, Wild Sheep® magazine

Summit Life Member Chadwick Ram Society® Member Legacy Society Member

CHAIR’S CORNER

by Glen Landrus Chair

BIGGER AND BETTER

Ihope all of you were able to get out and enjoy some fresh air and outdoor activities this fall. In the Pacific Northwest, it felt like we skipped over fall and went right from summer to winter! I live in close proximity to Hells Canyon so it is always nice to get out on a drive or a hike and enjoy seeing some of the greatest wild sheep habitat anywhere —and the fruits of our labor with lots of big healthy lambs going into our winter months. Speaking of winter, for the WSF staff and your board of directors, winter means full on Wild Sheep Week® Convention planning! That said, I wanted to delve deeper into some of the great events we have planned that I encourage everyone to attend:

Ram Awards/FNAWS & International Awards now on Thursday, January 12th at Noon in Expo Center

Under the leadership of WSF director Tony Caliguiri, some big changes are being made to the Ram Awards. First, the event will now be held on Thursday at noon in the Expo Center. We’ve noticed some diminishing attendance over the last few years so we thought a few modifications were in order. In addition to it being a lunch time event, it is also FREE! Come in at noon on Thursday and check out the amazing program put on by the Ram Awards, FNAWS & International Awards committee. This is a great celebration of some amazing hunts,

but more importantly, it is a celebration of the success of our mission of Putting and Keeping Wild Sheep On the Mountain®. Thanks again to the committees for their stellar leadership and thank to VP of Operations Kim Neiters for her leadership as well. This should be bigger and better than ever so we’ll see you all Thursday at noon!

Ladies’ Luncheon on Friday, January 13th from Noon to 2 pm in the Naples Ballroom at the Peppermill

From all I’ve heard, Ladies’ Luncheon Chair Jann Demaske and her committee have put together another amazing event with a Black and White theme. For many years, the Ladies’ Luncheon was a social event with the hopes of returning some profit to fund our WSF Mission programs. However, that is no longer the case! In addition to being a great social event for our lady conservationists, this has grown into an important mission funding program for WSF! Last year this event put over $130,000 back into our mission programs! Thank you to Jann and her committee for taking this event over the top! This year they have a Broadway star to sing the National Anthem, a fashion show of items up in the live auction including Azyre Gear, Williams Furs and the Alaska Fur Gallery. They’ve secured full donations from Josh Spies, Tara Banks, and Justin Young. In addition,

the Pocapalia Trust Fund bronze will be sold during the live auction. So for our dedicated female contingent, get your ticket to the Ladies’ Lunchen and enjoy free champagne as we raise critical funds for wild sheep!

Life Member Breakfast on Saturday, January 14th in the Peppermill

Banquet Room

What a program we have planned for this year! The annual WSF Life Member Breakfast once again will be held in the Peppermill Banquet Hall on Saturday, January 14th. Doors open at 7:30 am—and don’t be late because our annual hat raffle will sell out quickly. Once again, a huge thanks to SITKA Gear, KUIU, Kryptek, Stone Glacier and Barney’s Sports Chalet for donating the hats! If you’re new to the LMB, each hat has a raffle ticket inside, and we will draw for $1000 floor credit for each of the brands! Cost is $50 for one hat. We will offer only a limited group of all five hats for $200 as well. NEW this year is a raffle for a Weatherby Thinhorn Edition rifle! We will only sell 200 tickets at a cost of $100 each so we expect those to go quickly as well. Thank you, Weatherby for supporting the LMB. We are really excited to welcome our keynote speaker for the LMB, Charles Hartford. This year’s Life Member Breakfast welcomes Mr. Charles Hartford, a passionate hunterconservationist, father of four, retired military officer, and a recently kickedout member of the <1Club®. Charles

“If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.” — Henry Ford

will share some of his past life and combat experiences and memorable takeaways from having just returned from a first successful sheep hunt. Among them, what military training has taught him about being and staying mentally and physically prepared so we can all stay on those sheep mountains. Thank you, Charles for your service and for joining us this year.

Of course, no LMB would be complete without our drawing for a desert bighorn hunt with La Palmosa. Remember that all WSF Life Members get one chance in the drawing and our Summit Life Members get three. In addition, we are looking for at least 50 members to serve as LMB Patron Sponsors at a cost of $1000! Along with to helping underwrite the event, Patron Sponsors earn additional chances in the drawing. Contact our WSF World Headquarters or LMB Chair Glen Landrus if you are interested. Thank you to Emilio Rangel and La Palmosa for making this amazing hunt available for our LMB!

<1Club ® and <1iClub®

Reception

Whether you are eligible for the drawings or not, this is a must-attend event on Friday afternoon from 4 pm to 6 pm in the Expo Center. If you are looking to go on your first sheep hunt, join WSF and get your ticket to this event! The odds for winning a great hunt will never be better! If you’ve already harvested a North American Wild sheep, then it’s time to join the >1iClub® and put yourself in for a drawing for some amazing international adventures. We will also have a huge selection of raffle prizes, so get there early and buy some tickets. Good luck to all of you in the drawing for your first North American or International sheep hunt!

As you can see, we have a stacked agenda, so I hope to see you all in January at Sheep Week® 2023! WS

Yours in Conservation, Glen A. Landrus

“I would like to thank Frontier Outfitters for making this Once in a Lifetime hunt a success for my son. This experience will be something that we will remember forever.”

- Mike Sawicki -

Stuart Farnsworth, President / Taxidermist / Sculptor

In 2013 the Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF) launched a legacy campaign, Ensuring the Future of Wild Sheep, that includes tax and estate planning opportunities, counsel and advice, major gifts, and giving societies to raise the funds required to ensure the future of the wild sheep resource by directing even more dollars to wild sheep restoration, repatriation and conservation. Our vision is to build a series of funds from which a targeted annual offtake of 4% will allow WSF to direct 100% of our convention fundraising to mission programs. Our goal is $5 to $6 million annually in mission focused Grant-In-Aid and other funding to “Put and Keep Wild Sheep on the Mountain.” With your help we can achieve this vision and goal.

The Marco Polo Society was established in 2008 as WSF’s premier giving society. To compliment the Marco Polo Society and expand this giving concept to ALL WSF members and wild sheep advocates, WSF created a new giving society in the fall of 2013 – the Chadwick Ram Society with five

benefactor levels enabling tax-deductible, donor directed gifts from $250 to $5,000 per year to mission areas of the donor’s desire. Donations can be made to the WSLF Endowment Fund, WSF Conservation Fund, our annual Convention and/or Area of Greatest Need to fund specific programs and initiatives. Chadwick Ram Society members are recognized with an embroidered badge displaying their Copper, Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum benefactor level. Members may also “upgrade” their benefactor levels within the Chadwick Ram Society as well as to the Marco Polo Society.

For more information on the Chadwick Ram Society, the Marco Polo Society or the Ensuring the Future of Wild Sheep campaign, contact WSF President & CEO, Gray N. Thornton, Development Manager, Paige Culver, or visit our website.

We cordially invite you to join the Chadwick Ram Society and help Ensure the Future of Wild Sheep!

The Chadwick Ram Society®, Marco Polo Society®, Putting and Keeping Wild Sheep on the Mountain®, The Sheep Show® and Sheep Week® are registered trademarks of the Wild Sheep Foundation

SALUTES

THE 2022 NEW/UPGRADE CHADWICK RAM SOCIETY ® MEMBERS

PLATINUM - $50,000

George and Grace Vandenberg (CO)

GOLD - $25,000

Daniel Hinz (WY)

SILVER - $10,000

David Antley, Jr (OR)

Kemp Copeland (TX)

Jeff Geiger (OH)

Marty Harsin (NV)

Lucas Humbard (AK)

Kyle & Tess Hurley (ID)

Dan & Jessica Kluth (ID)

Zachary McDermott (WY)

Craig & Laureen Nakamoto (IA)

Michael Opitz (WA)

Greg Pope (WY)

Steven Quisenberry (VA)

Gary Sessions (NM)

Steve & Carrie Thompson (IN)

Jeremy & Jessica Tripp (ID)

BRONZE - $5,000

Aaron & Amy Burkhart (MN)

Alan Day (OR)

Hal & Emily Frye (AK)

Paul & Tami Hanson (WA)

Keith Hite (PA)

Shad & April Hulse (UT)

Rachel Kidwell (AK)

Steve King (NM)

James Lewis (AK)

Christopher & Kari Loomis (MT)

Robert E. Mays, Jr. (NV)

Elliot Niemi (AK)

Jerry Remaklus (AZ)

Mike Schmillen (MN)

J.T. “Skip” Tubbs (MT)

Bob Van De Rostyne (WY)

COPPER - $2,500

Thomas Adrien (GA)

Michael Avery (LA)

John Blankenship (MA)

Angie Bloomquist (AK)

Eric Cavage (PA)

Christopher Estes (TX)

Jason Gentz (MN)

AD Hancock (FL)

Charles W. Hartford (CA)

Grant Hill (AK)

Scott Homrich (MI)

Anthony & Chris Lingenfelter (CA)

Brendon McCarney (AK)

Kenneth Mee (CA)

Jacob Mock (AK)

Carl Nelson (AK)

Shawn Nelson (WY)

Laura Pettett (CO)

Daryl Reid (CA)

Alan Shultz (CA)

Jay Stanford (AK)

Zachary Walton (CA) Kelli White (AK)

Sheep Family Snapshots

“I became a member of the Chadwick Ram Society so I could do more to help sheep than what my Lifetime Membership could accomplish alone.  I have been fortunate to take a few rams in my life, so putting more sheep back on the mountain than I have taken is a real goal of mine.  Being a Chadwick Ram Society member is a start to that pledge that I made to not only myself but the Wild Sheep Foundation family and anyone who loves Wild Sheep…”

-Jason Matzinger

BIOLOGIST’S CORNER

by Kevin Hurley Vice President of Conservation

WHAT THE HECK IS TEST-AND-REMOVE?

No doubt many WSF members and non-members have heard the term “Test-and-Remove” used frequently of late, whether in technical presentations, news items, press releases, coffee shop chats, on-line forums, or other venues. Knowing that wildlife biologists

are often criticized for jargon or “agency-speak”, I thought it might be helpful to try explaining what that term means, in the context of wild sheep health and pathogen/disease management.

Based on veterinary principles of disease control and pioneering work

in Hells Canyon, largely spearheaded by Dr. Frances Cassirer of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Dr. Tom Besser from Washington State University, and their ID/OR/WA state, federal, and tribal colleagues, repeat capture and sampling of individual bighorn sheep began

In November 2021, along the lower Salmon River in Idaho and accompanied by a team of ID-WSF and WSF volunteers, Dr. Frances Cassirer of IDFG begins sampling a pneumonic bighorn ram that was euthanized, as part of an ID/OR/WA “test-and-remove” project.

Photo: Kevin Hurley

to demonstrate a clear pattern of respiratory bacteria presence or absence.

By capturing and sampling the same individual at least twice, and up to as many as seven or eight times, it was demonstrated that some bighorn sheep were always, or most always, positive for Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (MOVI), a respiratory bacterium involved as a trigger in pneumonia in bighorn sheep. Others were always, or most always, negative for MOVI, and yet another portion of Hells Canyon bighorns were intermittently positive. That’s still a head-scratcher!

Intensive sampling, combined with field assessment and diagnostic laboratory analysis, established that some bighorn sheep were chronic carriers (and, presumably, shedders) of MOVI bacteria. Several research/ management questions were raised, “…what if those chronic carriers were removed from a population? What effect might that have on MOVI carriage? How might that affect chronically-depressed lamb survival? How many chronic carriers must be removed, to improve lamb survival and recruitment?”

Additional questions were raised and discussed among wild sheep managers and researchers, wildlife veterinarians, and other wild sheep conservation stakeholders. Like most scientific breakthroughs, it was necessary to develop and test hypotheses, and conduct replicate trials. In the past few years, more and more western fish and game agencies, involving tribal/First Nation wildlife departments, private landowners, federal land managers, and academic researchers have modified and undertaken test-and-remove

programs in their jurisdictions.

Another critical requirement to advance science is to share results obtained with your peers and colleagues. These data might be shared via published manuscripts in technical journals, presentations at scientific conferences, and other means of communicating and sharing data and inviting peer review and critique.

As I look back at the accomplishments made by the Western Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA)

Wild Sheep Working Group since inception in 2007, data-sharing and collaboration between geographically distant but every-bit-as-engaged wild sheep colleagues throughout North America, and beyond, may be one of the best outcomes that the WAFWA Wild Sheep Working Group has generated.

In June 2021, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 200 wild sheep colleagues spent a very full day on ZOOM. They presented test-and-remove case studies, sharing and discussing preliminary results and findings, mapping out additional strategies, sharing resources and information across agency and jurisdictional boundaries, trying to advance our collective knowledge and understanding of the effects of respiratory bacteria on wild sheep herd health, lamb recruitment, and future management. In the intervening nearly 20 months since that June 2021 ZOOM workshop, numerous test-and-remove experiments have been initiated in multiple states and provinces, involving diverse collaborators and stakeholders.

Unlike the alleged story of Sir

Isaac Newton sitting under a tree, and having an apple fall on his head, leading to the “discovery” and our understanding of gravity, scientific knowledge advances and retreats in fits and starts, with failures and setbacks, revised study designs, tweaking hypotheses, occasional flashes of brilliance and progress, writing and tracking grant requests and progress reports, and more. However, there is always a dogged determination to keep asking, keep probing, keep trying to untie the Gordian knot of pneumonia in wild sheep.

On January 11, 2023, the Wild Sheep Foundation will be hosting a Test-and-Remove Workshop 2.0 in Reno, immediately prior to the Sheep Show convention doors opening on Thursday January 12th. Details are being worked on by WSF and the WAFWA Wild Sheep Working Group as I write this column in late October 2022, but stay tuned for more information, details, and virtual options for viewing and participating in this important workshop.

The wild sheep conservation community is fortunate to have so many sharp-minded and dedicated wild sheep managers, wildlife veterinarians, academic researchers, diagnostic laboratory technicians, agency administrators, and committed conservation stakeholders all willing to work on these issues, ask these difficult questions, and work shoulder-to-shoulder in our seemingly “never-ending” attempts to uncover solutions, and move forward in conserving wild sheep populations, for those wild sheep and the conservation stakeholders coming after we’re long gone. Thank you all for your efforts! WS

T

he Marco Polo Society® (MPS) is the Wild Sheep Foundation’s premier major giving “society” whose members have given and/or pledged a minimum of $100,000 to the Foundation. Gifts are donor-directed, tax-deductible and can be made to the WSLF Endowment Fund, WSF Conservation Fund, or Area of Greatest Need. Additionally, funds may be allocated to specific grant-inaid, education or advocacy initiatives and programs. The $100,000

pledge can be contributed in annual installments up to a maximum of 10 years.

Shane & Angela Alexander (TN)

Lee & Penny Anderson (FL)

Anonymous Anonymous

Stanford & Pamela Atwood (CA)

John & Jane Babler (MN)

Scott & Erica Barry (MI)

Brian & Debbie Benyo (OH) Gary Bogner (MI)

Dan & Kathy Boone (TX)

Jerry & Amy Brenner (NC)

Steve & Jackie Bruggeman (MN)

Peter & Wendy Burchfield (PA)

Tony & Virginia Caligiuri (IA)

Ron & Billi Carey (AB)

Oscar & Valerie Carlson (MN)

Walt & Joan Coram (TX)

Guinn & Betsy Crousen (TX)

Denis & Diane Dale (AB)

Dean & Paige Darby (MI)

Monty & Becky Davis (TX)

Jeff & Jann Demaske (CO)

Chris & Jaimie Dianda (NV)

Mike & Julie Dianda (NV)

Mark & Janice Dickson (CA) Billy Dunbar (AK)

The Fiedeldey Family (OH)

WSF SALUTES OUR MARCO POLO SOCIETY® MEMBERS TO DATE - Alphabetical Order

Tom Foss (AB)

Ronald S. Gabriel, MD (CA) Kevin Gilbert (MT)

Brian and Susan Ham (AZ)

Marc & Cheryl Hansen (PA) Jim & Sue Hens (NY)

Tom & Denise Hoffman (NY)

Steve & Jill Hornady (NE)

Larry & Jane Hunts (OR) Kevin Hurley (ID)

Ross & Nicole Jackson (CO) Scott Jesseman (IL)

Kaan & Nurgul Karakaya (TUR)

G. Thomas & Patricia Lang (FL)

George & Kelly Lawrence (WA)

Doug & Dana Leech (WV)

Thomas Lemmerholz (GER)

Wayne & Denise Lennington (TN)

Jeff Lindgren (MN)

Paul Mattes (MI)

Kyle & Joanne Meintzer (NV)

Craig & Therese Mueller (ID)

Richard & Linda Murphy (NM)

The Olmstead Family (BC)

Mark & Gabriela Peterson (MI)

Ron & Vicki Pomeroy (WY)

Larry & Brenda Potterfield (MO)

Rancho La Palmosa (MEX)

Joni & Gary W. Raba (TX) Terry Rathert (TX)

Gary & Yvonne Rigotti (OR) Christopher Ring (TX)

Kevin & Janine Rinke (MI)

Alan & Barbara Sackman (NY)

Doug & Shelly Sayer (ID) Roger Segebrecht (WI)

Kip & Sue Slaugh (UT)

Kevin & Tuesdy Small (CA) J. Alain Smith (WA)

Mike Snider (MI)

Daryll & Shauna Southwick (CO)

Brandon & Kristi Stokes (OR)

Jelindo & Sandee Tiberti (NV)

Matt Tomseth (OR)

Tim & Ruth Van Der Weide (IA)

Ken & Anna Vorisek (AK)

Craig West (NC)

Steven & Ardyce Whisler (MT)

Clayton & Modesta Williams (TX)

Lyle & Jennifer Wood (AB)

Russ & Debi Young (TX)

Gary & Penny Young (WV)

Alan Young (YT)

Since its inception in 2008, more than $8 million in MPS gifts/ pledges have been directed to WSF and mission programs. WSF’s objective is 100 Marco Polo Society members resulting in a $10 million major gift campaign. Paige Culver - Development Manager 406.404.8758 or pculver@wildsheepfoundation.org Gray N. Thornton - President & CEO 406.404.8750 or gthornton@wildsheepfoundation.org

The Marco Polo Society® Ensuring the Future of Wild Sheep

MPS Reception - Reno, NV - 2022

RACE TO THE SUMMIT

In 2008 the Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF) set out to bring $10,000,000 in Mission and Program funding through a single giving society. That year, the Marco Polo Society was born. This premier giving society, comprised of donors who have generously pledged a cash gift of $100,000, just welcomed member #80. To date this incredible group has committed $8 Million to our Purpose of Putting and Keeping Wild Sheep on The Mountain. We are on the final countdown to our 100-member goal! Wild sheep need your help today as the WSF board along with the Professional Resource Advisory Board and knowledgeable WSF Conservation Directors have carefully reviewed and approved a record $1.2 Million dollars in Grant in Aid projects for the 2022-2023 Fiscal Year.

Come and join this special group of conservation heroes and help ensure the future of wild sheep and wild places with your pledge. I promise you will be in good company.

Paige Culver - Development Manager • 406.404.8758 or pculver@wildsheepfoundation.org

Wayne & Denise Lennington (TN) Kevin Gilbert (MT)

Tom Foss (AB)

ENSURING THE FUTURE

by Paige Culver WSF Development Manager

GIANTS IN OUR

We step out onto the modest front porch and make our way across the lawn. Bayfield had some nice rain showers over the summer and the grass, beautiful vines, and tender flowers around the house are lush and fragrant, especially for mid-August. “Now, come across the lawn this way and look down at the grass,” George says. I do as I am told. We keep walking. “Keep looking down,” he reminds me. I wonder to myself, What on earth am I looking for? while simultaneously really enjoying the cushion of a beautifully kept yard under my feet. “Ok, stop.” I stop. “Now… look up.” I raise my eyes and then my head follows…. Up, up, and up. Before I know it, I’m staring heavenward through the wild and beautifully craggy branches of a 350-year-old pine tree. My breath catches. It’s about two in the afternoon and the sun is bright but barely able to pierce through the layers of ancient arms to its admirers below. It is truly something to behold, and we all marvel silently for a few moments at this bit of creation, which is truly special, and is conveniently sitting there for us all to enjoy, right in the front yard.

In fall 2021, I received a call out of the blue after launching a campaign to help put some funds in the Wild Sheep Legacy Foundation’s coffers. “Is this Paige?!” said a cheerful voice with just the slightest drawl. “Yes, this is Paige. How can I help you?”

FRONT YARD

“Well, you’re just the gal I was looking for! This is George Van Den Berg, and I want to give you some money.” As one might imagine, this is not typically how my phone calls go. George had heard of our campaign to help secure the future of the Wild Sheep Foundation by adding to our Endowment Fund;

forward to Sheep Show® 2022. I’m doing my typical scuttling around as I try to keep up with the demands of the show when I see our then, Board Chair, Dr. Peri Wolff, come around the corner. Following her was a gentleman with a gait that spoke of many rigorous mountain adventures, wearing a cowboy hat and the biggest smile I’ve ever seen. Mind you, I had not ever met George in person. “I had to come meet the sweet gal I’ve been talking to!” he said. From there, we quickly fell into an easy friendship.

George Van Den Berg was born in 1934 in a small ranching community in Colorado.

he was on board and ready to help. George and I spoke for a bit and after getting the details of his gift lined out, he finished out our conversation by saying, “I want to say thank you for all you do.” His gratitude for everything would be a recurring theme throughout every subsequent conversation. Throwing in a couple more friendly phone calls, fast

At one point during my visit with George, I was admiring a “Norman Rockwell-esque” picture hanging in his kitchen when he walked up behind me and said, “That’s how I grew up!” The picture depicts a mother in a chair with a young child in her lap next to a wood-burning stove. A small calf is curled up on the floor in front of the stove, and the father is standing opposite them in a potato-farmer style hat and his work clothes. It was no surprise to me that this was a nostalgic scene after having spent some time with George. Being from a ranching family, he and his siblings were no strangers to hard work. Like many children of his time, he grew up hunting squirrels and rabbits and other small game. When he got a bit older, he and his brother started chasing big bull elk in the mountains of Colorado. I chuckle as I recall George describing a rutting bull bugling in one’s face as, “A real kick in the butt”. He’s not wrong. For

“Do what you can, with what have, where you are.”

Teddy Roosevelt

George & Grace Van Den Berg at their home in Bayfield, CO.

many years, he thought that was the end-all, be-all of big game hunting. Then, in 1968 at 34 years old, George went on his first self-guided bighorn sheep hunt. From there, as happens with many first-time sheep hunters, George was smitten. Something about the elusive creatures delighted his soul.

George readily admits that he has put himself in some rather precarious situations over the years just trying to observe them in their natural habitat, often going in way too far, and often going it alone. Shortly before my visit, George had just come back from a helicopter ride for the sole purpose of surveying the sheep and hopefully getting some intel for Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW). He has an affinity for that agency, as he served on the Colorado Game Commission from 1985-1993. During his time of service, he helped reintroduce bighorn sheep back to the area. Incredibly, after laborious weeks of removing 100-year-old telegraph wire from the nationally acclaimed train route running from Durango to Silverton, a healthy herd of bighorn sheep was transported via the same train route, and successfully released in the Cascade Canyon Wye paralleling the Animas River.

This incredible feat is only a sliver of the lifelong dedication that George has graciously given to wildlife conservation, and wild sheep in particular.

Being a wildlife biologist for more than 45 years, WSF Vice-President for Conservation Kevin Hurley has known and worked with George, for decades. “When I need to know something about bighorn sheep in Colorado, George is often the first call I make,” stated Hurley. “I learn something about wild sheep every time I chat with George, and I have the utmost respect for the man, and what he’s done,” added Hurley. “George always has a story to tell, and I believe some of them are even true,” kidded Hurley. “I just enjoy sitting, chatting, and learning from George; he is a wealth of knowledge, and a great sheep conservationist.”

I was reluctant to leave Colorado, but before I did, George wanted to show me one more thing. We drove about 20 minutes up the highway to a plot of open field. This field once belonged to George and he still cares for it, gladly and lovingly, as a help to the new owners and because it is a source of pride. Just along the edge of the property is a 12-acre parcel that George set aside as a wildlife

preserve. It gives refuge to a wide variety of animals, including deer and elk. From that spot he points in the direction of the mountainside where he took his last sheep at the age of 75.

Folks like George are inspiring, and they’re all around us. Just knowing them makes us strive to be better, to do better. George would never admit to having deserved any admiration for his contribution to wild sheep and the natural world. In fact, he didn’t even want me to write an article about him! But, like the towering 350-year-old pine in his front yard, George’s life is worthy of recognition. Without saying a word, they both invoke a deep sense of appreciation and respect. Both are giants, right “in the front yard”. It’s our responsibility to stop, look up, and appreciate what’s been in front of us all along.

Thank you, George, for sharing your time, talent, treasure…and friendship. WS

For more information on the Wild Sheep Foundation’s giving societies or to make a donation, please contact WSF Development Manager, Paige Culver at 406-404-8758 or pculver@ wildsheepfoundation.org.

George with his granddaughter, Mindy Paulek, and her father, Nick Paulek, with George’s bighorn taken in 2008 from the Needle Mountain Range, a subrange of the San Juan Mountains of the Rockies.

ENSURING THE FUTURE

by Paige Culver WSF Development Manager

RENO, HERE WE COME!

To everything there is a season as they say, and my friends… it’s SHEEP SHOW® SEASON!

Wild Sheep Foundation staff and volunteers are getting organized. We expect to have another incredible show with record turnout. The registration numbers are up, the exhibitors are mapping out their booth spaces, and the multiple auction and raffle opportunities being assembled will not disappoint! Before we know it, we will be in Reno putting the final touches on what is sure to be a heck of a good time. I mean, we are “sheep people”… how can it not be fun?

As we have done for several years we will have a dedicated space for all Chadwick Ram, Marco Polo, and Legacy Society members. The Ensuring the Future Lounge, in Hall Three of the Reno Sparks Convention Center will be open during regular expo hours and will offer a hosted bar, some snacks, and respite from the show floor for existing members and for those who want to learn more about how they can support our purpose of Putting and Keeping Wild Sheep on the Mountain® with varying pledge options

beyond a regular membership or a life membership. I thoroughly enjoy seeing our existing society members from year to year and look forward to seeing our impact on wild sheep conservation grow with each new member. Thank you to Snowy Mountain Rifle for again sponsoring the Ensuring the Future Lounge.

Thursday, January 12th, we will be recognizing new Legacy Society members during a special Ensuring the Future cocktail reception in The Edge nightclub from 4:30 p.m. –6p.m. prior to the Thursday evening banquet. This reception is open to all Chadwick Ram, Marco Polo and Legacy Society members. It’s a great way to kick off the evening and we look forward to seeing you all there!

We have several new society members who have joined this year, including the five new Marco Polo Society (MPS) members who will hopefully join us to celebrate! Having just welcomed Marco Polo Society member 80, our campaign to “Race to the Summit” is off to a great start. The “Race to the Summit” is a push to complete the goals set forth in 2008 to reach 100 Marco

Polo Society members. With only 20 spots left to fill as of press time, we are quickly climbing and expect to meet that 100-member goal very soon. If you have been on the fence about joining this premier giving society…now just might be the time. We look forward to recognizing all new Marco Polo members at a special reception on Saturday, January 14th from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Capri Ballroom of the Peppermill Hotel and Casino prior to the Saturday evening banquet. Members will enjoy a hosted wine tasting thanks to our friends at Cervantes Family Vineyards. They will bring a selection of their estate grown wines for all to enjoy. Additionally, Wyoming-based custom rifle manufacturer, Best of the West, has generously sponsored this special reception and will be giving away a custom rifle to one lucky MPS member whose name will be drawn at the reception. Must be present to win!

Thank you all for your continued support and we look forward to seeing all of you in the New Year! WS

(must be present to win)

Mark your calendar for Saturday, January 14th from 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. (Additional details and personal invitations to follow)

ATTENTION MARCO POLO SOCIETY MEMBERS

This year’s Marco Polo Society reception is proudly being sponsored by our friends at Cervantes Family Vineyards and Best of the West.

We hope you will join us for this special gathering of friends and conservationists for a fabulous winetasting event, plus someone is going to walk away with a custom Best of the West rifle package.

The Conklin Foundation would like to gratefully acknowledge and thank the following businesses and individuals for their generous donations. The support of donors makes it possible for the Conklin Foundation to continue its efforts to educate youth about hunting.

Barranoff Jewelers

Beauchamp Knives

Fernando Saiz-Spain

Giuseppe Carizosa Spain

Go With Bo Booking & Guide Service

Hunt Conexion Mexico

Indus Safaris Pakistan

Legelada Safaris

Link’s Wild Safaris

M.J. Mitler & Company

Safari Outfitters

S.M.C. Spain Hunting Ibex

Vidale Safaris

The Conklin Foundation board is pleased to announce the 2023 winner of the Conklin Award. Bradford T. Black, MD is the 21st winner of the “Tough Man” award, named after the late Dr. James Conklin, a Weatherby Award winner, who liked to pursue difficult animals throughout the world.

Brad began his big game hunting in 1997 at the age of 40. Since then, he has hunted 43 countries taking over 527 animals. 191 of these are Conklin animals, including over 70 sheep and goats.

Brad has practiced urology for over 33 years and is part of the Glickman Urology Department at the Cleveland Clinic. He lives in North Canton, Ohio with his wife of 40 years, Sharon, and has five children, Danielle, Marissa, Alexandra, Bradford, and Victoria.

Brad was a finalist for the last three years. He persevered over the other challenging finalists: Jan Dams, Jeff Demaske, Mark Hampton, Wayne Farnsworth and Barbara Sackman.

(melanistic phase weemsi desert sheep)

Shot with: Go with Bo Booking & Guide Service

Tony Hernandez Jewelers

Laser Shot

LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS

by Greg Schildwachter WSF Lobbyist

NAVIGATING GRAZING PERMIT RENEWALS

WSFas promised, has consistently advocated for putting and keep wild sheep on the mountains of the Federal public lands. Our successes in translocations, habitat improvements, and buyouts and conversions of grazing permits are helping.

We continue to press for changes to grazing permits that pose a risk of contact between wild and domestic sheep. On this front, evidence has now emerged that our obstacles are bigger than the well-known difficulties each of these permits present.

Of the 18,000 grazing permits issued by the Bureau of Land Management, 10,000 are past due for review. As they await review, they are renewed without analysis of range health or other conditions including risk of contact.

There is little hope of examining a permit for its effect on wild sheep while little hope exists of examining a permit at all. Growing attention to the backlog of reviews may help us. Until now, the grazing programs of the BLM and Forest Service (6,000 permits) have frustrated us, other conservationists, environmentalists, and the grazing industry for various reasons. Now we know it’s a bigger problem on which all sides can focus.

Congress recently began inquiring of BLM about the backlog of reviews. BLM published the above data on the backlog in its budget request for this year. Grazing activists made news earlier this year with their own analyses of these data claiming that roughly half of BLM permits fail range health standards.

The root of this problem is that formal review of grazing permits overwhelmed the agencies about 30 years ago. Past-due permits were vulnerable to lawsuits and suspension until the agencies caught up. To relieve that pressure, Congress began

in 1995 to allow the agencies to renew permits without review. That policy hardened in 2014 into an amendment to the Federal Land Planning and Management Act. The backlog of reviews continued to grow.

With this new information, WSF gathered allies of sportsmen and other conservation and permittee groups to present our interest and ideas to the BLM as a starting point.

The original problem of expensive and time-consuming procedures for reviews has compounded as funds for reviews have been cut or redirected to the problem of wildfire, and as maintaining and training the BLM workforce has struggled.

We are pursuing two initial ideas: rebuilding and maintaining an appropriate workforce and making review easier without sacrificing quality of information.

On workforce, we are supporting a proposed budget increase of $2 million. We are supporting allocation of funds from the recent enormous spending bills intended to build infrastructure and stimulate the economy. Even if we are successful, these funds are unlikely to help much against a cost of review between $250,000 and $2 million (median cost around $1 million).

On lowering the cost in money and time, we are investigating several possibilities. One is to improve agency process. The BLM Dillon (Montana) field office is well regarded for its ability to complete reviews. Perhaps their practices are transferable to other offices. However, Dillon has achieved its success by long-running, dedicated efforts to training. Other offices are short staffed and, even if staffed up, would need to put in the same longrunning, dedicated efforts.

Another is to repurpose the legal flexibility from neglect to triage. The law gives the agencies “sole discretion”

on which permits to review. They have delayed reviews indefinitely but could instead work on the highest priority reviews first. They could use information on risk of contact and range health to set the highest priority. However, they would still need to put in the enormous effort on each review as required by law.

Third, it may be time to change rules and expectations for reviews. Is it true that every single permit warrants the same in-depth review? Is it necessary that every review must be informed by boots-on-the-ground range managers? The comfort of fullblown, ground-up reviews may not be worth the cost – especially if part of that cost is a growing backlog of no review at all. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service uses satellite imagery in its enforcement of conservation practices. This may be an option for the BLM and Forest Service.

Strong political forces have resisted changes to environmental review for decades. The recent failure of Senator Joe Manchin’s (WV-D) permitting reform bill is the latest demonstration. And, of course, other politicians could exploit a debate for reasoned change to make unreasoned changes. However, politics can also be driven by coalitions built on mutual interests and grazing permit reviews present that opportunity.

The agencies, us, our allies, and industry share in the principle of sciencebased decisions. The industry claims it does a good job: evidence showing that (and showing where improvement is needed) would serve their interest better than a growing back-log of uncertainty. They won’t go back to the other kind of uncertainty of lengthy, legally vulnerable reviews. The agencies cannot complete enough of those reviews and should welcome easier, but still effective process. For us, this is an opportunity to break the stalemate. WS

AWARDS

Awards Committee Chairman

WHAT GUIDES WANT

Trust your guide. Guides make the proverbial sheep hunting world go ‘round if you are chasing that FNAWS. Not to knock DIY hunts, but when you chase sheep, odds are that you will be hunting with a guide at some point. When you do, listen to your guide and trust him or her no matter how goofy or bizarre it may sound. There are times when a guide knows the area and the animals better than anyone. Sure, many folks have had bad experiences with guides. But that is the rare exception to the rule. The overwhelming majority of sheep guides are doing what they love and want nothing more than for you to succeed. Not only does it make the hunter happy, but there is a sense of pride and accomplishment for the guide when the hunter carries a heavy pack at the end of the hunt.

In speaking with some of the best and most entertaining sheep hunting guides in the Wild Sheep Family, I learned a lot about what they expect from, and what they will say to, their hunters. Below are some of the pearls of wisdom from those guides who have shared many stories over a few drinks along the way.

1. A positive attitude goes a long way. This is a consistent theme among almost every guide. When the weather gets bad or the animals aren’t cooperating, stay positive. Keep things light, don’t put pressure on yourself and manage that six inches between your ears as best you can. A guide will help, but it is up to you to keep an open mind and stay in the right mindset while hunting. This may seem obvious, but in the throes of a hunt the challenge to stay mentally strong can be overwhelming.

2. Carry your own stuff. As simple as this may sound, carrying your own gear up the mountain while going from camp to camp or on a stalk affords the guide the chance to focus on animals, conditions and all sorts of other things that can lead to opportunity. The guide may offer to carry some of your gear, but that is a luxury rather than a necessity. Shared items such as tents or spotting scopes may be the exception here, but in general, it lifts the accomplishment levels tremendously if you carry your own gear and it can instill a confidence level in the guide that is palpable. If the hunter is willing to work hard, that guide will do everything possible to make the dream a reality.

3. Manage your expectations. Not every hunt goes the same way and just because there are some incredible rams in the area doesn’t mean they are tied to a rock and waiting for you to arrive. Talk to the guide as much as possible before and at the beginning of the hunt to get an idea of what is out there and the obstacles that may pop up. The more communication, the better. More than likely you will be with the guide for an extended period of time, so take that opportunity at the start of the hunt to exchange information and get on the same page. The guide knows the area and the animals, so tap into that resource to get an idea of what you can expect so you are creating a reality based upon facts rather than unsupported expectations.

4. Don’t quit. This is probably the one guides hate talking about the most, but it is the most important. There can be unforeseen issues that arise and emergencies can occur. But

if it is within your control, don’t quit on your guide. Hunt until the last minute you can. Quitting on a guide leaves a knot in every guide’s stomach because they will take it personally. Not in a judgmental way, but rather a way that leaves them asking themselves whether or not they could have done or said anything to keep it from happening. I recently had this same experience guiding a hunter on a hunt, and it’s something that will eat at me for a long time.

5. Realize that guides are people, too. They have lives outside of hunting and they may be preoccupied with what’s happening at home. Talk to your guide and get to know them. Guides are not servants or commodities. Some of the best people I know are guides because their personalities are based in helping others. Figuring out what makes them tick will lead to a more meaningful overall experience, and the worst that can happen is you make a connection with someone that might turn out to be a life-long friend.

The point here is that trusting your guide and going into a hunt with a team mentality is the best way to maximize the potential for success on a sheep hunt. Hunting is hard enough, and ignoring a giant resource such as a well-seasoned guide can be counter-productive. The guys and gals who guide sheep hunters are a rare breed, and are probably one of the most under-appreciated aspects of a sheep hunt. Next time you come across a sheep guide, make sure one of the topics of your discussion is asking what it is they have experienced to make a hunt successful—or not. You may be surprised. WS

BOONE AND CROCKETT 31ST BIG GAME AWARDS

As a celebration of our collective successes in the recovery, conservation, and management of our cherished big game species, the Boone and Crockett Club hosts its awards program every three years before publishing its next records book. This past August was the Club’s 31st Big Game Awards held at the Bass Pro Shops and Wonders of Wildlife Museum and Aquarium in Springfield, MO, and WSF was there in more ways than one.

For the fifth straight Big Game Awards, WSF was the Awards Banquet sponsor. WSF President & CEO Gray N. Thornton was on hand to take the podium and congratulated all the award winners in all 26 categories of native North American big game. He also gave a special shout-out to the wild sheep award winners in attendance— two of which were also WSF members, and one, was the successful buyer of an Alaska Dall’s sheep tag he purchased at the Sheep Show® that resulted in a tremendous ram.

In total, of the top five rams in each category that were invited to these Awards, eight rams were sent by their owners to be included in the remarkable display of trophies.

Is Putting and Keeping Wild Sheep on the Mountain® working? B&C’s latest record book is proof positive.

Photos courtesy Boone and Crockett Club

#1 DESERT SHEEP 183-7/8 B&C.

M. Craig Shelley, Cochise Co., Arizona – 2018

#2 BIGHORN SHEEP 206-3/8 B&C. Picked Up, Wild Horse Island, Flathead Co., Montana – 2021 Owner: B&C National Collection

#3 BIGHORN SHEEP 195-7/8 B&C.

Michael J. Carpinito, Fergus Co., Montana – 2019

#4 DESERT SHEEP 185-4/8 B&C.

Mike A. Carpinito, Socorro Co., New Mexico – 2020

#5 DESERT SHEEP 185-3/8 B&C.

Douglas A. Sayer, Tiburon Island, Mexico – 2019

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Past WSF Board Chair Doug and Shelly Sayer with B&C’s past VP of Big Game Records, Eldon “Buck” Buckner (L) and Director of Big Game Records, Mike Opitz, Bighorn sheep 200-1/8 B&C – Nez Perce Co., Idaho – 2019

WSF Board member Tony Caliguri with current VP of Big Game Records, Richard Hale (L) and Chairman of the B&C Records Committee, Justin Spring. Stone’s sheep 175-3/8 B&C – Richards Creek, British Columbia – 2018

Louis W. Breland receiving his award for his Dall’s sheep scoring 184-1/8 B&C, Chugach Mts., Alaska – 2020

I THINK I MIGHT BE A SHEEP HUNTER

BY INDIANA FIRST LADY JANET HOLCOMB

n July 30th, I switched my phone to airplane mode as the floats on the Cessna 206 rose from the water, Whitehorse slowly disappearing as we climbed westward. In less

than an hour, but a world away, the float plane came to a stop on the gravel shoreline of a backcountry lake. Handing off gear as I stepped ashore, I was welcomed to sheep camp by guide Clayton, and horse

wrangler Markus. Positioned on this picturesque mountain lake, the humble camp would be our base of operations for the coming 10 days. I immediately got busy getting settled, with the remainder of the day spent

glassing, fishing, and discussing what to expect in the days to come.

I am outwardly composed most any time, and in most any situation. I think I come by this naturally, but it has certainly been reinforced

over the past six years. I am not the typical sheep hunter. In fact, this was my first sheep hunt, so I was hanging on every word, and trying to envision what was ahead. The discussion and details helped calm any inner

nervousness that my face did not reflect.

Challenges and adversity test our character and provide us an opportunity to grow. It is the difficult times in life that really define us,

“The weather was terrible… the hiking and climbing was horrible… but I LOVED every miserable minute! I think I might be a sheep hunter.”

make us who we are, and give us strength and fortitude.

My Dall’s sheep story began in 2008, when a difficult experience changed the trajectory of my life. While home asleep, a burglar broke into my house; although only my purse was stolen, I was haunted by the chilling reality that a criminal had been in my house, and my eyes were immediately opened to my lack of preparedness. While frightening at the time, I eventually grew to see this valuable lesson as a gift. My loss of security in my own home provided the motivation I needed to overcome an uneasiness around firearms.

Spurred into action, I was determined to learn. Training and range time opened a new world for me, sparked a love of shooting sports, and would eventually lead me to this mountain in the Yukon.

A two-day defensive pistol course laid the foundation for this journey. After a couple of years, and to benchmark my proficiency, I took another step by completing a basic pistol instructor certification through the NRA. This provided me the ability to share my knowledge through a defined process so I could encourage other women to begin their own journey. I have gone on to share my passion with hundreds of women across my state.

Life changed in another respect. After the Vice-Presidential nomination upended the 2016 ballot in Indiana, my husband ran for and was elected Governor. Naturally a private person, I struggled to adjust to a new, very public lifestyle. Just as it had throughout my life, solace for me was time spent outdoors. The natural world centers me, and grounds me in ways that I don’t otherwise

experience.

As Indiana First Lady, I frequently speak to groups of students. When I do, a common refrain is to encourage lifelong learning by always trying new things. Pushing my own comfort zone has led to many adventures and allowed me opportunities to grow. My

interest in marksmanship expanded, and I eventually began exploring rifle and shotgun disciplines in addition to pistol. It seemed a natural progression when I then began to explore hunting. My first hunt was a pheasant put-and-take on a crisp fall day. As an animal enthusiast, I instantly

Sometimes you conquer the mountain; sometimes the mountain conquers you.

loved watching a pair of German Shorthair Pointers work the autumn field. There was an elegance as they held a point, and the dogs’ expression was of absolute joy as they covered mile upon mile doing what they were bred to do.

In subsequent hunting seasons, the game would eventually become larger; whitetail, then pronghorn, and elk. Western spot and stalk hunting was the answer for someone like me who gets fidgety in a tree stand. The more I hunted, the more I loved hunting. As my hunting experience expanded, I soon came to understand the Hunter’s Creed, the ethics of hunting, and the positive impact of science-based conservation upon preservation of species. Sometimes you conquer the mountain; sometimes the mountain conquers you. In February 2019, a great day of skiing ended abruptly with a torn ACL that required surgical repair. In the months to

follow, recovering from this setback, and surgery, reminded me how far we can push our bodies if we are strong enough to endure a little discomfort. Months of rehab renewed a greater commitment to fitness as I logged miles hiking and biking. Hiking in particular became a go-to as a way to strengthen my knee and enjoy nature. It was through this valley in life that future peaks became possible.

The friendships I have formed with fellow shooting sports and conservation hunting enthusiasts are some of my closest and most cherished. My friends, Leann and Jim Craig, are no exception. They are the epitome of humble, hardworking Hoosiers, who are dedicated to sharing their love of the outdoors and hunting with anyone who is interested and willing to learn. Together, Jim and Leann have led countless women, youth, and men to hunting and shooting sports.

Jim is a sheep hunting legend with

7 3/4 FNAWS, and five decades of experience. (Jim doesn’t count his 8th Rocky Mountain Bighorn sheep — the one that completed his 8th FNAWS — because it was lost when he was attacked by a grizzly bear in 1994.) He has become my mentor, chief strategist, and enabler in this sheep-crazy pursuit.

By the time I attended my first Sheep Show® in January 2022, I was already lined up for my first hunt. When you’re starting anything new, you don’t know what you don’t know, but time spent in Reno talking to other hunters, guides and outfitters, vendors, and the knowledgeable WIld Sheep Foundation staff raised my level of excitement about my hunt exponentially. I counted the months until my departure, pushed myself to be in sheep shape, and was undaunted by the promise that it was going to be challenging and tough. One fellow hunter described sheep hunting as the most fun you can have

while being totally miserable.

Months of eager preparation eventually brought me to a lakeside camp in the Yukon. I was among the first group of hunters with Mervyn Yukon Outfitters for the August 1st opener, and was delighted when my friends asked to accompany me on my trip. Jim and Leann would travel with me to Whitehorse, and Jim (83 years young) would join me in camp.

Clayton proved his competency in every aspect of guiding—even the food was great. This comes as no surprise, since he had grown up in this rugged country with outfitters Jen and Tim Mervyn as parents. His training as a sheep guide began in earnest at age 12 when he first accompanied his father Tim on a client hunt. He had begged to be allowed to go, and was permitted to do so only when he promised to work hard. Work he did — helping in camp, wrangling horses, and filling his backpack with meat when the hunt was successful. The client on that hunt was none other than Jim Craig. Fourteen years later, they were back in sheep camp together, as Clayton led my first hunt.

Mornings and evenings in camp were filled with conversation as Jim recounted decades of stories. It was a glorious celebration of the 50-year anniversary of Jim’s first sheep hunt, and of dozens of other big game pursuits across three continents. My only regret—I should have been recording it.

The final day of July entailed a short horseback ride up the mountain where we were greeted by a juvenile cinnamon-colored grizzly. The bear moved off, but we continued to spot it in the coming days as we traversed this granite terrain. We spent the

early and midday spotting and getting a glimpse of other areas of the mountain, then enjoyed more fishing in the late afternoon when we reeled in a few grayling and lake trout.

The next day was August 1st, and the season was open! Early in the day we spotted a group of rams on a distant outcropping. Two hours on horseback, an hour of hiking, and a 70-yard belly crawl, gave us a good view at a very decent nine-year-old ram that was broomed on the left. I set my rifle up on my backpack. Jim had encouraged me to use the gun of choice for the Jack O’Connor era sheep hunters, and had given me a

Husqvarna .270 that dated to 1956.

I confirmed the distance at 230 yards while Clayton aged the rams in the group. I was grateful to watch these rams interact on this rocky piece of the world. The herd alternated between grazing listlessly in the sun’s warmth, then bedding down for a period. A couple of the rams rested the weight of their heads on one horn, while the youngest rams did some head pushing over a favored resting spot or clump of grass.

We watched the group for some time, and there were several opportunities to take a shot. Ultimately, I decided it was the

first day, and I just hadn’t worked hard enough yet. I hadn’t come to the Yukon for ‘easy’ or ‘decent’, so I decided to pass.

Later in the day we moved to the opposite side of the mountain and spotted a group of larger rams bedded down in a tight circle below us in a large bowl. The rolling terrain was unforgiving, and there was no way to get within 1,000 yards of the group without being spotted. This was a reality check for me, because nearly every ram in this group was a full curl, and a couple were huge. This certainly wasn’t going to be easy.

Rain, sleet, thick fog and extreme

wind riddled the following three days, extending time in camp and limiting time on the mountain. Clayton’s girlfriend, Brianna, had arrived a couple of days earlier when additional supplies had been delivered via float plane. We all appreciated the coziness of camp on these cold, wet mornings, and the additional hours together provided more time for stories from Jim. They were stories of sheep hunts past, a lifetime of adventure, and the cumulative equivalent of many years spent on the mountain. In spite of any weather conditions, Jim traversed the mountain three days during the trip.

The fourth day of hunting found us suddenly huddled in a small ditch for several hours after a group of rams fed over the top of a ridge that

ranged in excess of 500 yards. We were hiking toward another group further down the same ridge line and had to dive for cover as this undetected group emerged. The rams continued to slowly feed toward us, and stayed clustered too tightly for a shot. I eventually set my rifle up on the largest ram in the group. When he moved away from the others, he quartered to me at 450 yards. It was particularly windy that afternoon, with crosswind gusts that we estimated at 40 mph. I discerned my ability to make a shot on a gun range was not the equivalent of making a shot on this animal, under this set of conditions. Additionally, I didn’t want to chase a wounded animal across this terrain for the coming hours or days. As we watched from

the ditch, a group of ewes eventually moved in and pushed the rams back over the ridge. We arrived back to camp at nearly 10 p.m. that night.

The next morning was day five of my hunt, and in spite of better weather, I was feeling discouraged. There is an obvious risk in passing, and not having taken a shot earlier in the week meant that my hunting time was dwindling. I knew the risk, and I understood the possible outcome. I questioned whether I should have tried the shot the day before. Jim assured me, over coffee, that I had made the right decision, and said, “it will happen…your time will come.”

As we were finishing breakfast and discussing our plan to revisit the back side of the mountain, a group of three

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rams appeared on a ridge just above camp, the first time we had seen sheep on this area of the mountain. Clayton grabbed his spotting scope and headed for a vantage point, while wrangler Markus went to saddle the horses.

The first glance determined that the rams were worthy of closer inspection, and forty minutes later we had ridden to a spot where we could get a better look. The rams had moved across the face of the mountain and were at 750 yards. We knew that one of the rams in particular was a standout.

The next 30 minutes went quickly as we moved to conceal the horses and begin our stalk. We had paralleled the mountain and began to work closer to the rams, first clawing our way through a stand of thick willows then up a rocky face to eventually maneuver into a good position. I piled up backpacks while Clayton set up his spotting scope. A moment later, he pulled back from the lens, a smile crossed his face and excitement filled his voice when he told me that the largest ram was every bit of 11 years old—maybe more. I was positioned behind a rock, half standing, half kneeled, and leaning forward to find a comfortable and solid rest. We were at a lower elevation, about 15 degrees below the rams, with a sharp ravine between us. After a quick look, I pulled off my riflescope for a more thorough assessment through the spotting scope. This was the one.

The ram was absolutely stunning with horns that swept outward in a wide spread, and ended with tips that had inexplicably survived a rugged life on this granite mountain. The two other rams in the group were

eight years of age and very tightly curled, making the older ram look all the more impressive. His face reflected the telltale signs of battle; scars punctuating his rounded Roman nose.

Back on my rifle, with a round chambered, I asked Clayton if I was cleared to shoot. Always thorough and detail focused, he aged the ram a

of the hunt, Jim came up the mountain to see my Dall’s ram and offer his congratulations. Sharing this experience on the side of a Yukon ravine with my friend, and a true sheep hunting legend was a privilege I will never forget. When he inspected my harvest, he beamed with pride.

I remained in camp the next couple of days to continue to soak in every moment of this spectacular journey. Clayton, Markus, and Brianna worked on the cape, and every meal featured sheep meat. Back strap and tenderloin melted in our mouths, and we savored ribs smoked over a campfire; meals that so very few have the opportunity to enjoy.

final time. I reconfirmed the distance —205 yards—and noted that the ever-present wind was surprisingly manageable.

Without pulling back from his spotting scope, Clayton confirmed I could shoot. Within 10 seconds I pulled the trigger, and my dream of a wild sheep hunt was complete. My ram was down immediately.

Back in the camp, Jim had been watching us through a spotting scope, although the three rams were out of view. He wondered what we were doing and was shocked when wrangler Markus came back to report we had a ram down. In what was one of the best moments

My ram was aged at 13. Outwardly, his body condition looked terrific, but he was missing the thick layer of fat that sustain these majestic creatures through brutal winters in harsh terrain. His teeth were worn to the gum line as he had far surpassed his life expectancy. This beautiful animal would not have survived to see another Yukon spring. For me, this was a perfect harvest during a perfect trip.

My husband is not a hunter, and governing the state leaves little time for adventurous pursuits. I don’t think he really understands what he has agreed to, but following my hunt in northwest Canada—and knowing how much I loved the experience— he recently encouraged me to pursue a FNAWS. He has a lot to focus on as we complete our second and final term as Governor and First Lady, so let’s just keep the requirements of achieving this lofty goal between those of us that gather around the campfire. No need to worry him with all the details! WS

Back on my rifle, with a round chambered, I asked Clayton if I was cleared to shoot.

BEYOND REACH

BY BRENT GLIDDEN

If there are predictable stages of emotions when faced with life-changing events, such as grief progressing through shock, denial, anger, and so on, I’ve recently learned that similarly predictable emotions come with drawing rare hunting tags. Of course, emotions aren’t exact from person to person, but from what I’ve read and heard, there are almost stereotypical consistencies in our reactions.

For me, the first stage was brief: shock and disbelief. I looked up the tag results online and thought I couldn’t be reading the page correctly. “A Rocky Mountain goat tag? No way.” I didn’t see a deer tag listed which had far better odds, so I reasoned that maybe this was the page of tags I hadn’t won. I passed the phone to my wife, Shari, and

asked, “What does it look like my draw results are?” When her eyes went wide, I allowed myself the first real hope that the tag was real.

Stage two lasted much longer: total exhilaration. This is when hunters shout the news from the rooftops, reaching out to all their hunting friends and relatives who will both share the excitement and turn green with envy. Looking back at the hunt almost a year later, I’d say that this excitement still lingers, although there were moments where it dimmed some, beginning with the next stage.

The third stage settled insidiously. Self-doubts crept in. Let’s say that “more seasoned” hunters consider all the aches, pains, creaks, gasket leaks, and extra baggage that they’ve accumulated over many hard miles. In my case, I have a prosthetic leg that allows me to

stay active as long as I base my activity upon how well my stump is tolerating it. I had to ask myself, what if I wasn’t up to the physical demands of this hunt? The prime goat territory for this South Wallowa Mountain unit tag is in the roadless Eagle Cap Wilderness of northeastern Oregon. Known as the Alps of Oregon, the elevation and incline of these mountains are literally breathtaking. As the saying goes, “Goat country begins where sheep country ends.” I knew that to be ready for this hunt, it was time to get very serious about conditioning and other preparations before opening day.

And so the fourth and longest stage of the hunt began in earnest: the determination and preparations to succeed. With excitement constantly percolating, the hunt was my first thought in the morning

and the last when I closed my eyes at night. In my head, I was hearing “Eye of the Tiger,” seeing every day’s prep work like an inspiring film montage. We took rigorous hikes, adding weight to our packs week

by week. We sorted through boots, packs, trekking poles, rain gear, water filtration, GPS, and other essentials to make sure our kit was up to snuff. This hunt warranted the best gear.

My dad suggested I borrow his

Fierce Fury chambered in .300 RUM. Topped with a 5-25 magnification Zeiss and offering a couple hundred feet per second advantage over my best mountain rifle, I gladly accepted the loan. I worked up a load with a 180 grain Nosler Accubond leaping out at 3300 fps, shooting consistent sub-MOA groups out to the 600 yard limit of our local rifle range.

In mid-July, I received an unsolicited but welcome call. Dan Blankenship from Sheep Mountain Outfitters reached out to let me know that while scouting for deer and elk, they’d taken photos of a “potential state-record billy.” I held the only goat tag in the unit where this monster was located, so Dan tracked me down.

I could hear the dismay in his voice when I told him that I already had a team of friends and family who were determined to make this hunt happen on our own. As much as I appreciated his offer, I turned him down. He clearly understood the once-in-alifetime opportunity I was ignoring and advised me, “If the governor’s-tag holder finds out about this goat, he’s going to be in this unit on August 1.”

Guiding a hunter to a record-book goat would be a feather in the cap for any outfitter, and I certainly couldn’t begrudge him doing what was best for his business. I kept his number and said I would keep his offer in mind.

With the planning stage behind us, the fifth stage is the pulse-pounding thrill of the hunt itself. The first week in August found our expedition heading north to the Wallowa Mountains. We’d talked with

biologists and hunters who provided us with detailed reports of where we should find goats. Several reported goats coming into camp to lick the salts at common urination sites. We were consequently quite hopeful. Heck, we might have trouble keeping goats away from us. However, as can often be the case in hunting, the greatest expectations on the hunter’s part produced no sense of obligation from nature to cooperate.

To be brief, in that first week of the season, we saw no goats. We packed in on foot, and we packed out footsore and blistered. We clambered up some of the most gorgeous and pristine mountain country a person could ever hope to see, and from those peaks we glassed all day for goats, but to no avail. We relocated and explored other ridges and peaks in the unit, but our results were the

same. No matter which drainage we trekked up or which mountain we glassed, we never found where the goats were summering.

By the time we were heading home, we also had to admit that none of us were as fit for mountain hunting as we once were. The creaking came from our original joints as much as our orthopedic and prosthetic hardware. Occupying more and more of our conversation were the facts that a nearby outfitter had already located a record-book goat, and that same outfitter had access to a train of pack horses that could get us most of the way there.

I was worried that I had put off scheduling a slot with SMO for

No matter which drainage we trekked up or which mountain we glassed, we never found where the goats were summering.

too long because an outfit with a success record like theirs books a full calendar almost as soon as tag drawings are announced. I called, but the phone went to voicemail. I left a message and hoped I hadn’t missed my window.

When Dan called back the next day, he made it clear that he was interested and confident that they could make this goat hunt happen. He was in the field guiding a sheep hunt and would message his partner, Todd Longgood, to check their

schedule. Over the next few days, we settled on a five-day hunt during the first week in October. The goats would have their winter coats by then, and the odds were fair that we wouldn’t be fighting heavy snow yet. The three-month long season was a

real blessing.

Six o’clock in the morning on October 2, we rendezvoused just south of the Wallowa range. After handshakes and being introduced to Rob, the owner of the pack horses, Dan excitedly shared a video taken through a spotting scope. “Joe is already on the mountain. He sent this video.” His phone showed three billies leisurely feeding on a steeply sloped patch of dry grass. Joe was the scout who first spotted the goat back in July. Dan continued, “He sent this video yesterday, and he says they’re in the same spot this morning. If we’re lucky, we could have eyes on them by noon.”

The drive took more than an hour to reach the trailhead where Rob expertly weighed, loaded, and balanced all the camp gear into packs for five horses. Soon our train of eight horses was heading up the steadily rising trail.

That day we covered fantastic terrain. The trail sometimes sprawled across rock-strewn meadows, only to be pinched down again though evergreen forests. Our continual elevation gains threaded along mountain trails and switchbacks through chattering shale slides, glinting fields of granite boulders, and shifting pumice sands. During the whole trip, the weather cooperated with clear skies and pleasant fall temperatures.

My wife and I aren’t the most experienced on horseback, so for us, the most exciting parts of the 12 miles to camp were when the horses discovered two different underground bee nests. Both times they alerted with explosions of noise and violence: stamping hooves, snapping lead ropes, and crashing gear. It was invigorating

to suddenly be charging forward, horses shoving to get past each other on a path where moments before we’d been discussing how far something would fall before colliding with anything to stop it.

Most of the ride was uneventful and allowed relaxed conversations as hunters and guides got to know each other. In the early afternoon we met up with Joe, and he guided us off the trail and through heavy timber to a spot for base camp. We were stiff and sore from being on the trail most of the day. It was too late to get in a hunt, so we set up camp.

Around camp was a broken ring of mountains, their slopes shaded except for the highest ridges still glowing in the late sunlight. Spotting scopes were set up and aimed at surrounding peaks. Shari soon cooly breathed, “There’s a goat.” All optics shifted to follow her gaze, and heads nodded, “It’s a billy. Not bad either.” Shortly, two

more joined him, their thick snowy coats glowing brilliant white. We kept glassing and soon picked out three more goats, a single and a pair. I was thrilled.

In the morning, we rode the horses up through the timber to the base of the mountain. I was thankful for the ride, allowing us to reserve our strength for the climbing we had in front of us. Our plan was to glass and identify the best billy from what we’d seen the day before. That morning, we could only see three, concluding that the others had dropped over the far side of the mountain. We planned our ascent to avoid being spotted.

Once on the ridge, Shari and I set up to glass the group of three billies while Todd, Dan, and Joe hiked off to assess the pair and the loner we’d seen the day before. The longer I glassed, the more I leaned toward picking one of the goats we had eyes on. They looked great

to

Our continual elevation gains threaded along mountain trails and switchbacks through chattering shale slides, glinting fields of granite boulders, and shifting pumice sands.

me. I didn’t have the experience to discern between a good or great goat, but I could see that two were mature billies and in an area where they’d be recoverable after a good shot. It looked possible to drop below the ridgeline and stalk to within a couple hundred yards.

All hunters know the internal conflict between seizing the opportunity in front of you, successfully closing the deal early, versus being disciplined and patient with the hope you’ll be able to create an even better opportunity. I’ve been left empty-handed after missing chances early in a hunt, only to find later those were the only chances I’d get. So I sweated my options. Here was a once-in-a-lifetime tag, and in front of me was a way to get the job done with a good trophy. But we’d come a long way to trust in guides’ expertise, and that kept me from

acting rashly.

Good news soon squelched over the radios. The lone billy was the one we wanted, possibly the same one spotted in July. If it wasn’t the same goat, maybe this was the land of the giants. The top goats in Oregon have come from this mountain range, including the biggest goat in the lower 48 states, a 54 6/8” beauty harvested a year earlier by a hunter of a mere 14 years of age.

It didn’t take long to make a straightforward plan. We’d stay under the skyline and move about 500 yards down the ridge. Then we’d crawl up to peek over the crest where we could see him bedded down a couple hundred yards below us. From there, a clear shot with a stone-steady rest should be easy to find.

After about a quarter of a mile, we hunkered low and crept up to the edge. Resting in shade about 250

yards below us was a great, white, hairy beast. I peered at him through the spotting scope. We were close enough that I swear I could see the glint in his eyes. He was magnificent. He was facing away from us with his back pressed against a shelf on the mountain, which made judging the horn length at that angle less than perfect, but his bases were big. Really big. Maybe huge.

However, I admit to being intimidated by the slope he was on. If hunting on our own, my wife and I wouldn’t have dared take a shot. Dan assured me that this was a recoverable location. If they were confident that this was the shot to take, I needed to be also. This decision was why we’d hired professionals.

The angle-adjusted rangefinder put the distance around 225 yards. The billy was angled away, lying on his side with his head up. His spine

was tucked against the mountain side, and from my vantage point, I couldn’t see all of his back, but I could see enough of his front shoulder for a good shot. My rifle’s zero would put the impact almost five inches high on level ground at that distance. I placed the crosshairs low, intending to break the top shoulder and anchor him on his shelf. I breathed. I was stone steady. I had the green light.

I torched off the round.

A vertical plume of dust erupted over his head. The muzzle break had subdued the recoil, enabling me to watch the impact. Dust!? The shot had gone high!? My gut clenched. I ran the bolt quickly and recentered the crosshairs. But the goat didn’t move. In fact, he appeared to have laid his head down. Maybe I’d grazed his skull and he was only unconscious. The shot had felt perfectly steady, but there was no denying the dust cloud I’d seen over his head at the bullet’s impact. His hind leg twitched. His chest might have been rising and falling. I sent another shot. He didn’t move again.

The shot is its own essential stage of a hunt, requiring a mental focus wherein hunters must master themselves, calming and settling to overcome the dump of adrenaline, almost meditatively attuning themselves to the requirements of that instant, while in their sights stands the focus of what is nothing less than their lives’ passions. It’s a necessary step of successful pursuit, toward the fulfillment of an instinct rooted deep in the hunter’s identity. However, it’s a culmination of the hunt only in a very narrow sense. The shot is the moment most misunderstood by non-hunters

as being the end of the hunt. But earning it isn’t done.

After the successful shot comes what’s often the most grueling stage of a hunt: powering through exhaustion to bring the bacon all the way home. Frequently this stage doesn’t even begin until day’s end, and bone-deep fatigue of an already full day’s work must be ignored to tackle the real work. Whatever weight you were carrying on your back up to that point can now be multiplied by meat, hide, and horn, and then increased exponentially by time, terrain, and weather. Closure between hunter and hunted is far from over because the sweat equity is yet to be paid in full until everyone is home and the meat is in the freezer. I believe this commitment by hunters is not respected by the nonhunting mind because it’s completely unknown to them.

The time was just past noon. After a quick round of handshakes, we found a shale chute to begin our descent. One at a time, to avoid cascading rocks onto the climber below, we slid downhill amidst the almost musical clatter of shale shards that would stop the heart of any finechina shop owner.

Reaching the billy, we found him on a shelf where stepping off to the left, right, or below launched an immediate slide downward. One shot had decimated his top shoulder, and the other had hit further forward on the shoulder, also breaking his neck. If he hadn’t been anchored by the first shot, but had taken one step, he would have been in tatters hundreds of yards down the mountain.

“There certainly isn’t any ground shrinkage on this one!” Todd exclaimed.

“It’s a dirty giant,” Dan added with satisfaction. I saw the truth of his statement when we started caping. Splitting the hide down the backbone poured a six-inch dirt track down the backstraps. The dust plume from my first shot made sense. I hadn’t missed, but I’d smacked a shag rug that had been collecting dirt for nearly eight years.

Joe has experience as a taxidermist, so he took the helm in the skinning and breaking down the animal for transport. He made quite efficient work of it. Todd wound up with the heaviest load, shoving the head and complete hide into his pack frame. The rest of us divided up the meat into packs and bags to haul back to camp. The good news was that we faced mere hundreds of yards of notquite-straight-up mountain to climb before hitting the top and heading downhill the rest of the way to camp.

We made very good time, making it back to the ridge top with our loads of goat less than four hours after the shot. Joe walked up the mountain as effortlessly as if walking on a level sidewalk. Shari and I made it up the mountain next, aided by the lightest loads of the group. Dan followed, and with the heaviest load Todd brought up the end of the train with a demonstration of impressive strength and endurance.

The last 75 feet of our climbs were aided by a rope line that Rob dropped to us by anchoring his lasso to an outcropping, but not only did the packer greet us at the ridge top, the very welcome and unexpected sight of two pack horses greeted us as well. Talk about an act of horsemanship bordering on wizardry! Imagine a horse standing atop a 500-foot A-frame ladder, and you have a

The shot is the moment most misunderstood by non-hunters as being the end of the hunt. But earning it isn’t done.

fairly accurate idea of what Rob had achieved. We gratefully unburdened ourselves and packed the horses’ panniers for the return to camp. The return went perfectly. We were all safely back in camp before sundown.

We began the final stage of this hunt that night in camp, honoring our shared hunting culture reminiscing over challenges, successes, and failures. Sitting around the campfire with others who share the same hunting ethos recognizes and welcomes them as members of your tribe, originating from the same cave so to speak. The stories and laughter lasted for hours. I’d say more here, but the stories shared during the comradery of hunting camp are sacred to hunting camp.

My wife and I owe our unflagging gratitude to the crew assembled by Sheep Mountain Outfitters who turned this once-in-a-lifetime tag into a once-in-a-lifetime hunt. It was an experience that began with hiring an outfitter and finished as a hunt with friends, fulfilling a dream that’s beyond the reach of most hunters just by the astronomical improbability of ever drawing a tag, which is why so many hunters compare it to winning the lottery. They’re not wrong. The blind luck of drawing a 2021 tag whose equivalent sold at auction for $75,000 is akin to winning the lottery and not paying taxes on the winnings. Only better. Because this hunt is exactly how I would have spent my winnings.

As an afterthought, it might be worth adding that our goat proved to be a giant, scoring an official 54” which ties him for the number two spot in Oregon. It’s good news for everyone that this species is thriving. WS

Every year, DSC hosts its annual Convention that raises funds for grants in conservation, education, and advocacy. The four-day 2023 DSC Convention is open to the public and will fill over 800,000 square feet with 1,000 exhibitors featuring outfitted hunts, firearms, gear, wildlife art and much more.

ONCE-INA-LIFETIME

BY MICHAEL SAWICKI

There are a lot of oncein-a-lifetime things people dream about every day. For me, ever since I was seven years old, I have wanted to go on a Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep hunt. Hunting and fishing have been sports my family has been involved in for many generations, and when I became a father and had the opportunity to pass this tradition down to my son, Gavin, and daughter, Hailey, it created a special bond for us that cannot be explained. I hope my children are able to pass this great family tradition to their own children. With such an outdoor background, I was ecstatic when my son, Gavin, reached the age he could join me on hunting trips. Gavin immediately fell in love with hunting. After tagging along with me a few times to set up trail cameras, tree stands and sitting in a blind for his first time, he was hooked.

The story takes off from there. I was first introduced to World Trophy Adventures/TAGS through Cabela’s about 15 years ago. After speaking with a WTA consultant, they explained and assisted me with the application process and setting up my profile. Honestly, what sold me was the fact that WTA/TAGS will float a lot of the application fee which, since I don’t have a bunch of money tied up, allows me to apply in multiple states. And that’s exactly what Gavin and I ended up doing.

In December, 2021, I spoke with my consultant, Jeremy Ivie, about the upcoming year and we formulated a game plan for applying for the 2022 hunting season. Just before we hung up, he asked if I had any children and I answered, yes, a 12-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter. Jeremy asked if I knew that children under the age of 18 can apply in most states basically for free or at minimal cost. I had no idea but was immediately

interested. Jeremy said he would assemble Gavin’s profile, since he was of age, and recommend a list of states he should apply in. This is where I owe everything to Jeremy. He was persistent with emails (some I may have missed). If it wasn’t for a phone call he made to me in late January 2022 telling me Gavin was going to miss deadlines in some states if we didn’t submit his application, I would not be writing this article today. At the end of that call, I asked Jeremy what it is like for him to make the call when someone draws a Rocky Mountain sheep tag—he remarked it’s one of the best days of the year for the whole WTA office. Later that night I explained the process at dinner to my wife and kids. Gavin understood that the odds were low like winning the lottery, but you cannot draw unless your name is in the hat. Gavin was confident that Jeremy was going to call us, I prayed he was right.

April 20, 2022, is a day our family will never forget. We arrived home from a family vacation and after unpacking I noticed my cell phone was still on airplane mode and that I had a voicemail, it was Jeremy. He said he had a couple of questions and asked if I could give him a call. I called Jeremy expecting something along the lines of not completing one the applications correctly, but he said, “You drew! You drew!” And believe me, those are the words every hunter wants to hear. Then, it got better. He said Gavin drew the Wheeler Peak tag. Honestly, it is still a blur to me. I froze in complete shock. It felt like time had stopped. This is a father’s dream come true. Not only did my son draw a bighorn sheep tag but he drew the Wheeler Peak tag, one of the most coveted tags in the country,

so I would get to accompany my son on this amazing life experience.

I immediately called Gavin, who was out with friends riding bikes, and asked him to come home. He asked if everything was OK and I said, yes, I just want to talk to you. The next 10 minutes felt like a lifetime; I couldn’t wait to tell him. I met Gavin at our front door and he could see the excitement on my face. You did it! You drew a Rocky Mountain sheep tag! His face immediately lit up and he hugged me and quickly reminded me that he knew we would draw. Gavin screamed, Let’s GO! when he found out he was going to Wheeler Peak, New Mexico.

The next morning the news still hadn’t fully sunk in. Jeremy called to congratulate Gavin and me once again and said he had more news.

The hunt would take place on August 6 through 15, 2022, and that he had spoken with Eric Pawlak and Mark Peterson from WTA/TAGS and they agreed they wanted to film the hunt. It was almost too much to comprehend. I quickly accepted, thinking how awesome this is. I get to go on this once-in-a-lifetime hunt and watch my son possibly harvest the most beautiful animal in the world and also have the entire experience professionally filmed. Not only is it a dream hunt come true but to be able to have memories recorded forever is just amazing.

Jeremy also highly recommended an outfitter for the hunt. I asked Jeremy if this was your son’s hunt, what outfitter would you book? With no hesitation, he said G.T., 100 percent. I was sold and immediately

I get to go on this once-in-a-lifetime hunt and watch my son possibly harvest the most beautiful animal in the world and also have the entire experience professionally filmed.

said, let’s do it. Later that day I received another phone call from Eric Pawlak, wanting to congratulate Gavin and me as well. I cannot say enough about WTA/TAGS and how special they made us feel.

A few days later, I spoke with G.T. and was immediately impressed throughout our conversation and quickly booked the hunt with WTA. G.T. and I discussed a lot of details regarding the hunt. Most importantly we discussed how this hunt would take place at 12,000 to 13,000 feet in elevation. The elevation was a concern because we live in New Jersey and are basically at sea level. I asked G.T. what we could do to be in the best physical condition for these elevations. He said if this was him, he would come to Red River, New Mexico, a town right next to Wheeler Peak, a few days early to get acclimated. Another question G.T. asked was if we were in good physical condition. I said I’m a career firefighter and Gavin plays multiple sports (baseball, basketball and football). G.T. said good, it sounds like you both are in good shape but

be prepared to hike anywhere from six to ten miles a day. I thanked him for all the information and said I’d be in touch soon.

After officially booking the hunt, it was go time. Now details were confirmed, it was time for the training to begin. I quickly put together a weekly walking/hiking exercise routine for Gavin and me. We also scheduled multiple trips to the range to get sighted in and comfortable with shooting long distances. The only thing left was our gear (pack, boots, clothing, etc.)

About a month went by and Jeremy called to explain the details of filming and who to contact. I was introduced to Arron, a WTA/ TAGs video guy. We immediately connected and discussed plans for the hunt. Arron was interested in coming a few days early as well to get acclimated to the elevation. I was surprised at the amount of work WTA/TAGS employees put in for these hunts. They cover all the bases; filming licenses, permits, gear lists and spend endless amounts of hours to make this hunt successful.

On August 3, we arrived in Red River, what a beautiful town. We enjoyed two days of hiking and fly fishing while acclimating to the elevation. On Friday August 5, we met G.T. and his crew at base camp.

We were finally in hunting camp and the anticipation for the next morning was at an all-time high. G.T. and his guides discussed what rams they had seen the past couple weeks. Two of G.T.’s guides, Willy and Dallas, were out scouting and made it back into base camp later that afternoon with great news. They had seen a bunch of rams, with one being a definite contender. To a hunter this is the best news and the anticipation continued to build throughout the night. G.T. gathered us after dinner and laid out the game plan. We would leave camp at 4 a.m. He wanted to be on the mountain by sunrise and this was music to our ears. We were ready to GO!

August 6, 3 a.m.; opening morning. I got maybe an hour of sleep; Gavin maybe a little more. We were both so excited. Base camp was alive. Everyone was up eating breakfast,

drinking coffee, packing snacks, water, getting their packs ready and loaded into the trucks. We departed base camp on schedule at 4 a.m. and arrived just outside Red River at 5 a.m. We loaded into the side-by-sides and began our trip up the mountain.

About an hour later, which felt way longer, we arrived at our stopping point, and stepped out and were met with a breathtaking view of Wheeler Peak Mountain Range. Absolutely stunning. It was an amazing day with not a cloud in the sky. Now it was GO TIME!

Packs were on and trekking poles hit the ground and we were off to begin the hike up one of the most beautiful mountains I have ever seen. Almost immediately on our way up, the mountain seemed to come alive with ewes here and there. We stopped several times to glass and discuss the plan once we reached the top.

About two-and-a-half hours later we arrived at our first main spot where we wanted to set up and glass. We weren’t there more than 20 minutes when G.T. and crew located two rams, and one looked like a definite shooter. I remember thinking to myself, you have got to be kidding me. We are here literally 20 minutes, and we already have a good ram spotted. G.T. looked over to Gavin and asked, “Are you ready to go shoot your ram?” Gavin replied, “Yes. Let’s do this!” G.T. and crew quickly formulated a plan and route for us to get within what we were hoping would be a couple hundred yards from the ram.

After hiking a couple miles up and around switchbacks we were in good position to where we thought the ram would move into. After 30 minutes a ram appeared to our right. But it was the five-year-old, not the big one, but

the one that was with the big one we were looking for. We watched as he fed uphill. The anticipation continued to build. It had been two hours since we got into position and were patiently waiting. Then G.T. whispered, “There he is!” Right below us, out walked what appeared to be a monster Rocky Mountain bighorn. I mean an absolute giant! He was 275 yards away and feeding in our direction. I was in the back of our group (15 feet away) and G.T. was right next to Gavin. He whispered to him to get ready and get into shooting position. I didn’t know it at the time, but as the ram stepped out Gavin kept asking G.T. if he could shoot. Wait, G.T said, first for the ram to get clear of cover; then the angle wasn’t ideal. This stud of a ram fed toward us for five minutes which felt like an eternity. He finally made his way quartering to us at 230 yards.

Gavin asked, for I don’t know how many times, Can I shoot? This time G.T.’s answer was yes.

Steve, I am in love with my custom. Dang that gun shoots! I have never been this consistent, never. Thanks so much!

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He stopped and turned, giving Gavin a better angle. Gavin asked, for I don’t know how many times, Can I shoot? This time G.T.’s answer was yes.

Gavin squeezed the trigger. The ram jumped up and ran downhill. He went about 15 yards and stopped by a small pine tree and laid down. Everyone thought the shot was good, but where he was laying we didn’t have a great view so we hustled about 150 yards to reposition, only to see the ram standing. We quickly tried to get into position for Gavin to take another shot only to watch the ram fall and tumble down the mountain. Ram down! Ram down! I am not a very emotional person but having watched my 13-year-old son hike up the mountain with his gear, pack, trekking poles and harvest this ram at 230 yards with a single shot from the prone position brought me to tears as I hugged him. I felt like I was on top of the world. We shared a moment on that mountain that is indescribable and will live with me forever.

As we hiked down to this beautiful ram, all I can think of is how truly blessed we are to be able to be here. A true once-in-a-lifetime hunt with a storybook ending. As Gavin lifted the ram’s head we realized there was

no ground shrinkage as you might expect, but the complete opposite. He was a stud of a ram. As Gavin said, “He’s huge.” Gavin picked up the head and began counting horns like he’d learned in base camp. G.T. rough scored the ram at 183 7/8, which was amazingly close to the official score of 183 2/8 and final score, after deductions, of 183 5/8. Over the next few hours we took what seemed like millions of photos and videos. Gavin filled out his tag and G.T. and crew field dressed, quartered, and caped the ram and packed all of the meat in packs. As G.T. said, “Now the work really begins.” Fully loaded, we started the three-and-a-half-mile hike back to the side by sides. The whole moment replayed in my head as we walked. It felt like a dream. It began to rain and I feel we got the full experience.

In 2013 Gavin was diagnosed with a rare eye disease called Coats Disease. There are less than 1,000 cases in the United States. This eye disease involves abnormal development of blood vessels behind the retina which causes capillaries to break and leak fluid into his left eye. The fluids build up and leak fatty material into the retina. In Gavin’s case he needed multiple

surgeries, which were done by laser (cryotherapy). The stage of Coats disease that Gavin has left him legally blind in his left eye. After years of care by some of the top doctors in the country he has gained some improvement of his peripheral vision in his Coats eye. At a young age, Gavin tackled this disease and never said “I can’t” at anything he tried. We have always pushed him to be the best person he can be and never give up. Gavin has always persevered in what he puts his mind to. I knew this hunt was going to be another life challenge that he could and would succeed in. I hope Gavin’s story inspires people to go out and do it! No excuses, no complaining and no “I cant’s”; just give it your all and do it.

I have to laugh, proudly, about Gavin. Back in base camp when we were all introducing ourselves, Gavin said those guys shake hands hard and aggressively. Wow, he said, those guys have man hands. Well, that came back at the end of the hunt as G.T. and the guides were trooping around Gavin, shaking his hand and congratulating him on how he had prepared for and handled this trip, up to and including hiking up the mountain and making a clean

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one-shot kill on a magnificent ram. I got more than a little emotional, knowing the kind of kid Gavin is and how he handles challenges he faces. Now here were these professional sheep hunters initiating Gavin into their ranks, a place he had earned and will hold forever. I think Jeremy said it best in summing up the hunt.

“Sheep hunters are a different breed,” he said. “They’re hard men who do hard things and a 13-year-old boy earned their respect.” I can’t imagine a higher compliment.

I would like to thank WTA/TAGS and their employees, especially Jeremy Ivie, Arron Bleise, Mark Peterson and LaNae Fehringer for all

of their hard work. I would also like to thank our outfitter, G.T. and his crew, Bobby, Willy, Dallas and Quadi, for making this dream hunt a reality. Gavin and I are truly blessed for this opportunity and are so thankful to be able to share this moment with our family forever. WS

“Sheep hunters are a different breed,” he said. They’re hard men who do hard things and a 13-year-old boy earned their respect.”

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LIGHTNING IN THE AIR

BY KRIS RAUCH

For the first time in five years of chasing bighorn sheep in Alberta, I was overcome with an undeniable feeling in the days leading up to the opener that this trip was going to be special. I was hoping that feeling meant I would be able to harvest my first bighorn sheep ram. It was a dream that had been in the making since I was a little boy.

I grew up in a small town in British Columbia called Spences Bridge. This was a place where bighorn sheep would frequent our yard, the streets in town, and the school playground. Their horns could be heard crashing on the mountain tops during the fall rut. From a young age I was captivated by bighorn sheep, and being honored enough to harvest

such an iconic and majestic animal would be the icing on the cake.

On August 23, 2020, myself, my long time sheep hunting partner, Matt, and two other friends, Sean and Joel, loaded up and left town, bouncing our way down the dusty trail to where we would leave our vehicles and head out on foot for a five-day hunt. We double checked

our gear and put on our packs. I was filled with excitement as we made our way to where we would camp for the first night. The weight of a full sheep pack, is the last thing on my mind. We have a ram to find.

We set up camp in the bottom of a valley for the night and discussed the next day’s plan, which was to tackle a ridge where we had hoped to find water and set up our main camp for the trip. Later that night we are met by some other sheep hunters, a term which I use loosely, but they provided us with some entertainment none the less.

The next morning we got up, had coffee, some food and got camp packed up for the grind ahead. I was suddenly having regrets about the amount of camp whiskey consumed the previous night. But I was not letting my less-than-great choices put a damper on things, as the feeling that this trip had something special in store was still strong. We stocked up on water for the long, hot push up the steep face to our second camp location. Matt and I have hunted this area before, and know just how hot it can get in the midday sun.

We started up the face of the mountain slow and steady, the lose shale on the face and lack of any trail was making it hard to advance, my feet seemingly sliding more backwards than forwards.

A short time later we made it to a shady flat spot and dropped our packs, the flat ground felt good after an almost straight and steep push up the face. I was glad for the break. The day was already starting to heat up, and I was starting to wonder if I had it in me to make the second leg up to the next camp spot. Matt asked me if I want to camp here for the night,

or make the final push up to our intended camp spot. Despite already feeling exhausted and fearing the pounding sun we would encounter on the way up, something deep inside told me I had to push myself to the top; a decision I would later not regret.

As we broke out of the shade of the treeline and onto the steep scree covered face again, I immediately felt the heat sucking the energy out of me. I knew this was going to be

a demanding grind both mentally and physically. Turning back was no longer an option in my mind.

Every step on the loose shale was like walking on dinner plates, a feeling all too familiar to those who call themselves sheep hunters. The fully loaded sheep pack was not making things any easier.

While in pursuit of bighorn sheep over the past five years in the Alberta Rockies, Matt was be able to read me like a book. We had been on some

serious adventures in the pursuit of a bighorn, and over those years, we learned a lot about each other’s abilities and when to tell if the other wasn’t running at 100%—something that is invaluable in a mountain hunting partner. Matt could see that I wasn’t looking so great during the push up and offered me water from his hydration bladder, which I graciously accepted.

Two and a half hours later we reached our target camp spot, We did

Every step on the loose shale was like walking on dinner plates, a feeling all too familiar to those who call themselves sheep hunters. The fully loaded sheep pack was not making things any easier.

it! I rested in the shade and hydrated for the rest of the day, while glassing here and there. Matt and another member of our group departed to find some water, but were not sure if there was going to be water in the usual spot, as this summer seemed drier than the past.

Some time later they returned with the water bladders filled, a joyous sight as that meant we would be able to stay at our camp longer and hunt longer. It was the day before opening day.

Later in the afternoon, some clouds rolled in and it lightly started to rain. We glassed here and there, but weren’t turning up much. At about 7 p.m., one of the guys in our group told us that he has glassed up some sheep not far from camp. We all sprang up, and scrambled to grab optics! My motto is that any sheep is a ram until proven otherwise!

I quickly located a group of three sheep feeding out of a small patch

of trees in a gully. As I scanned I could see two young banana rams, but as I scanned to the third sheep which was facing directly away from me, I immediately saw a massive set of horns on his head! They looked like giant bagels on either side. My adrenaline dumped—I had yet to see a ram this big during any trip—and I knew there was a good chance this ram was legal. I was so jittery it was hard to stay still or stop talking out of sheer excitement. We set up the spotting scope on him. He eventually turned his head and gave us a good profile look. We were quite confident that he was a legal ram, and he was a double-broomer to boot! I immediately realized that this is the ram I had been dreaming of. He had everything I admired in a ram. He was mature, carried mass, and was evenly double-broomed. The ram I had dreamed of my whole life! I could not believe what I

was looking at, and that there may actually be a chance of harvesting this ram. I felt it was too good to be true, and in some way I did not feel worthy of harvesting him. I marveled at the sight of him through the spotting scope as he laid on the mountain like a king. I felt like a kid on Christmas eve! Matt put his hand on my shoulder and said, “That’s your ram buddy. We are going to kill that ram tomorrow!” I was excited, but at the same time I felt it was too good to be true and there was no way enough stars would align for me to harvest that ram. We kept tabs on the rams, and put them to bed as the rain picked up and daylight faded. Matt and I discussed how we would make a stalk over to the ram in the morning which required descending a cliffy face and then climbing back up a steep skree slope on the other side. We made a plan to be up before legal light, and Matt and I would

stalk over into shooting distance, while our other two hunting partners would remain at camp and keep a visual on the ram. We developed a primitive signal system using a two colored sleeping pad for the guys at camp to signal if the ram was still there, or if he had moved on once daylight came. As it turned out we managed to have a bit of cell service at camp, and I sent a text to my wife that night telling her we had found a beautiful ram and with some luck we would get him tomorrow. She had more faith in me than I did.

That night I slept surprisingly well, despite it being the eve of a possible lifelong dream come true. At about four a.m., I was woken by the distant flash of lightning, followed by a delayed crash of thunder. Eventually the thunder started to happen closer to the flashes of lightning, until they became almost simultaneous. It was at this point with startling clarity I realized that myself and another member of our party were sleeping in a teepee tent with about a seven foot metal main pole—on top of a bald mountain with no trees—in a

lightning storm! It then became even more startlingly clear that some very important body parts were inches away from this impromptu lightning rod in the middle of our tent. I was awake now, and there was no way I was going back to sleep. Oh well, I thought, we had a ram to kill.

We made breakfast, and had some coffee. Matt and I lightened up our packs so that we could move quicker on the steep terrain. I had butterflies in my stomach and was anxious as to whether or not this dream would actually come to fruition. Was today the day my lifelong dream comes true?

At 6:30 a.m., Matt and I departed from camp under low light and a light rain. A quick glass from camp in the faint light didn’t turn up the rams. We ridge-walked a ways then dropped down a steep cliff face into a valley bottom. The morning felt fresh from the overnight rain, it truly felt like a hunter’s morning. The cooler weather had lifted my spirits and the mountain air felt fresh. We climbed back up out of the opposite side of the drainage, dropped our packs and belly crawled to what was the best vantage point we could find. We had no eyes on any of the sheep in the group. I said to Matt that I could wait here all day if I had to. I was determined to see this through. We had come too far.

As it turns out, again we had a small bit of cell service. Matt’s phone received a text from the guys at camp saying they had eyes on the smaller rams out feeding, but they had not seen the big guy yet.

Minutes later a band of morning cloud whisked over the saddle in front of us. It could not have taken more than one or two minutes for the clouds to pass by, when suddenly

we got a text that the big guy and his younger buddies had made a move in the cloud cover and were making the slip away from us! We jumped up, left our packs, and started hustling up the steep shale face as fast as we could. From our point of view, the terrain was steep with small plateaus every so often. I approached each with extreme caution expecting to come face to face with the big guy. The next text message from camp told us to hurry up as the ram was moving farther away from us! I moved as fast as I could up the steep shale. My lungs were burning, and my legs

felt like 1,000 lb weights. I used my rifle as a walking stick to help propel myself up the mountain. My tank was empty, but I knew I had to push myself harder than I ever had. “This is your chance.” I told myself. “It’s now or never!” We got another text to hurry up! The ram was about to leave the country. I popped over a hump and for the first time that day laid eyes on the band of rams. The big guy was in the lead with the two younger rams behind moving away from us at an angle. I got prone for the shot, and realized my barrel was obstructed by the landscape. I got up and moved

a bit forward. As I got up the young ram in the back of the group snapped his head around and was locked on me! He started to run. The second young ram looked back and does the same. The big guy never looked back and just started running. I flicked the safety off of my rifle, and as I scanned to the shoulder of the ram, BOOM! My rifle went off right into the rock in front of the ram! Oh no! I knew I screwed up. I quickly reloaded as the ram was about to move over the ridge into the unknown. He was quartered away when I fired. I could hear the THWACK! and could see he was

hit! As he stood there staggering, I reloaded again and fired another shot. THWACK again. The ram tipped over, rolled six feet and came to rest dead. My dream just became a reality! Tears filled my eyes, and I hollered and hugged Matt. This is what we had worked for. I couldn’t have done it with a better hunting partner and friend.

As I walked up to my ram I was afraid to touch him. I was scared to have this lifelong pursuit come to an end. It’s difficult to put into words what that moment meant to me. The guys from camp came up to meet us and we soaked up the moment as the sun kissed the mountains and the clouds dispersed in the valleys below.

We headed back to camp after skinning and quartering the ram. We spent the night eating sheep ribs, enjoying drinks by the fire, and taking turns holding and marvelling at my beautiful bighorn ram.

The next day we made the long hike home. A heavy pack has never felt better! I was almost floating! It was a moment I will never forget. WS

THE GOLDEN BEAR RAM

BY JIM MCENROE

Every real or aspiring mountain hunter reads Jack O’Connor sheep hunting stories about British Columbia and Alaska rams written back in the ‘70s, and I did, too. My sheep hunting career started about then when I drew and filled a oncein-a-lifetime California bighorn ram tag in North Dakota. I was 16 years old. Over the next 30 years, I was fortunate enough to shoot three Dall’s sheep and after 40 years of applying, I drew a Montana

Rocky Mountain bighorn tag in the Missouri Breaks and took home a beautiful 43-inch ram.

The Stone’s was a “someday” wish-list item I had merely flirted with for years. At the 2021 Sheep Show®, my wife Ashley pushed me past flirtation to commitment as we talked to Blake Williams of Golden Bear Outfitting. “Do it,” she chanted. “When are you planning to get younger enough to go?”

Now, a few days before my 61st birthday and 44 years after harvesting my first ram, I found myself flying in a Super Cub preparing to land on a high alpine glacier-fed lake in northern British Columbia, the heart of prime Stone’s sheep country. Blake bought his camp from his father Greg Williams, who still outfits Rocky Mountain bighorns in southern BC and earlier that day had flown my wife and most of our gear into camp.

Father and son bush pilots would shuttle me on two flights: a wheeled Cub Blake captained into basecamp then aboard Greg’s bright yellow float plane into the remote spike camp–two tents beside a turquoise lake.

Pulling the aircraft closer to the rocky shoreline was long, lean Ross Milton, a third-generation Stone’s sheep hunting guide with an impressive family pedigree. His two grandfathers, Leo Rutledge and Herb Leake, had both run sheep camps in the Prophet River area, and Rutledge had purchased his concession from the legendary Frank Golata. At age 25, Ross had been professionally guiding since he turned 18, the earliest age to register as a licensed guide, but in reality he had spent his entire life in the family outfitting and ranch business, hunting deer, elk, moose, caribou, sheep and mountain goats along with raising and training mountain horses. With rams in the blood, he brought plenty more experience than his youth might have suggested.

As for Greg and Blake Williams, they have outfitted and guided Stone’s hunts in northern BC for a quarter century, and they became Golden Bear Outfitting in 2008. But, it all started with young Greg working his family’s Alberta ranch, where he heard exciting sheep stories from hunters returning south from thinhorn country. He headed to the Northwest Territories in the late 1970s to guide Dall’s hunters, and since then his sheep passion never cooled. All this experience inspired confidence, as did the knowledge

that some excellent hunters like WSF’s President and CEO Gray Thornton and KUIU founder, the late Jason Hairston, had taken their Stone’s rams with the crew of Golden Bear Outfitting in this same area. Our welcome to camp wouldn’t have been complete without a bear. Walking across the lake from our tents was a hefty, beautiful goldcolored grizzly with chocolate legs who could have been the mascot for Golden Bear Outfitting. He regarded us with curiosity as we unloaded our packs then he scrambled up a snowfield.

Prior to our arrival, Ross had scouted the mountains to the west of our camp and found four rams, one of them mature and worthy of further inspection. The rams had vanished since then, and Ross believed they had migrated to the next peak eastward. We had arrived two days before season opening, so the next day we climbed 1,500 vertical feet and glassed the vast summits, snowfields and plateaus, but never found the rams. We did spy a huge silver-tipped grizzly lumbering across a saddle, plus several mountain goats on toothy crags. In all, we covered a lot of topography and were treated to some of the world’s most spectacular scenery.

The next morning, opening day, our plan was to continue searching farther east than we had gone the previous day. We hiked to several frigid rocky outposts downwind from a glacier, where the gale forced us to layer up and hunker down. Still no rams, but mountain goats dotted the cliffs in two directions. In the sweeping valley below, we spotted two wolves working toward a nanny and a kid, seemingly oblivious to the predators tracking them as they meandered toward a rock outcrop. The goats slipped behind boulders and the wolves followed, all of them never to be seen again. It was not a good sign, for we had noticed on our hike several wolf scats comprised of snarled white goat hair.

We progressed eastward for a few miles, glassing from every vantage point from morning to mid-afternoon. Ross trekked ahead to get a better view and returned with a thumbs up and a big grin. Moving forward another half mile, we snuck up behind a car-sized

rock and watched the four Stone’s rams from 700 yards away. Three were immature, but the fourth was definitely older. Ross crawled slowly ahead to confirm the ram’s age through his spotting scope. After evaluating he was at least eight years old and his horn tips broke above his nose, we decided to go after him.

The rams had started feeding toward us, then dropped into a steep scree field. We creeped ahead, closing the distance to 250 yards. I slipped my Christensen Arms 6.5 PRC on top of Ross’ backpack and

chambered a round. As the blue-gray rams ambled below us across the shale, I placed my crosshairs behind the shoulder of the largest one and squeezed the trigger. Upon the whap of impact, Ross said, “Nice shot.”

The ram stood unsteadily, offering me his opposite broadside, so I fired an insurance round. The ram stumbled and rolled down the steep incline. It looked like gravity might take him tumbling hundreds of feet down the slope into the funnel of a sheer drop-off, but 15 yards below a random boulder stopped his descent,

much to our relief.

Now the issue was getting to the ram and getting him out without anyone falling down the avalanche chute. With hiking poles, we almost skied down the rock slide and across a snow patch. I did take a fall, landing backward on my rifle. Ross and I wedged the ram onto a large, flat rock that served as a steady ledge for photos, skinning and quartering. Bearing heavy-laden packs, Ross, Ashley and I scrambled and fought our way up to the ridge crest.

With an almost devilish smile,

Ross poked his head out of his tent to discover our big gold griz standing 40 yards away between the lake shore and the sheep meat.

The author and his guide Ross Milton, right, glassing for rams.

Ross said, “Now, for a little walk back to camp.” It was five miles up and down, with the final mile descending 1,500 steep feet over ankle-breaker rocks. We paused to rest a few times, the last stop at a waterfall to fill our bottles and quench our thirst. By the time we returned to camp, we had logged over 13 hours of steady climbing, hiking and packing. After congratulations all around, all I really wanted was ibuprofen.

The next day, Ross caped the head and fleshed the hide for a life-sized

mount and, since we were far above tree line, laid out the sheep meat to cool on rocks near the tents. Ashley and I recovered with a light day of hiking near camp to take in the views, and Ross and I traded hunting tales. The following dawn brought rain and fog, plus a skiff of snow on the surrounding peaks. It didn’t stop pouring for 12 hours, so my wife and I passed the time reading Ross’ loaned copy of Richmond P. Hobson’s Grass Beyond the Mountains (a BC classic), and we didn’t emerge from our tents

until afternoon. The summits were solidly socked in, so Ashley’s hopedfor goat hunt was out for today, but Ross had some excitement to report.

The evening before, he had awakened at around 9:30 p.m. to the sound of footsteps splashing in the lake and wondered if my wife and I were enjoying a frigid swim. Ross poked his head out of his tent to discover our big gold griz standing 40 yards away between the lake shore and the sheep meat. The bear had his nose high sniffing for goodies, but when Ross emerged from his tent and yelled at him, the grizzly turned, strolled across the nearby snowfield then disappeared over a hill. Despite the fact that the weather would prevent a plane from arriving to retrieve the meat for a few days, that bruin never did return to our sheep meat buffet.

Not so fortunate was our mountain goat quest. While we found them in the gnarliest places over the next several days, we could never connect with a mature billy that range is noted for. Miles of hiking into wilder, more severe and soaring heights with glaciers gleaming on every distant horizon and big bear tracks crossing our path was exhilarating adventure.

This area, known as the Stikine region of northern BC, has been the traditional territory of the Tahltan people for at least 10,000 years. The Tahltan, in partnership with WSF and other entities, have shown their commitment to Stone’s sheep conservation with groundbreaking science leading to new wildlife management efforts. In early 2017, the Tahltan Guide & Outfitters Association (TGOA), of which Golden Bear Outfitting is a member, with support from the Tahltan

Central Government, originated and seed-funded a first-of-its-kind Stone’s sheep study in the Dease Lake/Dome Mountain area to the east of where I took my ram. WSF added funding through its grant-in-aid program to advance the study. Its purpose was to examine the impact of a mining road and offshoot backcountry trails used by hunters that cut through Stone’s sheep territory. The human effect on herd migrations, health and habitat were all part of this study. Biologists collared Stone’s sheep to track their movements, monitored what they ate and their droppings, measured the road traffic patterns and performed other investigations into issues like predators. This multiyear study revealed that the area’s Stone’s herds are being stressed and their movements affected by the road and human presence. Stress and disruption of their migration to seasonal feeding ranges have a direct impact on overall herd health and lamb survival.

As I hunted my Stone’s ram far to the west of Dease Lake/Dome Mountain, from our glassing points we could spy a former mine on a nearby mountain, cascades of tailings and gravel roads crisscrossing up from the valley below. While these remote, subalpine areas don’t have any busy highways, industrial and transportation pressures are clearly evident on the landscape shared by Stone’s sheep and other wild animals in northern BC. It’s not an isolated problem.

Going forward, the Dease Lake/ Dome Mountain study has resulted in a number of recommended actions, including controlling vehicle access and restricting road construction and other activities during sheep

migration seasons, plus establishing lower speed limits and a number of other initiatives like limiting camping and overhead flights in the area, all to decrease stress on the Stone’s population. The study has identified potential protected areas in Stone’s range, and the Tahltan Central Government is working on a Tahltan Stewardship Plan to be

completed in 2023, with a goal of designating Tahltan protected areas to conserve wild sheep populations. In addition, the Dease Lake/Dome Mountain study offered a baseline, leading to broader wild sheep herd and habitat study comparisons in BC’s Cassiar Range and beyond.

“The Cassiar research, similar in some ways to the Dome Mountain

study, also received support from WSF grant-in-aid and the Wild Sheep Society of BC. It has improved our overall understanding of the patterns of thinhorn sheep migrations and of what comprises the different habitats they use,” says Bill Jex, provincial wild sheep and mountain goat specialist with the BC Ministry of Forests’ Fish & Wildlife Branch.

“We are looking at the province holistically to see what we can do collectively to bolster all wild sheep species,” says British Columbian Kyle Stelter, vice chair of WSF’s board of directors. “This is one of the early studies that have looked at sheep herd health, and the science has been adapted across the province as the template for herd health assessments.”

This template is already benefitting another wild sheep treasure, the Rocky Mountain bighorns in the province’s south. With WSF as a major investor, BC’s Fraser River herds are now in year five of a test and remove program to eradicate Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae, commonly known as MOVI. While northern BC’s Stone’s population thus far has remained MOVI-free, the province’s Fraser River bighorns have experienced extreme die-offs that started in the 1990s, with a 60% population plunge in some areas and negligible recovery. According to Stelter, MOVI was the chief suspect, but it remained unconfirmed until the Dease Lake/Dome Mountain study produced the impetus and protocols to test the Fraser sheep, confirm the presence and prevalence of MOVI, and begin the process of removing diseased animals.

Now in year five of the bighorn assessment in the Fraser River

zone, the management work is just beginning. The Wild Sheep Society of BC, WSF and other partners are dedicating $1.6 million over 10 years to erase the threat of MOVI from the Fraser River.

“Now, we are seeing more investment in wild sheep management than in any time in the past,” Stelter says. “We want to see more Stone’s sheep on the landscape, and we’re keen to invest in management projects—anything we can do, from prescribed burns and fertilizer programs to foster native grasses, to more science, to predator management. Anything to assure both thinhorn and bighorn populations stay strong in BC.”

Scientific assessments offer a snapshot in time, but the conservation outlook is always changing. According to Bill Jex, the conservation community needs a better understanding of many other factors, including predators affecting BC’s wild sheep and the creeping influence of climate change. During my Stone’s hunt, I witnessed wolves and grizzlies in proximity to the sheep and mountain goats, and Jex says that the chief wild sheep predators in the area are not only the grizzlies but also golden eagles and wolverines. As for wolves, they too hunt thinhorns, but if they are culled, the change might result in an influx of other predators, such as coyotes, that tend to concentrate on lambs and ewes, Jex notes.

“Any action that focuses on these predators merits a broad consideration of possible spin-off effects that might occur,” he adds.

While BC’s thinhorn numbers have remained fairly steady at 13,000 over the past several years, localized die-offs have occurred due to, for

The invisible hand behind it all was the enduring conservation efforts of so many people in BC and beyond, including WSF.

example, late spring severe storms or warmer winters that produce spring rain instead of snow, creating ice that impedes feeding. Starvation is one of the horrific results. Ram availability is dependent on lamb survival rates 6 to 8 years before, so the deadly toll of climate change, storms, stress and disease echoes far into the future.

“Provincially, Stone’s sheep numbers remain pretty stable, but at the local level we’ve seen population declines,” Jex notes. “Due to climate change, prolonged cold springs have delayed green-up in wild sheep habitat. With successive years of delayed green-up, nutrition for ewes raising lambs could be impacted, as could lamb survival rates.”

Northern BC is unique on earth as the home of genetically pure Stone’s sheep. WSF, the Tahltan people, the TGOA, the provincial government and partners like the Wild Sheep Society of BC are committed to fulfilling their responsibility for global stewardship of this wildlife resource. In May 2022, WSF brought many of the stakeholders and scientists together for Thinhorn Sheep Summit III, where leading experts discussed issues affecting Dall’s, Stone’s and

Fannin sheep across the US and Canada. Golden Bear Outfitting was a presenting sponsor at this event. These summits serve as wild-sheep think-tank gatherings, and they not only educate the conservation community but also inspire real results. This benefits not just the sheep but other creatures, including the humans like me who revere and hunt these iconic animals.

Because of BC’s stature as a vast motherland for various wild sheep subspecies, on November 16-18, 2022, the inaugural BC Wild Sheep Summit occurred in Prince George, BC, to bring major players together for a deep dive into the politics, science, challenges and future prospects for the province’s bighorns and thinhorns.

“To me, the November 2022 BC Wild Sheep Summit is an outgrowth of everything that’s been going on in the province,” says WSF Vice President for Conservation and Thinhorn Sheep Program Lead Kevin Hurley. “It’s a really robust conservation event, and WSF thoroughly supports this provincial effort.”

Stelter is particularly pleased with the upswing in fundraising for

thinhorn and bighorn initiatives in BC. He is one of the co-creators of the Jurassic Classic fishing extravaganza on the Fraser River, with funds raised benefitting bighorn conservation on the same waterway. Outfitters like Golden Bear also do their share, with donated hunts each year at the Sheep Show® to promote wild sheep conservation in their home province.

“My wife and I have two young sons, and we want them to grow up and see wild sheep all their lives,” says Blake Williams. “That’s why we do what we do.”

As I stood by my Stone’s ram in that avalanche chute, I was in awe for the thrilling experience, the dazzling terrain, the impeccable guiding, the good fortune and the urging of my wife that brought me here. The invisible hand behind it all was the enduring conservation efforts of so many people in BC and beyond, including WSF. It made me grateful and proud to be a WSF life member and part of the Chadwick Ram Society. Hunting is my passion, yes, but stewardship is the mission. WS

BASECAMP DISPATCHES

WE GIVE CAMPAIGN UPDATE

At the request of WSF supporters and consistent with the 2% for Conservation program of which WSF is a Founding Partner, we have launched the WSF Conservation Revolving Fund “We Give” campaign. Watch for WSF “We Give” partners who proudly include the “We Give” logo in their advertisements and/or promotions as those advertisers, exhibitors and businesses give a percentage or portion of their sales to the WSF Conservation Revolving Fund. 100% of WSF Conservation Revolving Fund contributions are directed to initiatives benefiting wild sheep and the habitat they call home. Proceeds are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law and are directed to Grant In Aid and other specific conservation projects to Put and Keep Wild Sheep on the Mountain®.

Participants to date include:

For more information and to become a part of the “We Give” team, please contact Gray N. Thornton at 406-404-8750 or gthornton@ wildsheepfoundation.org.

BASECAMP DISPATCHES

Ryan Allowitz

Dave Andrew

Jim Arnold

Timothy Aydt

Alex Bourlakov

Michael Braegelmann

Jack Cabala

Dallan Carter

Robert Cerone Jr.

Joey Chiaf

Frank A. Chisholm, Jr.

Randell Cotta

Adam Cramer

Mark Dainton

Bret Daugherty

Scott Easton

Barry Frieler

Jeff Furstenau

Temple TX Whitehorse YT

Austin TX

Findlay OH Golden CO Tucson AZ

Fort Collins CO Spring Lake UT Saddle Brook NJ Oklahoma City OK Savannah GA

San Mateo CA

Mount Vernon OH Whitehorse YK ellensburg WA Frederick CO Pequot Lakes MN Fargo ND

USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA CAN USA USA USA USA

NEW LIFE MEMBERS

John Greer

Scott Hostetler

Claude Howard

Cory Johnson

Stellane King

Scott Knight Hayes Kramer

Hoyt Kramer

Jeffrey Mancuso

Blake Marcello

Lawrence McGovern III

Bruce Mellott

Brodie Mohorich

Erik Mohrlang

Robert Mullins

Matt Olsen Ben Ramsey

Chris Reinesch

Boise ID Windyville MO Statesboro GA

Magnolia AR Glendale AZ

Kimberly ID Cape Girardeau MO

Cape Girardeau MO Cotopaxi CO

Thibodaux LA Billings MT Harleysville PA Whitehorse YT

Fort Morgan CO Shabbona IL Victoria TX Naples FL Gold Canyon AZ

USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA CAN USA USA USA USA USA

NEW SUMMIT LIFE MEMBERS

Pamela Richardson

Jesse Riggleman

Luke Schultz

Marc Selph

Nicholas Smieja

Julie Snider

Terry Steigers

Andrew Thompson

Sadie Trapp

Kurt Turner

Beverly Valdez

Tommy Vance

Aislyn Ward

Joseph Wiggs Kenneth Wood Ari Zagdanski

Texarkana TX

Apex NC Cora WY

Spring Creek NV Phoenix AZ

Boyne City MI Missoula MT

Oro Valley AZ Rock Springs WY Burleson TX

Grants Pass OR Lewisburg WV Springville UT Wenatchee WA Winston OR Toronto ON

USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA CAN

Timothy Aydt

Nick Curtis

Craig McKenzie

Clark Olsen

Findlay OH Jackson MI Bakersfield CA Anchorage AK

USA USA USA USA

Davin Osborne

Rick Parker

Jaime Suchy Daniel Teschner

Flintville TN Crescent City CA Alexandria MN New Braunfels TX

Robert Wallock

Aislyn Ward

Cedarburg WI Springville UT USA USA USA USA USA USA

CHAPTERS & AFFILIATES

FOR COMPLETE CONTACT INFORMATION GO TO: www.wildsheepfoundation.org/memberships/chapters-and-affiliates

CHAPTERS:

ALASKA WSF

Kevin Kehoe, President 907-441-6323 kevin.kehoe@kantishnainc.com

WSF ALBERTA Matt Mellon, President (403) 872-7033 matt@wsfab.org www.wsfab.org

WSF ALBERTA Chapter Office

Deena Arychuk, Chapter Staff info@wsfab.org 403-845-5544

CALIFORNIA WSF

Donald C. Martin, President 310-766-3921 Don-martin@earthlink.net

CALIFORNIA WSF Chapter Office

Beverly Valdez, Chapter Staff 650-472-3889 forthesheep@gmail.com www.cawsf.org

EASTERN CHAPTER WSF

Robert Rogan, President robert.rogan@gmail.com 203-885-2194

EASTERN CHAPTER WSF Chapter Office

Tina Everhart, Office Manager 717-588-4190 info@ecfnaws.org www.ecfnaws.org

IDAHO WSF

Bill London, President blondon777@gmail.com 208-860-0580

Tracy Rowley, Chapter Staff P.O. Box 8224, Boise, ID 83707 208-345-6171 info@amsidaho.com www.idahowildsheep.org

IOWA FNAWS

Craig Nakamoto, President 402-650-1383 nakamoto01@sbcglobal.net iowafnaws@gmail.com www.iowafnaws.org

WSF—MIDWEST CHAPTER

Mike Bouton, President 612-940-1979 mikwbouton@hotmail.com www.midwestwildsheep.com

WSF—MIDWEST CHAPTER

Mike Bouton, Executive Director 612-940-1979 mikwbouton@hotmail.com www.midwestwildsheep.com

MONTANA WSF

D.J. Berg, President 406-366-1849 dj@montanawsf.org

Brian Solan, Volunteer Executive Director 406-461-7432 brian@montanawsf.org www.montanawsf.org

MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENT CHAPTER OF WSF Janessa Kluth, Chapter contact 208-420-4240 montanastatewsf@gmail.com facebook.com/MSUWSF

NEW MEXICO WSF

Bryan Bartlett, President (575) 635-3499 BartleBC@yahoo.com newmexicowildsheep@gmail.com

OREGON WSF

Walter Chuck, Jr., President (541) 574-9078 The4chucks@aol.com www.oregonfnaws.org

UTAH FNAWS

Travis Jenson 801-641-5453 tjenson@xmission.com www.utahfnaws.org

WASHINGTON WSF

Garrett Grant grant16garrett@hotmail.com www.washingtonwsf.org

WYOMING WSF

Zach McDermott, President 307-752-1212 zach@wyomingwildsheep.org

Wyoming WSF Chapter Office

Katie Cheesbrough, Executive Director 307-399-4383 katie@wyomingwildsheep.org www.wyomingwildsheep.org

YUKON WSF

Spencer Wallace, President 867-689-2074 yukonws@gmail.com www.yukonwsf.com

AFFILIATES:

2% For Conservation

Jared Frasier, Executive Director 406-221-3102 contact@fishandwildlife.org www.fishandwildlife.org

Alaska Professional Hunters Association

Angie Bloomquist, Executive Director 907-929-0619 office@alaskaprohunter.org www.alaskaprohunter.org

Alberta Outfitters Association

Kevin Stanton, President 403-762-5454 aoa@albertaoutfitters.com www.albertaoutfitters.com

Alberta Professional Outfitters Society

Jeana Schuurmaan, Executive Director 780-414-0588 jeana@@apos.ab.ca www.apos.ab.ca

Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society, Inc.

Richard Schuette, President 602-790-7572 camelbackfloors@msn.com www.adbss.org

Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society Office Tracey Martin 480-854-8950 admin@adbss.org

Association of Mackenzie Mountain Outfitters

Harold Grinde, President 403-357-8414 ganariver@pentnet.net www.huntnwt.com

Bear Trust International

Logan Young, Executive Director 406-595-6583 logan@beartrust.org www.beartrust.org

Cody Country Outfitters and Guides Association

Lee Livingston 307-527-7416 Livingston@tctwest.net

Colorado Outfitters Association Kelly Nottingham, Office Manager 970-824-2468 office@coloradooutfitters.com www.coloradooutffiters.org

Custodians of Professional Hunting & Conservation—South Africa Coira Goss +27 0 81 036 1151 admin@cphc-sa.co.za www.cphc-sa.co.za

Dude Ranchers Association Colleen Hodson 307-587-2339 colleen@duderanch.org www.duderanch.org

Elko Bighorns Unlimited Cory Mahan, Vice President 775-397-4465 cmahan@ram-enterprise.com

Fraternity of the Desert Bighorn Clint Bentley, President 702-499-7501 sheepspotr@aol.com www.desertbighorn.com

Fundacion De Vida Silvestre En Sonora, A.C Jacobo Artee, President 011-52-662-212-5510, 011-52-662-217-4119 jacoboartee@prodigy.net.mx

Grand Slam Club/Ovis Mark Hampton, Executive Director 205674-0101 gsco@wildsheep.org www.wildsheep.org

Guide Outfitter Association of BC Scott Ellis, General Manager 604-541-6332 ellis@goabc.org www.goabc.org

International Caribou Foundation Cheryl Lind, Executive Director 406-404-1297 cheryl@internationalcariboufoundation.org www.internationalcariboufoundation.org

Kazakhstan Wildlife Foundation Orynbassar Shaimukhanbetov, President acbkarlan@mail.ru

Lubbock Sportsmans Club, Inc. Tim Gafford, President 806-771-1717 Ph 806-789-2441 Cell gaffordpest@gmail.com lubbocksafariclub@hotmail.com

Montana Outfitter & Guides Association Mac Minard, Executive Director 406-449-3578 moga@mt.net www.montanaoutfitters.org

National Bighorn Sheep Center Sara Bridge, Executive Director 307-455-3429 info@bighorn.org www.bighorn.org

Navajo Nation Department of Fish & Wildlife Jeff Cole, Wildlife Manager jcole@nndfw.org 928-871-6595

Nebraska Big Game Society Jim King (402) 430-6566 jim@glsbinc.com www.nebiggame.org

Nevada Bighorns Unlimited Tom Fennel, President 775-250-6600 tfennell@dicksoncg.com www.nevadabighornsunlimited.org

Nevada Bighorns Unlimited, Fallon Jay Lingenfelter, President jay.lingenfelter@cccomm.co 775-427-1254

Northern BC Guides Association Craig Kiselbach, President terminusmtn@gmail.com 250-442-7103

Northern Nevada SCI Chapter Brandon Weise bweise@nnsci.com 775-721-4700 www.nnsci.com

Northwest Guides & Outfitters Assoc. Colin Niemeyer, President 250-306-8624 hunting@kawdyoutfitters.com

Northwest Sportsman’s Club Nate Perrenoud 509-994-6795 www.northwestsportsmansclub.com

Purkersdorfer Jagdklub Gunther Tschabuschnig, Vice President 011-43-676-496-6691 info@jagdklub.eu www.jagdklub.eu

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Society John Hayter, President 970-389-3010 jnhayter@gmail.com www.bighornsheep.org

Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance Jason Peak, President Jpeak71@hotmail.com www.goatalliance.org

Contact: Lee MacDonald, Membership Coordinator lee@goatalliance.org

Safari Club International 520-620-1220 info@safariclub.org www.safariclub.org

Sheep Hunters of the World (SHOW) Billi Carey, Administrator 480-292-1674 www.sheephunters.com

Society for the Conservation of Bighorn Sheep Steve Marschke, President 310-339-4677 info@sheepsociety.com www.desertbighorn.org

Tahltan Guide Outfitters Association Rudy Day, President 250-235-3395 Dayrudy84@gmail.com

Spanish Professional Hunters Association Diego Satrustegui, President +34 618 621 690

Direccion.aptce@gmail.com www.spanishprofessionalhunters.com Taos Pueblo

Michael Martinez, Hunt Manager 575-758-7410 hunting@taospueblo.com

Texas Bighorn Society Dr. Sam Cunningham, President 806-262-6889

scunningham@quailcreekent.com www.texasbighornsociety.org

Wildlife Stewardship Council John Henderson, President sirjohn55@gmail.com wildlifestewarship@gmail.com www.wildlifestewardshipcouncil.com

Wild Sheep Society of British Columbia Korey Green, President 250 793-2037 kgreen@wildsheepsociety.com Wild Sheep Society of British Columbia Office & Staff

Kyle Stelter, CEO/Executive Director 250-619-8415 kylestelter@gmail.com www.wildsheepsociety.com

Michael Surbey, Executive Assistant 604-690-9555 exec@wildsheepsociety.com

Wyoming Outfitters & Guides Association Jeff Smith, President 307-265-2376 wyoga@wyoga.org www.wyoga.org

Yukon Outfitters Association Mac Watson, President 867-668-4118 (Office) info@yukonoutfitters.net www.yukonoutfitters.net

Yukon Outfitters Association Staff Shawn Wasel, Executive Director 780-213-4301 (Cell) swasel@mcsnet.ca

Brenda Stehelin, Office Manager info@yukonoutfitters.net

TECHNICAL/ ADVISORY AFFILIATES:

Northern Wild Sheep and Goat Council

Kevin Hurley, Executive Director 307-899-9375 info@nwsgc.org www.nwsgc.org

Desert Bighorn Council

Patrick Cummings, Chair Nevada Department of Wildlife (Retired) (702) 486-5127 patrickcummings1002@gmail.com www.desertbighorncouncil.com

NOTE: bold/italics font denotes a joint WSF membership Chapter/Affiliate. Membership in these chapters and affiliates include membership in Wild Sheep Foundation.

WSF’s Legacy Society recognizes individuals, families and foundations making testamentary bequests or contributions of major gifts, gift annuities or other charitable-giving instruments. Since inception of the Ensuring the Future of Wild Sheep (ETFOWS) campaign, 43 Legacy Society members have been recognized through WSF’s Legacy Society for contributions or pledges of future gifts.

Bequests made through the New Beginnings Campaign* or other bequests may be recognized through the Legacy Society by contacting WSF. For more information on the Legacy Society or Estate Planning resources available through WSF, please contact Paige Culver at 406.404.8758 or PCulver@WildSheepFoundation.org.

Anchorage, AK California WSF April 29 Sacramento, CA Eastern Chapter WSF

February 17-18

Lancaster PA Idaho WSF

April 1

Boise, ID Iowa FNAWS

March 24-25

Des Moines, IA Midwest Chapter WSF March 17-18 Minnetonka, MN Montana WSF Feb 25 Missoula, MT MSU Student Chapter WSF

N/A New Mexico WSF

NM G&F BHS & DBHS Raffle Oregon WSF April 29 Bend, OR Utah WSF March 25 Salt Lake City, UT Washington WSF

March 11

WA WSF Alberta

March 3-4

Spencer Wallace President, Yukon WSF

Another busy and successful hunting season has flown by up in the Yukon. Yukon residents and outfitters continued to use the MOVI test kits in an effort to protect the health of our wild sheep population. These test kits continued to be funded by the Yukon Wild Sheep Foundation. Sitka also continued to donate hats to successful residents that hand in these test kits as an incentive. With the past couple

YUKON UPDATE

of harsh winters in this territory, monitoring the health of our sheep population has been as important as ever. As has been experienced in many regions in Alaska, many local reports are estimating that the Yukon’s wild sheep population is down approximately 30% after last winter. We are hoping for a milder winter this year, nevertheless, with our current mild and prolonged fall, our sheep population should

be headed into the winter stronger than last year. Our board is looking forward to working together over the winter to evaluate what we are able to do to make a difference for our sheep population and determine the best ways to raise money to implement these projects in the near future. WS

by Jason Peak

RMGA UPDATE

As the year winds down, it seems like 2022 blew by in many respects. RMGA has a lot to be thankful for as we see the continued support and consistent efforts by the members and staff in growing our unique organization. Below are just a few of the accomplishments of RMGA over the past year, as well as some opportunities on the horizon that provide the motivation as things move forward.

Goat counts this year were a resounding success. In working with governmental agencies, the goat counts RMGA supported did nothing short of create stronger and more lasting connections in the goat world. Counts in the Henry’s and Bridgers went off with great success, leading to even more opportunities down the road in other states and provinces.

RMGA also addresses critical issues in Alberta, Alaska and Colorado related to mountain goats. Specifically RMGA was sought to address potential nanny harvest opportunities in Alaska and unit quota management issues in Colorado, both of which impact sustainability of mountain goat populations in their respective states. We are also monitoring and offering

support to Alberta in relation to MOVI transmission in sheep and goat populations within the Disease Surveillance Zone. As scary as this disease is, many interested folks still do not appreciate the scientific realities and sweeping impacts it can have on wildlife.

New faces have joined our organization and will continue to do so as we move into 2023. In times where the labor market seems strained to find quality, hard-working and dedicated individuals, RMGA has been lucky in the sense that countless people have stepped up to offer support and knowledge to further our mission objectives. There are times when it seems we have too many resources and not enough time in the day to find ways to allocate and use them all. It is definitely a luxury to work with so many talented and focused people.

Other boring stuff has been accomplished along the way, too—things you don’t see at work every day but nonetheless help the organization function more efficiently and effectively. Such things as drafting and adopting general policies on resource allocation and project management, the development of

policy and management committees, streamlining the process by which organizations and individuals can apply for RMGA resources, and reallocating budget items to strategically involve RMGA in even more mountain goat projects that reach beyond that which has been traditionally considered.

Looking down the road, RMGA continues to prepare for several engagement opportunities for anyone interested in mountain goats. Goat counts are already being planned. The Colorado Mountain Goat State License will again be auctioned off at Sheep Show®. RMGA’s online auction is gathering steam already with donations and support, and will most likely take place again in the spring of 2023. Programs for additional support are being discussed and may be implemented in the coming year to provide members an even greater opportunity to participate in and support the organization.

The coming of 2023 is exciting for RMGA. We wish everyone well and look forward to working with you all for what is lining up to be one of the most productive years for RMGA, both in sustained momentum and additional growth. WS

SHEEP ENTHUSIAST

Must be willing to buy expensive gear, walk long distances, drink questionable water, eat food from a foil bag, sleep on hard ground next to friends that smell worse than you, maintain a sunny disposition, and risk divorce. Must provide your own participation trophies.

Inquire at: www.akwildsheep.org

WOMEN HUNT®

by Renée Thornton Chair, WSF Women Hunt®

Practising patience in the field.

WOMEN

HUNT® AT THE SHEEP SHOW®

It’s been an exciting number of months for Women Hunt®! The committee is thrilled with the results of the Class of 2022’s participation in the New Hunter Course, developed and delivered by the FTW Ranch in Texas. We’re energized by the impact the course has had on the 12 women selected by the committee from the United States and Canada. They benefited from the expert instructors at the ranch with exponential skills development and growth in their self-confidence through the skills they learned shooting, hunting, butchering, and preparing wild game. The introduction to and discussion of the North American

Model of Wildlife Conservation during the course has ensured that the participants left with a base understanding of the seven sisters of the model and know where to go to learn more. The community Women Hunt® has provided them means that they are forever connected to the program, the Wild Sheep Foundation and each other. Next fall when we report on all the ways these 12 women are giving back in their communities, positively changing the lives of hundreds more women, children and men, the full relevance, impact and virality of Women Hunt® will be realized yet again with this newest class of Women in

Hunting™. Watch for feature stories in upcoming editions highlighting the virality (or ripple effect) the alumni of the New Hunter Course are creating and the life-changing impacts their actions are having.

Women Hunt® is thrilled and honored to announce a new addition to our program. In keeping with our culture of excellence in training and education, Joshua Schwencke, owner and executive chef of Gastronomy Outdoors, has accepted to be the Executive Chef in Residence of Women Hunt®. Chef Joshua provides expert instruction in many culinary disciplines and has a particular love of all aspects of preparing wild game.

He is notable in the importance he places in honoring wild game in the field and the kitchen, ethics which align with Women Hunt®. As we move forward on responding to what the Women Hunt® community has asked for in our online content, Chef Joshua will provide a welcome culinary presence, filled with good humor and excellent instruction. Welcome Chef Joshua!

The Women Hunt® committee is excited to be positioned to deliver new outreach at the 2023 Sheep Show®. The upcoming show marks the first time we will have a booth in the expo hall adjacent to the other WSF association displays. Alumni from the Classes of 2022 and 2021 will volunteer in the booth and are looking forward to talking with

Hands-on learning skinning a deer.

Culinary instruction with Executive Chef Joshua Schwencke.

many of you about Women Hunt®, the New Hunter Course and sharing stories and ideas, like hunters love to do! We’re looking forward to hosting daily special events in our booth in partnership with Full Curl Montana Spirits, African Tradition Wines and Gastronomy Outdoors, so be sure to come and visit us!

This year marks the fifth year we’ve hosted a seminar—it’s incredible how time flies! Each year we’ve had a great turnout of both women and men and fantastic participation from our community, who’ve helped the committee define the direction of Women Hunt®. Join us on Saturday, January 14, from 10:30 a.m. until noon as we host a panel discussion

Meet the Wild Sheep Foundation’s Women Hunt® Committee

Bios and photos at: www.wildsheepfoundation.org/about/ women-hunt-committee

with four of our community’s most interesting figures. 13-year old Cami Cunningham of Texas achieved her Four North American Wild Sheep (FNAWS) this year as the youngest female ever to do so, and Brooklyn Widdifield of Alberta successfully harvested her first Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep as a 12-year-old. Jana Waller of Skull Bound Chronicles and Kristy Titus of Pursue the Wild will join Cami and Brooklyn to tell stories about hunting, discuss the impact and roles of mentors, explore why these young women aren’t waiting to hunt what many consider to be a pinnacle species to pursue (and why you shouldn’t wait either!), and so much more.

We are excited to announce that the Wild Sheep Foundation in partnership with Women Hunt® will be bringing to the Sheep Show® the first-ever delivery of a culinary experience. The Culinary Corner will launch in 2023 in the expo hall and will feature a wealth of sessions to appeal to us all. Over the course of the expo, Chef Joshua of Gastronomy Outdoors will host a combination of short and long sessions where you can expect to learn about nutrition and wild game preparation and observe cooking demonstrations. Look forward to learning specifics such as de-boning, preparing stock and knife skills, and delve into preparing delicious recipes and dishes. Daily schedules will be released on the Sheep Show® app and on social media, so plan your time at the show to come and learn from one of the best.

We look forward to seeing you at the Sheep Show®! Have a happy holiday season!

Women Hunt® gratefully acknowledges the generous sponsors and donors who made the 2022 New Hunter Course possible: SITKA, YETI, Weatherby, Kenetrek Boots, Boyt Harness Company, Leupold, FTW Ranch, Alaska Hunting Adventures, Alaska Wilderness Enterprises, Bear Track Outfitters, Hidden Creek Outfitters, Linda Demmer, Mike Mechenbier, Tim Fallon, Kevin Hurley, Gray and Renée Thornton, David Nelson, Julie Chapman, Jim Craig, Connor Schantz, Mark Springer. WS

Renée Thornton, Chair

Linda Demmer

Rachel Ahtila

Sara Domek

Julie Chapman

Dr. Peregrine L. Wolff, DVM

Connect with us: https://www.wildsheepfoundation.org/womenhunt womenhunt@wildsheepfoundation.org @womenhunt @women_hunt @womenhunt

YETI Coolers to bring home the wild game.

From the morning sits in the late season Whitetail stand to chasing after hounds hot on the trail of a Colorado Cougar, your boots are arguably the most important piece of gear you will use. Stay out longer, hike further, and perform better with Kenetrek Pac Boots. Built with the mountains in mind, our supportive leather uppers and high traction K-Talon™ outsole will keep you upright, while wool felt liners and extra insulation in the bottoms will keep you toasty warm in temperatures down to 0°F.

CONSERVATION EDUCATION

by Ryan Brock WSF Youth Education Coordinator

YOUTH WILDLIFE CONSERVATION EXPERIENCE

This will be the 12th year of the Youth Wildlife Conservation Experience (YWCE), the youth component of the Sheep Show®. The goal is to showcase our largest event of the year, pulling in a variety of conservation groups and over 100 volunteers a day to provide inspiring hands-on conservation and outdoorrelated education. We simply want to inspire the next generation!

The first two days of the YWCE focuses on bringing in local school groups for a customized experience. Two-hundred eighty students will attend on Thursday, January 12th and another 320 on Friday, January 13th.

The day will begin with presentations on wild sheep conservation efforts and outdoor career seminars. The focus is on helping these young minds

understand what wildlife conservation is and how conservation is different from preservation. The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation will be introduced and examples of wild sheep conservation efforts will be given. The career seminars allow opportunities for specialists in a variety of outdoor-related careers to introduce a variety of jobs that most students don’t even know exist. The lunch keynote speakers are the Life Membership Fund Scholarship Award winners for this year. They will talk about their journey in life that has taken each of them to pursue a degree in wildlife management and give pointers on what kids can do now to start in a similar direction if desired. After lunch, around thirty hands-on

learning stations will provide vast opportunities in introducing skills, conservation, and hobbies of the outdoors.

On Saturday, January 14th, the YWCE opens to the public. Running from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., the entire F-Meeting Rooms and Hall Four will be filled with about 1,000 kids and their parents. Free youth raffles and all the stations will keep youth of all ages engaged for hours. The Tracks Program, an additional program for youth ages 12-17 will also take place. This involves picking up a Track Program card at the YWCE registration and taking it to participating vendors to learn more about the outdoors and conservation. The cards are put in a special raffle that takes place back at the main YWCE stage at 3:00 p.m. for large

item prizes, including Kenetrek boots, Sitka gear, and a rifle.

Help us make this year a huge success. Let families who are attending Sheep Show® know about this free youth event and help us spread the word to northern Nevada.

NEW LASER SHOT

Our Laser Shot, a critical component for many of our Shooting, Hunting & Ethics Education Programs (S.H.E.E.P) finally had its last event this year. Lasting for over a decade and allowing somewhere in the estimated range of at least 25,000 kids to learn and practice shooting skills, finally broke. We made a plea to our WSF community

BIGHORN SHEEP CURRICULUM KIT

DO YOU KNOW A TEACHER WHO TEACHES LIFE SCIENCE, OR THEMED UNITS ON WILDLIFE?

The Wild Sheep Foundation has put together an educational kit that includes a variety of information and hands-on items that teaches about bighorn sheep and their conservation. The kit can be checked out for week-long segments for free and shipping is paid for.

Kit includes a ram skull, GPS collar, hide sample, curriculum book with over 20 lessons, Ovisopoly game, consumables to hand out to the students, a curriculum book and a USB drive with PowerPoints and movies for lessons with an optional “talk to a sheep expert” through Skype or Zoom class meeting.

To reserve your week, contact: Ryan Brock Youth Education Coordinator Rbrock@wildsheepfoundation.org

and were very happy with the results. A number of chapters and individuals raised funding to help our program get a new one, which will be showcased at its first large event, the Youth Wildlife Conservation Experience.

We are so grateful to the following organizations and members who made this possible. Multitudes of kids will surely benefit.

• Fraternity of the Desert Bighorn

• Northern Nevada SCI

• Rocky Mountain Bighorn Society

• Utah Wild Sheep Foundation

• Washington Wild Sheep Foundation

• Brett Jefferson

• Glen Pyne

• Zach Walton

SHOTGUN SHOOTING CLINIC

In October, we sponsored and helped assist with a shotgun shooting clinic at Capital City Gun Club in

Carson City, Nevada. A Boy Scout troop was looking to introduce the boys to shooting. Connections were made and Fran Jacobs stepped in to help make this a success. Fran, a coach for USA Shooting and Main Line Trap Academy, came with a wealth of knowledge and coaching experience.

From the start, Fran easily relaxed the nerves of the boys with his coaching tactics. Most of the boys had never shot anything besides a BB gun, so shooting a shotgun was exciting, but also involved some anxiety at the beginning for some. A safety briefing took place first. Kids learned the acronym MAT to remember “muzzle”, “action”, and “trigger” in order to help them understand the three components that need to be paid close attention to when shooting. They practiced carrying unloaded shotguns and learned about the differences between 20 gauge and 12 gauge shells,

including the color. They learned the differences between pump, semiautomatic, and breakaway shotguns, and even watched a shotgun shell be cut apart to understand how the powder, primer, wad, and shot work together to propel the shot through the air. Then they practiced with unloaded shotguns on the trap line.

Finally, it was time to load and try a few shots. At first, the focus was on placement of the shotgun on the shoulder and simply shooting with no trap target being thrown. After nerves relaxed, targets began to fly. With craftful coaching, they began to break clays.

The clinic covered so many aspects that most of the boys were even able to fulfill the majority of the shotgun shooting merit badge. In the end, all boys improved and walked away with a sense of understanding the safety and hands on elements of the shooting sport of trap. WS

This unique opportunity is made possible through the Bernie Fiedeldey “1 More For 4 Challenge” and all the amazing sponsors listed below. Bernie has generously offered to match up to $25,000 in donations for the 1 More For 4 drawing and you can help sponsor a hunt for 2023. If you would like to be recognized as a sponsor of the 2023 “1MF4 Challenge”, please contact Paige Culver at 406.404.8758 or pculver@wildsheepfoundation.org. *must be a member in good standing and have a hunt report form and field photo of each ram submitted to the WSF Headquarters. For more information, please contact Kim Nieters, Awards Manager at KNieters@WildSheepfoundation.org or 406.404.8758

Jeff Haynie earned his FNAWS with this desert bighorn in Baja, Mexico

Renee Snider

Richard Pierce Darla Fiedeldey David Combs Kevin Gilbert Darin & Tonya Fiedeldey Charles & Denise Swanson

Midwest Chapter Kip & Sue Slaugh Kris Kohlhoff Jeff Haynie WA WSF ECWSF

JANUARY 9 - 14 • 2023 | CONVENTION SCHEDULE

CURRENT AS OF PRESS TIME

MONDAY - JAN 9

8:00 am - 5:00 pm

PRAB Meeting Board Room

6:00 pm Monday Online Auction Closes

TUESDAY - JAN 10

8:00 am - 5:00 pm

8:00 am - 6:00 pm

Exhibitor Registration Open

RS-CC

Exhibitor Move-In RS-CC

8:00 am - 2:00 pm WSF Board of Directors Meeting Board Room

1:00 pm - 5:00 pm WAFWA WSWG Meeting RS-CC - A8

6:00 pm Tuesday Online Auction Closes

WEDNESDAY - JAN 11

8:00 am - 5:00 pm

8:00 am - 7:00 pm

8:00 am - 5:00 pm

5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Exhibitor & Attendee Registration Open

RS-CC

Exhibitor Move-In RS-CC

WAFWA Test & Remove Workshop 2.0 RS-CC - A8

Pint Hour - Complimentary Beer Reception Tuscany Ballroom

Sponsored by: Stone Glacier

6:00 pm Wednesday Online Auction Closes

6:30 pm - 8:00 pm Hosted Bar

6:30 pm - 9:30 pm

9:00 pm - 2:00 am

Tuscany Ballroom

Grand Opening Banquet & Auction Tuscany Ballroom

Sponsored by: Stone Glacier, Global Rescue & Best of the West Award Presentations:

• WSF Exhibitor & Donor Recognition

• Special Recognition

• Gordon Eastman’s Grass Roots Award

• Wild Sheep Biologist’s Wall of Fame Award

• State Statesman Award

• Federal Statesman Award

Sheep Camp Hospitality

Entertainment: Jimmy Herman

Tuscany Ballroom

THURSDAY - JAN 12

8:00 am - 5:30 pm

8:00 am - 9:30 am

9:00 am - 3:00 pm

9:00 am - 3:00 pm

10:00 am - 5:00 pm

Exhibitor & Attendee Registration Open

Exhibitor Welcome Breakfast

RS-CC

RS-CC - Mt. Rose Ballroom

RS-CC - F1-10 & Hall 4 Sponsored by: MidwayUSA Foundation

Youth Wildlife Conservation Experience

Sporting Clays Shoot

Capitol City Gun Club

Exhibit Hall Open RS-CC Silent Auction Open RS-CC Sponsored by: Wyoming WSF

10:30 am - 3:00 pm Seminars

Noon -2:00 pm

RS-CC

RS-CC - Mt. Rose Ballroom Sponsored by: Best of the West, BOYT Harness Company & Kryptek In Partnership with: Boone & Crockett Club, Pope & Young Club & SCI

Ram/FNAWS/International Awards Lunch

2:00 - 3:15 Idaho-Oregon-Nevada (ION) Initiative Meeting

3:30 pm

4:30 pm - 6:00 pm

RSCC - A8

5x $1,000 Floor Credit Drawings - Must be present to win! RS-CC - Raffle Area Sponsored by: CA WSF, OR WSF, NM WSF, NNV SCI & WSFA

Ensuring the Future of Wild Sheep & Past President’s/Chairman’s Reception

EDGE Nightclub

6:30 pm - 7:30 pm Hosted Bar Tuscany Ballroom

6:30 pm - 10:00 pm Conservation Night - Banquet & Auction Tuscany Ballroom Evening Sponsored by: SITKA, YETI, Kenetrek, Gunwerks & Alaska WSF Award Presentations:

• Jack O’Connor Writers Award

• Townsend Youth Conservation Award

10:00 pm - 2:00 am

FRIDAY - JAN 13

8:00 am - 5:30 pm

9:00 am - 3:00 pm

Sheep Camp Hospitality

Tuscany Foyer Horse Packing Competition Sponsored by: Midnight Sun Outfitters & Sherwood Outfitters

Exhibitor & Attendee Registration Open RS-CC

8:00 am - 10:00 am Exhibitor Breakfast RS-CC

Youth Wildlife Conservation Experience

RS-CC - F1-10 & Hall 4 Sponsored by: MidwayUSA Foundation

9:00 am - 10:30 am WSF Annual Members Meeting

RS-CC - Room A6

TBD am Nevada Working Group Meeting RS-CC - TBD Sponsored by: Fraternity of the Desert Bighorn

10:00 am - 5:00 pm Exhibit Hall Open RS-CC Silent Auction Open RS-CC Sponsored by: Wyoming WSF

10:30 am - 3:15 pm Seminars RS-CC

11:30 am - 2:00 pm

Ladies Luncheon “Black & White” Naples Ballroom Sponsored By: Bass Pro LLC /Cabela’s

12:00 pm - 1:30 pm WSLF Board of Trustees Meeting & Lunch

3:30 pm

RS-CC - Room A8

2x $2,500 Floor Credit Drawings - Must be present to win! RS-CC - Raffle Area Sponsored by: Fraternity of the Desert Bighorn & Texas Bighorn Society

4:00 pm - 6:00 pm <1 Club & <1 iClub Reception & Drawings

RS-CC - Mt. Rose Ballroom Sponsored by: Black Rifle Coffee Company, Jeff & Jann Demaske, Kevin & Tuesdy Small, Blue Moon Brewing Company, New West Distributors, Leupold, Midwest WSF, Montana WSF & Washington WSF

6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

6:30 pm - 10:00 pm

10:00 pm - 1:00 am

Hosted Bar Tuscany Ballroom

Legacy Night - Banquet & Auction Tuscany Ballroom Sponsored by: Alaska Outfitters Unlimited, Leupold, Schnee’s, Shikar Safaris & Browning Award Presentations: • Conklin Award Presentation

Sheep Camp Hospitality Tuscany Foyer

Entertainment: Backpack Races Tuscany Foyer Sponsored & Hosted by: Stone Glacier, RMGA & Best of the West

SATURDAY - JAN 14

7:00 am - 9:00 am

8:00 am - 5:00 pm

8:00 am - 5:00 pm

8:00 am - 10:00 am

9:00 am - 5:00 pm

9:00 am - 2:30 pm

10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Exhibitor Breakfast

RS-CC

Exhibitor & Attendee Registration Open RS-CC

Nevada Hunter Safety Course

RS-CC - A8

Tuscany Ballroom Sponsored by: Best of the West, Event Groove, WildHunting in Turkey & Asia & Life Member Patrons

Life Member Breakfast & DBHS Drawing

• Keynote Address: Lt. Col. Charles Hartford, US Army (Ret.)

Exhibit Hall Open RS-CC

Silent Auction Open RS-CC Sponsored by: Wyoming WSF

Youth Wildlife Conservation Experience

RS-CC - F1-10 & Hall 4 Sponsored by: MidwayUSA Foundation

10:30 am - 2:30 pm Seminars RS-CC

Noon - 1:30 pm

Noon - 2:00 pm

Women Hunt® Panel Discussion RSCC - A6 Jana Waller, Kristy Titus, Cami Cunningham & Brooklyn Widdifield Panel led by: Renée Thornton, Women Hunt® Chair

SHOW Luncheon

RS-CC - ?

2:30 pm Silent Auction Closes RS-CC

2:30 pm

$5,000 Floor Credit Drawing - Must be present to win! RS-CC - Raffle Area Sponsored by: Rocky Mountain Bighorn Society

4:00 pm Raffles Close - Drawings Held RS-CC - Raffle Area

4:00 pm - 6:00 pm Marco Polo Society Reception & Wine Tasting Capri Ballroom Sponsored by: Best of the West Wine Tasting hosted by: Cervantes Family Winery

5:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Exhibitor Move Out

6:30 pm Cocktails Tuscany Ballroom

7:00 pm - 11:00 pm Grand Finale Banquet - Special Permit Auction Tuscany Ballroom Sponsored by: Freelance Outdoor Adventures, Leica, & Weatherby Award Presentations:

• Special Recognition

• Annuli Photo Contest People’s Choice Award

• G.C.F. Dalziel Award

• Frank Golata Award

• Artemis Award

• Mountain Hunter Hall of Fame Award Drawings: (Immediately prior to Auction)

• 50/50 Drawing

• 1 More For 4 Drawing Grand Finale & Special Permit Auction

10:00 pm - 2:00 am Sheep Camp Hospitality

Foyer Entertainment by: Tessy Lou Williams & the Shotgun Stars

Tuscany

CULINARY CORNER

Direct from south Texas, Chef Joshua Schwencke joins the ranks of Wild Sheep Foundation to offer a wide array of culinary instruction at the 2023 Sheep Show. As a wild game chef and hunter, Chef Schwencke has brought his instruction and knowledge nationwide of taking game proteins beyond the simple chili and sausage recipes and into modern cuisine. Short, 30-minute micro courses throughout the expo will offer instruction in deboning, preparing stock, knife skills and so much more, all leading to a final cooking course centered around using wild game in modern home cooking.

WHATS IN YOUR PACK?

Adam & Cam Foss

Archery FNAWS achievers Adam & Cam Foss will share the thoughts on backpacking for wild sheep. They’ll cover gear choices for a backpack hunt, packing style and overall philosophy when it comes to gear and mountain hunting. Adam and Cam will shed light on what works for them and will help dial in a system for you.

WOMEN HUNT® SEMINAR

Cami Cunningham Brooklyn Widdifield Jana Waller Kristy Titus

Moderator: Renée Thornton, Chair of Women Hunt® Four of our communities’ most interesting women will share hunting stories, discuss the impact and roles of mentors, explore why young women aren’t waiting to hunt what many consider to be a pinnacle species to pursue (and why you shouldn’t wait either!), and so much more! Join in this lively conversation!

TROPHY IMPORTATION

Led by USFWS Endangered Species and CITES Management Authority - a must seminar for the international hunter on the current status of the trophy importing process.

NEVADA HUNTER SAFETY COURSE

Online registration for the class begins 30 days prior to class date. Students must finish independent study course work before attending the class. Students have three options for meeting the home study requirement; complete the Today’s Hunter workbook or complete that required work online. The workbook and Today’s Hunter-Nevada student manual (reference for completing the workbook) may be obtained free from any regional NDOW office. Students have two choices of internet course; www.huntercourse.com and www.huntered.com, with both courses charging an additional fee over the basic $5 class fee. Students must bring their completed workbook or Nevada Online Course Completion Confirmation (printed off the hunter-ed. com and hunterexam.com websites upon successful completion) to the class to gain admittance. For more information and to register go to http://www.ndow.org/Education/Hunter_Ed/Classes/

PRO SERIES MOUNTAIN HUNTING THE WEST AND OVERSEAS

Dan Adler

Come join WSF Life Member and Chadwick Ram Society Member Dan Adler, for an educational and fun seminar designed for all skill levels on the West’s most revered species. Dan is the owner/outfitter of Diamond Outfitters of Arizona, one of the largest guide operations in the West and is a long time WSF donor. Dan also is a host for The Best of the West TV, one of the most watched hunting television programs in North America. Dan will cover species like Desert Bighorn and Rocky Mountain Big Horn Sheep, mule deer, elk, Coues deer and more and always saves time for questions and answers. Topics like where and how to hunt, glassing etc.Will be covered. Dan is known for his skill (SCI Hunter of the Year AZ 2017) and his humor as he speaks at just about every national hunting convention. Become a next-level hunter, don’t miss it!

GASTRONOMY OUTDOORS - CULINARY CORNER

Chef Joshua Schwencke

Direct from south Texas, Chef Joshua Schwencke joins the ranks of Wild Sheep Foundation to offer a wide array of culinary instruction at the 2023 Sheep Show. As a wild game chef and hunter, Chef Schwencke has brought his instruction and knowledge nationwide of taking game proteins beyond the simple chili and sausage recipes and into modern cuisine. Short, 30-minute micro courses throughout the expo will offer instruction in deboning, preparing stock, knife skills and so much more, all leading to a final cooking course centered around using wild game in modern home cooking.

TRAINING TACTICS FOR MOUNTAIN ATHLETES IN THEIR 40S, 50S, AND 60S

Dustin Diefenderfer & Ara Megerdichian

Join the team from MTNTOUGH Fitness Lab for a presentation on training in your 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond. Maintaining consistent fitness habits is the most important thing you can do to stay in shape and reduce injury. Your body may not bounce back like they used to, but it doesn’t mean you need to resign yourself to a lower level of performance. There is no reason you can’t be in the best shape of your life as you age, but it’s going to take a little more vigilance than it used to.

A1

10 - DAY DALL’S SHEEP HUNT WITH ULTIMA THULE OUTFITTERS IN ALASKA

FOR 2023 <1CLUB

ULTIMA THULE OUTFITTERS

Donald C. Martin P: 310.766.3921

E: don-martin@earthlink.net

A2

6 - DAY MOUNTAIN LION HUNT IN NEVADA FOR 1 HUNTER

CANYONS WEST GUIDE SERVICE Dave Gowan

P: 775.934.2557

E: dave@canyonswest.com W: www.canyonswest.com

A3

3 - DAY CANTABRIAN

CHAMOIS HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER FOR <1iCLUB 2023!

(Trophy Fee included for 1 Cantabrian chamois) (100% FULLY DONATED)

HEREDEROS HUNTING

Rafa Navazo P: 34.629.033.762

E: rafa@herederoshunting.com W: www.herederoshunting.com

A4

4 - DAY CANTABRIAN

CHAMOIS HUNT IN SPAIN FOR 1 HUNTER

(Trophy Fee for 1 Cantabrian Chamois) GIUSEPPE CARRIZOSA - SPAIN Giuseppe Carrizosa P: +34.68.693.5651

E: giuseppecarrizosa@gmail.com W: www.giuseppecarrizosa.com THE CONKLIN FOUNDATION Bradford Black P: 330.802.2711

A5

10 - DAY DALL’S SHEEP/ ARCTIC GRIZZLY/BARREN GROUND/CARIBOU HUNT

FOR 1 HUNTER IN ALASKA’S ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE OR

(Hunter’s choice) 10 day Dall’s sheep/brown bear/black bear in the legendary south wrangells (Wrangell St. Elias preserve)

ALASKA OUTFITTERS UNLIMITED Aaron Bloomquist

P: 907.982.2471

E: bloomya@hotmail.com W: www.alaskaoutfittersunlimited.com W: www.huntalaska.net

B1

7 - DAY ARCHERY MULE

DEER HUNT IN ARIZONA FOR 1 HUNTER AND 1 NON-HUNTER (August velvet hunt or December rut hunt - hunters choice)

BIG CHINO OUTFITTERS JP Vicente P: 928.925.9395

E: bigchinooutfitters@gmail.com W: www.bigchinooutfitters.com

B2

4 - DAY COUES DEER HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER IN SONORA MEXICO (100% FULLY DONATED) ALCAMPO HUNTING ADVENTURES

Jacobo Artee

P: 52.662.212.5510

E: hunting@alcampo.com.mx W: www.alcampo.com.mx

B3

3 - DAY CARPATHIAN CHAMOIS HUNT IN ROMANIA FOR 1 HUNTER (Trophy for Carpathian Chamois up to 105 CIC Points Included)

CAPRINAE SAFARIS OF TURKEY Mehmet Alkan & Riza Gozluk

P: +90.532.583.9108

E: info@caprinae.com W: www.caprinae.com

B4

5 - DAY/5 NIGHT

EXCLUSIVE “BIG 5” PHOTO SAFARI FOR 2 PEOPLE WITH LUXURY LODGING MATTHEW GREEFF SAFARIS Matthew & Sylvia Greeff P: +27.83.265.2824

E: mgsafari@iafrica.com W: www.matthewgreeffsafaris.com

B5

(Two for 2023 Sheep Week)

7th ANNUAL WILD SHEEP

JURASSIC CLASSIC STURGEON FISHING TOURNAMENT • 2 - DAY TRIP FOR 2 ANGLERS JURASSIC CLASSIC COMMITTEE - WSSBC AND GOABC

Trevor Carruthers

P: 250.919.5386

E: trevor.carruthers@shaw.ca

C1

2 - DAY HUNT FOR HYBRID EUROPEAN MOUFLON/ HAWAIIAN SHEEP FOR 1 HUNTER AND 1 DAY DEEP SEA FISHING FOR UP TO 3 PEOPLE

(100% FULLY DONATED)

MAUNA LOA OUTFITTERS

Colin Onaka - WSF Life Member Steven Onaka

P: 808.960.7373

E: MaunaLoaOutfitters@gmail.com

C2

3 - DAY GOOSE & DUCK HUNT IN ALBERTA CANADA FOR 1 HUNTER

(100% FULLY DONATED)

AMERI-CANA EXPEDITIONS INC.

Nick, Dan, & Pat Frederick

P: 780.469.0579

E: ameri.cana@shaw.ca W: www.ameri-cana.com

C3

AZYRE - WILDLY HIGHPERFORMANCE GEAR

(Achieve Midweight Hiking Pants: Believe Hybrid Hoodie Jacket: Inspire Baseball Cap) (100% FULLY DONATED)

AZYRE Cari Goss

E: contact@azyregear.com W: www.azyregear.com

C4

$3,300 CREDIT FOR TWO PEOPLE FOR A RAFTING TRIP IN IDAHO

(Credit can be used for 4 days or buyer can upgrade for 6-7 days) (100% FULLY DONATED)

BARKER TROPHY HUNTS / BARKER RIVER EXPEDITIONS

Jon Barker

P: 208.836.5551

C: 509.780.9599

E: barker@barkerriver.com

W: barkerriver.com

C5

ONE WEEK STAY IN A MOUNTAIN CABIN IN THE BEAUTIFUL BIGHORN MOUNTAINS OF WYOMING

(100% FULLY DONATED)

JEFF GEIGER

P: 614.668.8222

E: jeffrey_geiger@ml.com

D1

PERSONAL COLLECTION

FROM THE LATE MARLIN

GRASSER ESTATE (Buloua watch with gold ram band & jade bases, Elgin pocket watch, mammoth ivory bracelet wth gold nugggets, buffalo hide, Signed copy of Eflins “Bear Attack” books, and Marlin Grassers personal photos and more!)

OREGON WILD SHEEP FOUNDATION

Walter Chuck

P: 541.290.4919

E: waltercopn@yahoo.com

W: www.oregonfnaws.org

D2

7 - DAY WINTER

PREDATOR

HUNT IN ALASKA

FOR 1 HUNTER

MIDNIGHT SUN SAFARIS

Coke Wallace

P: 907.978.0929

E: info@midnightsunsafaris.com W: www.midnightsunsafaris.com

D3

3 1/2 - DAY AOUDAD HUNT

FOR 1 HUNTER IN WEST TEXAS

HIGH WEST OUTFITTERS

Jim Breck Bean & Jamie Cowan

P: 915.526.3001

E: highwestoutfitter@yahoo.com

W: highwestoutfitter.com

D4

WINE TASTING FOR 50 PEOPLE ANYWHERE IN THE CONTINENTAL USA AFRICAN TRADITION

Clive Botha

P: 561.379.8243

E: blksem7@aol.com W: www.sabestwine.com

D5

MIDWEST WSF

LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP

(100% FULLY DONATED)

Mike Bouton

E: midwestwildsheep@gmail.com

D6

TEXAS BIGHORN SOCIETYLIFETIME MEMBERSHIP

(100% FULLY DONATED)

TEXAS BIGHORN SOCIETY

P: 806.754.7783

E: info@texasbighornsociety.org

W: texasbighornsociety.org

E1

3 - DAY BECEITE IBEX HUNT

FOR 1 OR 2 HUNTERS

(Includes Trophy Fees for 1 Beceite Ibex scoring up to 70 SCI and 1 Beceite ibex scoring up to 50 SCI points)

(100% FULLY DONATED)

SMC SPAIN HUNTING IBEX Salva Monforte

P: +34.670.765.336

E: info@spainhuntingibex.com W: www.spainhuntingibex.com

E2 ULTRA LIGHT BINOCULAR HARNESS

(100% FULLY DONATED)

RICK YOUNG OUTDOORS LLC

Rick Young

P: 503.702.5960

E: rick@rickyoungoutdoors.com W: www.rickyoungoutdoors.com

E3

10 - DAY MOUNTAIN

CARIBOU HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER IN NWT CANADA

(100% FULLY DONATED)

RAVEN’S THROAT OUTFITTERS

Griz & Ginger Turner

P: 867.332.7286

E: hunts2ravensthroat.com W: www.ravensthroat.com

E4

12 - DAY MOUNTAIN GOAT OR CARIBOU HUNT IN BRITISH COLUMBIA FOR 1 HUNTER (100% FULLY DONATED FOR WSF THINHORN INITIATIVE)

GOLDEN BEAR OUTFITTING Blake Williams

P: 250.794.8350

E: gbowilliams@gmail.com W: www.goldenbearoutfitting.com

E5

10 - DAY ALASKA-YUKON

MOOSE HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER IN NORTHWEST ALASKA

FREELANCE OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

Lance Kronberger

P: 907.854.2822

E: freelanceOA@mac.com

W: www.freelanceoutdooradventures.com

E1 E3 E5

E2 E4

F1

BOSWELL’S CUSTOM

Ti-SLR CHAMBERED IN 6.5 CREEDMOOR WITH SWAROVSKI Z6 2.5-15x44

BOSWELL CUSTOM FIREARMS

Steve Boswell

P: 301.739.3632

E: boswellscustom@yahoo.com W: www.boswellscustomrifles.com

F2

2 - PERSON/2-DAY EASTERN WILD TURKEY HUNT

BELL WILDLIFE SPECIALTIESDIRT NAP OUTDOORS, LLC

Paul Davis

P: 870.243.9491

E: dirtnapoutdoorsllc@gmail.com W: www.dirtnapoutdoorsllc.com

F3

4 - DAY AOUDAD HUNT

IN DEEP WEST TEXAS FOR 1 HUNTER AND 1 NON-HUNTER

SAFARI SPECIALISTS GROUP

Dalton Bannister and Kolton Moore

P: 903.203.4801

E: moorekolton@yahoo.com

W: www.safarispecialistsgroup.com

F4

5 - DAY HUNT IN BRITISH COLUMBIA FOR 1 HUNTER

(Hunters choice of one: black bear, mule deer, wolf, lynx, bobcat, birds & fishing)

BC TROPHY MOUNTAIN OUTFITTERS

Kevan Bracewell

P: 1.800.215.0913

E: info@bctrophymountainoutfitters.com W: www.bctrophymountainoutfitters.com

F5

2 - DAY RIO GRANDE

TURKEY HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER IN KANSAS (100% FULLY DONATED)

THE ORIGINAL KANSAS TROPHY WHITETAILS

Stan Christiansen

P: 314.851.7911

E: stanc942@gmail.com

W: www.kansas-trophy-whitetails.com

F6

9 - DAY ALASKAN HUNT FOR 2 MOUNTAIN GOATS AND 1 SITKA BLACKTAIL DEER FOR 1 HUNTER

KODIAK OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

Paul Chervenak

P: 907.486.3008

E: paul@kodiakoutdoors.com

W: www.kodiakoutdoors.com

G1

10 - DAY AFRICAN SAFARI

HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER AND 1 NON-HUNTER (Trophy fees included for red hartebeest, zebra, impala, waterbuck, and springbuck)

(100% FULLY DONATED) BUCCARA AFRICA Chris Nortje P: +27.060.555.548

E: chris@bucarra.de W: www.buccara-africa.com

G2

7 - DAY BULL GIRAFFE HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER IN SOUTH AFRICA (Trophy fee credit of $2,500 for 1 bull giraffe up to 40” is included) (100% FULLY DONATED) CHASSEURS DE MOCAMBIQUE

Juan Pace

P: 0027.732.137.902

E: safari.cdm@outlook.com W: www.cdmocambique.com

G3

4 - DAY TARPON FISHING & 1 - DAY ALLIGATOR

HUNTING FOR 2 ANGLERS/ HUNTERS

2023 SHEEP SHOW RAFFLE BIENVENUE OUTDOORS

Camille Bienvenue P: 941.806.8062

E: bienvenueoutdoors@outlook.com W: www.bienvenueoutdoors.com

G4

5 - DAY SOUTH AFRICAN HUNT/FISHING & BIRD SHOOTING FOR 2 HUNTERS

(Included is $1,000 towards trophy fee per hunter) (100% FULLY DONATED) JP BIG GAME SAFARIS Juan Pace

P: 0027.76.922.3715

E: info@jpsafaris.com W: www.jpsafaris.com

G5

3 - DAY PYRENEAN CHAMOIS HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER AND 1 NON-HUNTER - <1iCLUB 2023!

(100% FULLY DONATED)

ATP HUNT Andres Torrico Pena

P: 0034.600.440.962

E: atp@atphunt.com W: www.atphunt.com

H1

5 - DAY ARIZONA COUES

DEER HUNT(with Mountain Lion Bonus) FOR 4 HUNTERS

DIAMOND OUTFITTERS

Dan and Terri Adler

P: 520.730.8147

E: Dan@DiamondOutfitters.com W: www.DiamondOutfitters.com

H2 14 KARAT YELLOW GOLD TWO TONE DIAMOND RING CLUSTER (Appraisal Included)

Rex Baker & Sara Dunham

P: 404.626.3300

THE CONKLIN FOUNDATION Bradford Black

H3

3 - DAY SINDH IBEX (up to 39”) HUNT IN PAKISTAN FOR 1 HUNTER - (Trophy Fee up to 39” is Included)

CAPRINAE SAFARIS OF TURKEY Mehmet Alkan & Riza Gozluk

P: +90.532.583.9108

E: info@caprinae.com W: www.caprinae.com

H4

MONTANA LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP

(100% FULLY DONATED)

MONTANA WSF

D.J. Berg P: 405.366.1849

E: dj@montanawsf.org W: www.montanawsf.org

H5

5 - DAY ARIZONA

MOUNTAIN LION HUNT WITH HOUNDS FOR 1 HUNTER

DIAMOND OUTFITTERS

Dan and Terri Adler

P: 520.730.8147

E: Dan@DiamondOutfitters.com W: www.DiamondOutfitters.com

H6

6 - NIGHT ALL INCLUSIVE VACATION ON THE 7D RANCH IN WYOMING WILDERNESS FOR 2 PEOPLE

(100% FULLY DONATED)

7D RANCH

Meade & Andrea Dominick

P: 307.587.9885

E: ranch7d@wyoming.com W: www.7dranch.com

H1 H2 H4 H6

H3

H7

ZEBRA RUG FROM ZIMBABWE - 9’ x 6’

PRAIRIE MOUNTAIN WILDLIFE STUDIOS (100% FULLY DONATED) Chris Cammack P: 605.515.0769

E: prairiemountain@goldenwest.net

H8

SKYFALL PACKAGE (Cronos Hoodie, Ares Jacket, Dallol LS, Vellus Jacket, Pant & Gloves, Ventus Handwarmer, Beanie and Neck Gaiter) (100% FULLY DONATED)

KRYPTEK OUTDOOR GROUP P: 208.938.2266

E: madie@kryptek.com W: kryptek.com

H9

CRISPI BRIKSDAL PRO GTX BOOT (100% FULLY DONATED)

CRISPI BOOTS Kendall Card P: 844.527.4774 E: kendall@crispius.com W: www.crispius.com

H10 CRISPI GUIDE GTX BOOTS (100% FULLY DONATED) CRISPI BOOTS Kendall Card P: 844.527.4774

E: kendall@crispius.com W: www.crispius.com

H11

SPRUCE STOVE W/HOT WATER TANK (24X14X14 - 77lbs) (100% FULLY DONATED)

COLORADO CYLINDER STOVES Wes Beaver P: 970.986.0047

i1

6 - DAY ALBERTA

WHITETAIL DEER HUNT

FOR 1 HUNTER

(100% FULLY DONATED)

CARTER OUTFITTING LTD. Scott Carter P: 780.977.8188

E: carteroutfitting@gmail.com W: www.carteroutfitting.com

i2 3 1/2-DAY AOUDAD HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER IN WEST TEXAS

(Giveaway Hunt during Ram/FNAWS/ International Awards Luncheon)

HIGH WEST OUTFITTERS

Jim Breck Bean & Jamie Cowan

P: 915.526.3001

E: highwestoutfitter@yahoo.com W: highwestoutfitter.com

i3

MARK V BACKCOUNTRY

2.0 338 WBY RPM (100% FULLY DONATED) WEATHERBY P: 307.675.7800

E: lcervatnes@weatherby.com W: www.weatherby.com

i4 BARNEY’S

PINNACLE PACK (100% FULLY DONATED)

BARNEY’S SPORTS CHALET, INC. Kevin Dana P: 907.854.1555

E: kevin@barneysports.org W: www.barney’ssports.com

i5

12 - DAY STONES' SHEEP HUNT IN NORTHERN

BRITISH COLUMBIA

2023 SHEEP SHOW RAFFLE

SPATSIZI RIVER OUTFITTERS

P: 250.847.9692

E: hunt@spatsizi.com W: www.spatsizi.com i6

8 - DAY / 7 - NIGHTS

FISHING AND JUNGLE EXCURSION IN BELIZE

FOR 4 PEOPLE

SAFARI UNLIMITED LLC

Drake Dawson

P: 573.544.2041

E: safariunlimitedllc@gmail.com

www.safariunlimitedworldwide.com

J1

10 - DAY LA PALMOSA DESERT SHEEP HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER AND 2 NON-HUNTERS

(100% FULLY DONATED)

LA PALMOSA - HUNTING OUTFITTER

Emilio Espino

P: +521.811.916.4668

E: info@lapalmosa.com

J2 4 - DAY MEXICAN HIGH DESERT ELK HUNT & WEATHERBY WSF THINHORN EDITION RIFLE PACKAGE IN 6.5 RPM CALIBERENDOWMENT GRAND PRIZE (100% FULLY DONATED)

LA PALMOSA - HUNTING OUTFITTER

Emilio Espino

P: +521.811.916.4668

FTW RANCH

Tim Fallon

P: 830.234.4366 or 864.814.3220

E: timfallon@ftwsaam.com J4 7 - DAY NILE CROCODILE HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER AND 1 NON-HUNTER IN MOZAMBIQUE (Trophy fee for one Crocodile Included)

ROCHE SAFARIS

Roche du Preez

P: +27.836.76.5748

E: info@rochesafaris.com W: www.rochesafaris.com

J5

"MATRIARCH OF THE MOUNTAIN" 1 of 1 SIGNED & FRAMED PHOTO

(100% FULLY DONATED)

MOUNTAIN GIRL PHOTOGRAPHY

Tessa Fowler

P: 307.250.9424

E: wyomingmountaingirl@hotmail.com

W: mountaingirlphotography.shootproof.com

J6

BEAUTIFUL BROWN MINK JACKET - REVERSIBLE TO DOWN JACKET

ALASKA FUR GALLERY

Miriam Hernandez

P: 907.274.3877

E: info@akfurgallery.com

alaskafurgallery.com

K1

5 - DAY WOLF HUNT FOR 4 HUNTERS IN CANADA

SAVAGE BIGHORNS LTD. Chad Lenz

P: 403.844.7603

E: lenz@xplornet.com W: www.albertabighorn.com

K2

5 - DAY BLACK BEAR HUNT IN ONTARIO FOR 1 HUNTER

(100% FULLY DONATED)

KAP RIVER OUTFITTERS

Peter & Terry Martin

P: 705.335.3163

E: kroceo47@gmail.com

K3

5 - DAY TROPHY WOLF HUNT IN ONTARIO FOR 1 HUNTER (100% FULLY DONATED)

KAP RIVER OUTFITTERS

Peter & Terry Martin P: 705.335.3163

E: kroceo47@gmail.com

K4 12 - DAY ALASKAN

PENINSULA TROPHY MOOSE HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER

KATMAI GUIDE SERVICE

Joe & Joey Klutsch P: 907.246.3030

E: joeklutsch@gmail.com W: www.katmaiguideservice.com

K5

6 - DAY RIFLE ONLY HUNT FOR ELK IN MONTANA FOR 1 HUNTER

JACK CREEK PRESERVE FOUNDATION

Abi King P: 406.682.3358

E: aking@jackcreekpreserve.org W: www.jackcreekpreserve.org

K6

12 - DAY DALL SHEEP HUNT & TWO WOLVES & ONE WOLVERINE FOR 1 HUNTER

2023 SHEEP SHOW RAFFLE NORTHCURL OUTFITTERS

Mac & Leona Watson

P: 780.646.2161

E: hunt@northcurl.com

W: www.northcurl.com

L1

3 - DAY BECEITE IBEX HUNT

FOR 1 OR 2 HUNTERS

(Includes Trophy Fees for 1 Beceite Ibex scoring up to 70 SCI and 1 Beceite ibex scoring up to 50 SCI points)

(100% FULLY DONATED)

SMC SPAIN HUNTING IBEX Salva Monforte

P: +34.670.765.336

E: info@spainhuntingibex.com W: www.spainhuntingibex.com

THE CONKLIN FOUNDATION

Bradford Black P: 330.802.2711

L2

HANDMADE BRACELET CUFF INCORPORATED W/ WSF LOGO BY SILVERSMITH DAVE SAUNDERS

(100% FULLY DONATED)

WSF Auctioneer - Les Ohlhauser

L3

EXQUISITE CATERED

SUSHI EXPERIENCE

FOR 15-20 PEOPLE

KYLE NAKAMOTO

P: 402.650.3654

E: ssafirearms@gmail.com

L4

FANCY SAPPHIRE & DIAMOND RING BRILLIANT STARS

P: 516.365.9000

E: nicole@brilliantstars.com W: www.brilliantstars.com

THE CONKLIN FOUNDATION Bradford Black P: 330.802.2711

L5

TROPHY CLEANING FOR HOME OR OFFICE

(100% FULLY DONATED)

OLD WOLF TAXIDERMY CLEANING & REPAIR Fritz Richards

P: 775.303.2969

E: oldwolfcleaning@att.net W: www.oldwolftaxidermycleaning.com

L6

12 - DAY SPRING KODIAK

ISLAND BROWN BEAR HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER

ROHRER BEAR CAMP

Sam Rohrer

P: 907.486.4074

C: 907.539.1828

sam@kodiakbearcamp.com

kodiakbearcamp.com

M1

8 - DAY SABLE, ZEBRA, BLUE WILDEBEEST, BLESBUCK

HUNT FOR 2 HUNTERS AND 2 - NON-HUNTERS

(Trophy fees included one of each species mentioned to be shared by the hunters) (100% FULLY DONATED)

AFRICA MAXIMUM SAFARIS Jacques Senekal P: +27.82.802.3919

E: africamaximum@gmail.com W: www.africamaximum.co.za

M2

CUSTOM WSF INLAID CUTTING BOARD (100% FULLY DONATED)

ROUGH CUT COMPANY Kim Siegler

E: roughcutcompany@gmail.com W: www.roughcutcompany.com

M3

2 - DAY/2-NIGHT PHEASANT HUNT FOR 2 HUNTERS IN SOUTH DAKOTA (100% FULLY DONATED)

PHEASANT CITY LODGE Cameron Shumake & Kevin Tevedal P: 605.539.9244

P: 605.354.0743

E: hunt@pheasantcity.com W: www.pheasantcity.com

M4

DALL SHEEP HORN VASE ON A ROCK BASE

WYO BACKCOUNTRY DECOR

Josh & Jenny Taylor P: 307.899.4553 or 4645

E: wyobackcountrydecor@gmail.com W: www.wyobackcountrydecor.com

M5

FLYFISHING UNDER THE BIG SKY OF MONTANA - THE LEGENDARY

BLACKFOOT RIVER (100% FULLY DONATED)

EVENTGROOVE Lance Trebesch

P: 406.600.6321

E: lance@eventgroove.com W: www.eventgroove.com

M6

6 - DAYS OF FISHING IN ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO FOR 1 ANGLER AND 20% OFF FOR ADDITIONAL ANGLERS (100% FULLY DONATED)

LAD SHUNNESON ADVENTURES & KEN WILSON CONSULTANT Lad Shunneson P: 303.258.7777

E: ladadventures@webtv.net

PRIVATE ROCKY MOUNTAIN SHEEP FLIP FLOP BACK YARD BBQ FOR 25 PEOPLE (CONTINENTIAL USA)

(100% FULLY DONATED)

THE FLIP FLOP GUY Andy Moeckel P: 415.578.8235

E: andrewjamesmoeckel@gmail.com W: www.theflipflopguy.com N2 RICK YOUNG OUTDOORS LLC - SHOOTING STICKS

(100% FULLY DONATED) RICK YOUNG OUTDOORS LLC Rick Young P: 503.702.5960

(100% FULLY DONATED) DALLAS SAFARI CLUB Nate Watson P: 972.980.9800

E: nate@biggame.org W: www.biggame.org N4 OBSKURA TRANSITIONAL PACKAGE (Dalibor

E: info@eurohunts.es W: www.eurohunts.es

N6

6-DAY GREENLAND HUNT FOR 2 CENTRAL BARREN GROUND CARIBOU AND ATLANTIC SALMON FISHING & ARCTIC CHAR TRIP FOR 1 HUNTER

POINT BLANK HUNTS

Joseph Jakab P: 724.557.4274

E: pointblank.jj@gmail.com W: www.joejakobpointblankhunts.com

N7

ALTITUDE PACKAGE (Sentinel Pant, Sonora Pant, Sonora Hoodie, Dallol SS, Valhalla Pant, Arma Hoodie, Tora Jacket, Ghar Jacket, Arma Neck Gaiter, Takur Gaiter, Arma Beanie, Krypton Gloves)

(100% FULLY DONATED)

KRYPTEK OUTDOOR GROUP P: 208.938.2266

E: madie@kryptek.com W: kryptek.com

N8

LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP TO WYOMING WSF (100% FULLY DONATED) WYOMING WSF P: 307.213.0998

E: info@qhomingwildsheep.org W: www.wyomingwildsheep.org

N9

KENETREK MOUNTAIN EXTREME 400 WOMENS BOOTS

(100% FULLY DONATED)

KENETREK

Jim & Christine Winjum P: 406.556.5780

E: jim.w@kenetrek.com W: www.kenetrek.com

N10

KENETREK MOUNTAIN EXTREME NI MEN'S BOOT

(100% FULLY DONATED)

KENETREK

Jim & Christine Winjum

P: 406.556.5780

E: jim.w@kenetrek.com W: www.kenetrek.com

N11

KENETREK BRIDGER LOW HIKER

(100% FULLY DONATED)

KENETREK

Jim & Christine Winjum P: 406.556.5780

E: jim.w@kenetrek.com W: www.kenetrek.com

O1

STONE GLACIER –

CHILKOOT 15° & SKY 5900

(100% FULLY DONATED)

STONE GLACIER

P: 406.404.0641

E: info@stoneglacier.com W: www.stoneglacier.com

O2

ENGRAVED COLT FIRST GEN SAA - WITH GOLD INLAYS

FRIENDS OF WSF

P: 406.404.8750

E: info@wildsheepfoundation.org

W: www.wildsheepfoundation.org

O3

WSF & WSF ALASKA LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP

(100% FULLY DONATED)

AK WILD SHEEP FOUNDATION

Kevin Kehoe

P: 907.441.6323

Wild Sheep Foundation Maddie Richards P: 406.404.8755

O4 BC LYNX PELT

(100% FULLY DONATED)

BC TRAPPERS ASSOCIATION Glen Cartwright

P: 604.351.1338

E: glenshaw@shaw.ca

O5

TRAPLINE TOUR IN BRITISH COLUMBIA (2-DAY FOR 2-PEOPLE OR 4-DAYS FOR 1 PERSON)

(100% FULLY DONATED)

GLEN CARTWRIGHT

P: 604.351.1338

E: glenshaw@shaw.ca

O6

BEST OF THE WEST CLASSIC SHOOTING SYSTEM

(100% FULLY DONATED)

BEST OF THE WEST

Brian Harrington

P: 319.558.7253

E: brian@botwholdings.com

W: www.thebestofthewest.net O7

6 VINTAGE HUNTING PUBLICATIONS FROM 19371957 SPORTS & STREAM, OUTDOOR

LIFE & TRUE MAGAZINE

(100% FULLY DONATED)

SUMMIT LIFE MEMBERS

DALE & DONNA GAUGLER

P: 610.909.6000

Bo Morgan

P: 928.202.7890

E: gowithbo@msn.com W: gowithboonline.com THE CONKLIN FOUNDATION Bradford Black P: 330.802.2711 P2 “NEVADA BIGHORN”

CORMIER FINE ART

Wilfred Harmon Cormier

P: 702.492.6937

cormier@earthlink.net

www.hcormier.com

LASER SHOT

Alan Winslette P: 281.240.1122

tradeshows@lasershot.com

www.lasershot.com

SALMON CATCHER LODGE Bill Davis

P: 907.394.4868

MYSTERY RANCH Ryan Holm

ryan@mysteryranch.com

VORTEX

Paul Neess

P: 608.662.1067

E: pneess@vortexoptics.com

www.vortexoptics.com

Q1

HOWA RIMFIRE 22LR - BLACK STOCK

(100% FULLY DONATED) LEGACY SPORTS INTERNATIONAL Chad J. Peters P: 775.221.7363

E: cpeters@legacysports.com W: www.legacysports.com

Q2

6 - DAY / 7 - NIGHT SOUTH AFRICAN SAFARI HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER

(100% FULLY DONATED)

LEGELELA SAFARIS Reinier Linde

P: 27.82.410.6265

E: info@legelelasafaris.co.za W: www.legelelasafaris.co.za THE CONKLIN FOUNDATION Bradford Black P: 330.802.2711

Q3

LEATHER BOUND HISTORY BOOK - FOUNDATION FOR NORTH AMERICAN WILD SHEEP (100% FULLY DONATED) WSF MEMBER SCOTT LINDERS

Q4

CUSTOM STEEL WALL HANGING “SHEEP CAMP” 30” X 24” (100% FULLY DONATION) SCOTT KELLY P: 602.725.3025

Q5

ADBSS LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP & MERCHANDISE (100% FULLY DONATED) ADBSS Charlie Kelly

P: 480.854.8950

E: azsheepguy@gmail.com W: www.adbss.org

Q6

4 - DAY/3 - NIGHT

EXCLUSIVE ADVENTURE AT LA PALMOSA FOR 6 PEOPLE

(Culinary experience, wildlife viewing, spa and much more!)

100% FULLY DONATED LA PALMOSA Emilio Espino

P: 52.818.181.2924

E: info@lapalmosa.com W: www.lapalmosa.com

R1

HOWA RIMFIRE

17HMR - BLACK STOCK

(100% FULLY DONATED)

LEGACY SPORTS INTERNATIONAL

Chad J. Peters

P: 775.221.7363

E: cpeters@legacysports.com W: www.legacysports.com

R2

CITADEL LEVER ACTION 410

(100% FULLY DONATED)

LEGACY SPORTS INTERNATIONAL

Chad J. Peters

P: 775.221.7363

E: cpeters@legacysports.com W: www.legacysports.com

R3

5 - DAY CANTABRIAN

CHAMOIS HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER CANTABRIAN MOUNTAINS OF SPAIN

IBERIAN HUNTERS

Luis Ruiz Del Olmo P: +34.620.28.3418

E: luisruizdelolmo@outlook.es W: www.iberianhunters.com

THE CONKLIN FOUNDATION Bradford Black P: 330.802.2711

R4

"THE CHADWICK RAM" BRONZE SCULPTURE

(100% FULLY DONATED)

TIM SHINABARGER P: 406.690.4748

E: trcshin@hotmail.com W: www.timshinabarger.com

R5

SMITH & WESSON .38

REVOLVER W/16 ROUNDS AMMO & SOFT CASE

(100% FULLY DONATED)

KYLE MEINTZER

WSF Marco Polo Society & Summit Life Member P: 775.657.8239

(100% FULLY DONATED)

THE LOG GUYS

Dale & Jacque Sims

P: 307.899.4936

E: daleandjacque@yahoo.com W: www.wyominglogguys.net

S1

10 - DAY CHIHUAHUA

DESERT BIGHORN

SHEEP HUNT 2023 SHEEP SHOW RAFFLE RANCHO LA GUARIDA Jose Antonio Vallina Laguera P: 011.52.1614.427.0840

E: jav@laguaridaranch.com W: www.laguaridaranch.com

S2

5 - DAY MEXICAN TEXANUS

WHITETAIL DEER HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER

(100% FULLY DONATED)

HUNT CONEXION MEXICO Alberto Valdes

P: 830.494.3006

E: alberto@ranchomx.com W: www.ranchomx.com

THE CONKLIN FOUNDATION Bradford Black P: 330.802.2711

S3

“ECLIPSE” TWO CUSTOM

SHEEP HORN KNIVESBIGHORN & STONE’S (100% FULLY DONATED)

FRONTIERSMEN GEAR - TANNER DANNISH P: 250.219.6840

E: tanner.dannish@frontiersmengear.ca W: www.frontiersmengear.ca BOD KYLE & MELANIE STELTER P: 250.619.8415

E: tanner.danish@frontiersmengear.ca W: www.frontiersmengear.ca

S4

COLT AR15 SPORTER MATCH

HBAR IN .223 REMINGTON (5.56 NATO) (100% FULLY DONATED) GRAY AND RENEE THORNTON P: 406.404.8750

E: thorntonranchmt@gmail.com

S5

NAMIBIA VELD TO FORK 10 - DAY SAFARI ADVENTURE FOR 12 PEOPLE ARU

Danene vd Westhuyzen

P: +002.648.1129.5536

E: danene@arugamelodges.com W: www.arusafaris.com

S6

FAST FIND PERSONAL LOCATOR BEACON (100% FULLY DONATED)

WSF Marco Polo Society & Summit Life Member KYLE MEINTZER

P: 775.657.8239

T1

10 - DAY DALL'S SHEEP HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER IN ALASKA<1CLUB HUNT

ALASKA OUTFITTERS UNLIMITED Aaron Bloomquist

P: 907.982.2471

E: bloomya@hotmail.com W: www.alaskaoutfittersunlimited.com

T2

12 - DAY DALL SHEEP HUNT & TWO WOLVES & ONE WOLVERINE FOR 1 HUNTER FOR 2023 <1CLUB

NORTHCURL OUTFITTERS

Mac & Leona Watson

P: 780.646.2161

E: hunt@northcurl.com W: www.northcurl.com

T3

7 - DAY PAMIR IBEX HUNT IN TAJIKISTAN FOR 1 HUNTER

(Trophy fee included for Anatolian ibex) (100% FULLY DONATED)

SHIKAR SAFARIS Kaan Karakaya P: +90.242.226.3115

E: info@shikarsafaris.com W: www.shikarsafaris.com

T4 3 - DAY / 2 - NIGHT ICE FISHING DERBY FOR A 3 PERSON TEAM

(100% FULLY DONATED)

KIM NIETERS & PATRICK FRIEDLY P: 406.404.8764

E: knieters@wildsheepfoundation.org

T5 REMINGTON WINGMASTER 870 20 GAUGE PUMP ACTION SHOTGUN

(100% FULLY DONATED) KYLE MEINTZER

WSF Marco Polo Society & Summit Life Member P: 775.657.8239

T6

RUGER #1 300 H&H MAG -BIG HEARTS UNDER THE BIG SKY (100% FULLY DONATED)

LAWRENCE MCGOVERN WSF Board of Director

BRITISH COLUMBIA

MOUNTAIN SHEEP SPECIAL HUNTING PERMIT MINISTRY OF FORESTS FISH & WILDLIFE BRANCH AND THE HABITAT CONSERVATION TRUST FOUNDATION

Michael Burwash

P: 250.312.7305

Jeff Cole

P: 928.871.6595

E: jcole@nndfw.org

STATE OF WASHINGTON

CALIFORNIA BIGHORN SHEEP

STATE OF WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE

Kyle Garrison Ungulate Section Manager Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife P: 360.584.3315

E: kyle.garrison@dfw.wa.gov

Kelly Smith P: 778.698.9227 WYOMING GOVERNOR’S SHIRAS MOOSE

WYOMING GAME & FISH DEPARTMENT

Tim Thomas (WGFD)

P: 307.752.0659

E: tim.thomas@wyo.gov

Kurt Eisenach (WY-WSF)

P: 307.751.6251

E: keyes555@msn.com

NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF GAME & FISH WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT DIVISION

Nicole Tatman • P:505.476.8035

C:505.469.3966

Eric Rominger • P: 505.476.8045

C: 505.690.3207

Caitlin Ruhl • P: 505.476.8063

C: 505.414.5029

COLORADO ROCKY MOUNTAIN GOAT LICENSE

ROCKY MOUNTAIN GOAT ALLIANCE

Carla Rhyant

E: info@goatalliance.org

ALBERTA MINISTER’S

SPECIAL LICENCE, ROCKY MOUNTAIN BIGHORN SHEEP ALBERTA PROFESSIONAL OUTFITTERS

Jeana Schuurman

P: 780.404.0588

E: jeana@apos.ab.ca

W: www.apos.ab.ca.com

OREGON BIGHORN SHEEP TAG

OREGON DEPARTMENT

OF FISH & WILDLIFE

Don Whittaker

P: 503.947.6325

E: don.whittaker@state.or.us

NEW MEXICO ROCKY MOUNTAIN BIGHORN SHEEP PERMIT

NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF GAME & FISH WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT DIVISION

Eric Rominger • P: 505.476.8045

C: 505.690.3207

Caitlin Ruhl • P: 505.476.8063

C: 505.414.5029

STATE OF NEVADA

PRONGHORN TAG

STATE OF NEVADA

DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE

P: 775.688.1512

-Frank DeGennaro

JERRY HERROD

entry into the annual sheep hunts and gear package drawing. Renewing <1 Club Members receive an entry into the annual drawing. ONE ENTRY PER MEMBER ONLY!

3. <1 Club Members must be a member of WSF in good standing on the drawing date (Jan. 13, 2023) to be entered into drawing. Family Membership in WSF qualifies. You may sign up each family member in the <1 Club for $25 per person if each family member enlisted satisfies Rule #1 above. Winner must be of legal hunting age within the state/prov. at the time of the hunt. Alaska = 10 years old • NWT = 12 years old. If not, another name will be drawn.

4. Four sheep hunts and (4) prize packages will be given away! <1 Club Members will be entered into a drawing for a Dall’s sheep hunt with Alaskan Outfitters Unlimted, Ultima Thule Outfitters and North Curl Outfitters and a Desert Sheep Hunt with Sierra El Alamo. The hunt winners will also receive a SAAM’s Precision Level One Rifle Training program with FTW Outfitters in Texas, a pedestal mount from one of the three following taxidermists: Joe Zweifel of Wildlife Revolutions, Chris Cammack of Brush Country Studios, Dawayne Dewey of Dewey Wildlife Studios, 1 replica from WYO Backcountry Décor (Shipping of the pedestal mounts and replica are the responsibility of the hunt winners.) To ensure that each hunt is fully equipped with the best, each hunt winner will also receive a clothing and gear package including head to toe Sitka Gear clothing, Kenetrek boots, Leupold optics, a Mystery Ranch backpack, and OnXMaps mobile device maps. Each hunt winner will also receive a $500 travel credit donated by Washington WSF.

5. First drawn will receive choice of hunt and pedestal mount and NEED NOT BE PRESENT TO WIN. Second drawn receives second choice of hunt and pedestal mount and MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN. Third drawn receives the remaining hunt and pedestal mount and also MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN. Winners are eligible for one prize per year only. Travel to and from sheep hunts and shooting school is responsibility of the winners. Shipment of mounts and replicas is also responsibility of the winners.

6. Drawing will be held Friday, January 13, 2023 during the 4-6 pm <1 Club/<1 iClub Reception during the 2023 Sheep Show® with beer sponsored by Blue Moon Brewing in the Mount Rose Ballroom of the Reno-Sparks Convention Center.

NOTE: Membership in the <1 Club does not include entry into the <1 Club/<1iClub Beer Reception. A $20 Reception ticket is required for entry.

7. Hunts are to be taken only in the year specified by the donors. Exceptions are subject to donor’s approval. Hunts MAY ONLY be transferred to another <1 Club Member in good standing & MAY NOT BE SOLD.

8. By signing you certify that you have not yet taken a wild sheep ram* in North America (free range California bighorn, Dall’s, desert bighorn, fannin, Rocky Mountain bighorn or Stone’s sheep) or an indigenous ram internationally and that you have read and understand the Rules and Regulations set forth by WSF for the <1 Club.

*NOTE: A wild sheep ram is considered a California bighorn, Dall’s, desert bighorn, fannin, Rocky Mountain bighorn or Stone’s sheep in North America or a non North American wild sheep taken outside of North America and recognized under WSF’s Mountain Monarchs Award Program.

The <1 Club is for those aspiring sheep hunters who have not taken a wild sheep ram under free range/fair chase conditions in North America or an indigenous ram outside of North America.

The <1 iClub is for those who have not taken a free range wild sheep or goat outside of North America. A free range Armenian sheep, Barbary sheep/aoudad, mouflon or Red sheep taken in North America does not exclude you from membership from either the <1 Club or the <1 iClub.

I

Annual Member, $45 (U.S.)

Family Membership, $80 (U.S.) (see # 3 in Rules & Regulations)

Three Year Member, $120 (U.S.)

Life Membership, $1,000 (U.S.) $750, age 59-64 • $500, age over 65 Payment plans are available. Call for options.

Summit Life Membership $2,500 (U.S.) Life Member upgrades are available. Call for options. International Member $100 (U.S.) Non-North

1. <1 iClub “Membership” is open ONLY to those mountain hunters who have not yet taken an international wild sheep ram or goat under free range/fair chase conditions*.

2. Annual Membership in the <1 iClub is only $25. New <1 iClub Members receive a <1 iClub T-shirt, club decal, and one (1) entry into the sheep and goat hunts and gear package drawing.

3. <1 iClub Members must be a member of WSF in good standing on the drawing date (Jan. 13, 2023) to be entered into drawing. Family Membership in WSF qualifies. You may sign up each family member in the <1 iClub for $25 per person if each family member enlisted satisfies Rule #1 above.

4. <1 iClub Members will be entered into a drawing for an Cantabrian Chamois from Herederos Hunting, a Carpathian Chamois from Caprianae Safaris and a Cantabrian Chamois from ATP Hunt. Taxidermy shoulder mounts have been donated Monarch Taxidermy and a pedestal mount by Dakota Taxidermy & . (Shipping of the mounts are the responsibility of the hunt winner.) To ensure that each hunt is fully equipped with the best, each hunt winner will also receive a $1,000 gift certificate from Kryptek, Schnee’s boots, Leupold optics, and a Stone Glacier backpack. Each hunt winner will also receive a $500 travel credit.

5. First drawn will receive choice of hunts and NEEDS NOT BE PRESENT TO WIN. Second and third drawn receives remaining hunts and MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN. Winners are eligible for one prize per year only. Travel to and from sheep/goat hunts is responsibility of the winners. Shipment of mounts is also responsibility of the winners.

6. Drawing will be held Friday, January 13, 2023 during the <1 Club/<1iClub Beer Reception sponsored by Blue Moon Brewing in the Mt. Rose Ballroom at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center.

NOTE: Membership in the <1 iClub does not include entry into the <1 Club/<1iClub Beer Reception. A $20 Reception ticket is required for entry.

7. Hunts are to be taken only in the year specified by the donors. Exceptions are subject to donor’s approval. Hunts may only be transferred to another <1 iClub Member in good standing and MAY NOT BE SOLD.

8. By signing you certify that you have not yet taken an international (non North American) wild sheep ram or wild goat* and that you have read and understand the Rules and Regulations set forth by WSF for the <1 iClub.

*NOTES: As recognized as a wild sheep ram or goat in the CIC Phenotype List Caprinae (available on WSF website) and under the rules of the WSF Ram and Mountain Monarchs Award Programs.

The <1 iClub is for those who have not taken a free range wild sheep or goat outside of North America. Accordingly, a free range Armenian sheep, aoudad, mouflon, red sheep, or wild feral goat taken in North America does not exclude you from membership in the <1 iClub.

I am already a member of WSF. (see #3 in Rules & Regulations)

Annual Member, $45 (U.S.)

Family Membership, $80 (U.S.) (see # 3 in Rules & Regulations)

Three Year Member, $120 (U.S.)

Life Membership $1,000 (U.S.) $750, age 59-64 • $500, age over 65 Payment plans are available. Call for options.

Summit Life Membership $1,500 (U.S.) (Must be a Life Member) Life Member upgrades are available. Call for options.

International Member $100 (U.S.) Non-North American I want to join or renew my membership in the <1 iClub for $25. (see #2 in Rules & Regulations)

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SHEEP SHORTS

by Bobby Theis

NEW TEXAS STATE RECORD

In 2021, I was fortunate to acquire the Texas State auction tag from Texas Parks and Wildlife from the virtual auction at the Sheep Show® . Hiring Jim Breck Bean and Jasper Klein to help guide, along with numerous TPWD staffers including wildlife biologist, Cody McEntire and manager of the Sierra Diablo

WMA, Josh Cross, we set the hunt date for the third week in March of 2022. The date was set knowing rams would be in larger groups up on the state-owned Elephant Mountain WMA at that time.

Upon arriving and checking in, we headed out for the afternoon to begin scouting. By sheep hunting standards

this was not considered a tough hunt, so I requested there be no pre-scouting before I arrived so we could enjoy finding the oldest and largest ram on the mountain as a team. The weather was cold, and the first afternoon, we spotted a group of 20-plus rams. Being late in the day we decided to just watch from a distance and not disturb

Photo: Duncan Gilcrest

the group the first evening.

The next morning, we woke up to an extremely windy cold front that blew in with gusts around 50 MPH— and it was just plain cold. We scouted most of the day and saw well over 40 rams, but not the particular ram that Cody had seen a month prior while on the mountain that we wanted to get a look at.

Late in the afternoon Josh spotted a group of bighorns on a different part of the mountain. Jim Breck, Jasper, Cody and I relocated to that part of the mountain to get a better look at the rams. We were about 1400 yards out and the air conditions were not favorable, but Jim Breck saw what he thought was an exceptional ram through his spotting scope.

We headed up top and walked awhile to get above the group of rams. We spotted the big ram about 400 yards below us. He was with four other really nice rams, and our group aged him at 10 to 11 years old and estimated him measuring in the

mid to upper 170’s. At that time, the sheep were feeding toward us and we discussed the possibility of taking this ram. We had spotted a few other rams on the far side of the mountain range earlier in the day, so Jim Breck advised that he was not certain the ram was the largest on the mountain. However, he was certainly a great old ram and Jim Breck was being conservative on his score estimation. We had no idea we were looking at the new state record. I decided that the ram was just a super ram and I would be happy with him no matter what the score might be. My thoughts were to make the best shot I could once the decision was made. We were in a great spot and I had a superb rest and total confidence in my Mesa Precision Arms 6.5 PRC. So, at 305 yards I took the shot.

When we reached the ram, we were all thrilled beyond belief. It was a very exhilarating moment when the group got to the ram knowing he was certainly much larger than our

estimated scores. After some quick measurements and photos, Jim Breck and Cody were certain the old ram was over 180. It wasn’t until Cody put the tape on the horns that night at the headquarters that we started thinking about a potential state record.

After the 60-day drying period, we had him officially scored. He was 12 years old and scored 187.2, which is the new Texas state record desert bighorn and the number one all-time Nelsoni. I love supporting our state in their continued pursuit of establishing desert bighorns, but I honestly never dreamt of harvesting the state record. All the credit goes to the Texas Bighorn Society, Wild Sheep Foundation and Texas Parks and Wildlife for their years and years of working to further our state’s population of desert bighorns. I was lucky to have acquired the tag in the right year. A big thanks to all involved for a truly once-in-alifetime desert ram. WS

ADVENTURE PROFILES

Rick Garzoli

SPECIES: Stone’s Ram

O.E. Burke

SPECIES: Fannin Ram

OUTFITTER: Mackenzie Mountain Outfitters

GUIDE: Jordan Wagner

LOCATION: NWT, Canada

An absolutely epic hunt with Jordan Wagner deep in the Mackenzie Mountains. We had gorgeous weather, rain, fog, wind, and the midnight sun ... a complete experience. We spotted this ram in a band of three on the first night over three miles away at the head of the valley. We moved camp to the base of the peak they were on the next day and spent the next two days climbing and glassing trying to relocate them. Finally located the rams, now a band of five, in the late afternoon at 1,700 yards

on the next ridge over, and decided this Fannin was the one to pursue. We waited them out for over seven hours before they made their move, of course, not in the direction we were hoping. We decided to get aggressive with them out of sight, and it paid off when we ended up directly above them just shy of 400 yards. My Alterra Arms 6.5prc found its mark and the hunt-of-alifetime was a success. We were awake for 30 hours straight by the time the pack out was complete and were back to our camp, it was absolutely perfect. My first of the four North American Wild shee ...an 11 year old Fannin (Dall’s)! I cannot say enough kind words about Jordan Wagner, an absolute class act and blast to hunt with, and Stan & Helen Stevens and their team at Mackenzie Mountain Outfitters. THANK YOU!!!

ERRATA: The editors at Wild Sheep® would like to express our sincere apologies for featuring Mr. Burke in our fall issue with the wrong profile and story for this beautiful ram. We’d like to say we were so focused on the stunning photo that we missed his profile...and it’s true!

OUTFITTER: Stone & Folding Mountain Outfitters

GUIDES: Luke Hall and Wranglers

James Redekot & Luke Thompson

LOCATION: British Columbia, Canada

I could say a lot about this hunt, it tested me physically and mentally! When I was tired, hurting, and sore I would tell myself Holly suffered more with her cancer. Suck it up Bucko, don’t be a wimp, Get’er done! I had an amazing support crew. Luke Hull was my guide and I’ve never seen anyone that could hike/walk like him! Even a heavy pack didn’t slow him down. Wranglers James Redekot and Luke Thompson were a big help, too. They were all very attentive, always asking if I needed anything. They also were a pleasure to be around. I wouldn’t hesitate to share camp with them again! This ram completes my third FNAWS. I’m not sure if there will be more sheep hunting in my future, but I’ve been very fortunate over the years. I’ve met many wonderful people while hunting and attending the WSF Convention. It’s been a big part of my life and I’ve enjoyed every minute!

Bruce Kirkpatrick

SPECIES: Bighorn Sheep

OUTFITTER: Geneva Park Outfitters

GUIDE: Todd Clark

LOCATION: Colorado

I shot this ram on my 35th day of hunting Rocky Mountain bighorns. I made three trips to the Montana Unlimited area and one trip to British Columbia before I drew this tag.

We watched this group of rams from opening morning until the fourth day of the hunt before they got into a position where we could make a play on them. I stalked them in their beds and made a 170-yard frontal shot on the oldest ram in the group. He never left his bed. It was a great hunt with a terrific guide. This ram completed my FNAWS.

Cory Smith

SPECIES: Dall’s Ram

OUTFITTER: Ultima Thule

GUIDE: Donald C. Martin, aka, “Hollywood”

LOCATION: Alaska

We located this ram on day three of the hunt. He was in range but in the cliffs and recovery would be all but impossible. We sat on him for nine hours watching/waiting for him to get up and feed. He finally got up but went further into the cliffs. We awoke to fog the next day, but after hunting back to the cliffs we were able to relocate him in the bottom. After a single long, angle-compensated shot, we were able to take my special Dall’s as this completed FNAWS #2. Huge thanks to Don Martin (and Liam) and the whole Ultima Thule gang.

Brent Bates

SPECIES: Fannin

OUTFITTER: Bonnet Plume

GUIDE: Seth Fay

LOCATION: Yukon Territory, Canada

We harvested the ram on the second day in the field. The ram had enough black hairs in both the tail and the body to meet the requirements to be considered a Fannin. In addition, we harvested a seven foot grizzly bear. We also had the opportunity to harvest an estimated 380” caribou bull, but chose to pass because I harvested a similar-sized bull on a previous hunt. Chris at BPO is a good outfitter and works hard to make sure his clients have every opportunity to be successful. Seth was great to hunt with, he is very personable and passionate about helping his hunters to have a great experience.

Clay Beard

SPECIES: CA Bighorn

OUTFITTER: Amblers Bighorn

GUIDES: Dustin Bentall and Scott Mann

LOCATION: BC Canada

This ram was taken on the 20th day of a 21-day hunt. We covered lots of country by horseback and climbing. It was a beautiful area and led by a top-notch outfitter and guides who spared no effort. We tracked a group of four rams for many days and stayed with them by camping on the mountain. We never caught up to that group, but located another group of three rams and sealed the deal on a beautiful heavy horned ram with only one day to spare.

Marcus Gores

SPECIES: Stone’s Sheep

OUTFITTER: Golden Bear Outfitters

GUIDE: Blake Williams

LOCATION: B.C. Canada

I booked this hunt as a last minute option and was wonderfully surprised by the experience. The outfitter/guide and the hunt was fantastic. It took eight days to get my ram and I killed a mountain goat on day 10 of this hunt. The late season and snow on the ground made it a spectacular experience and one I will never forget. Can’t wait to go back and give it a shot with my bow!

Jim McEnroe

SPECIES: Stone’s Sheep

OUTFITTER: Golden Bear Outfitting

GUIDES: Ross Milton

LOCATION: BC Canada

Editor’s Note: See story on page 86

This was my third North American wild sheep species (I have a Montana Rocky Mountain ram, California bighorn taken in North Dakota, three Dall’s and now a Stone’s), and my wife has just one ram, a desert bighorn from Mexico. So, I guess we now have a Fam Slam!

Shae & Rusty Sandry

SPECIES: Dall’s Sheep

OUTFITTER: Arctic Red River

Outfitters: LOCATION: NWT

My trip had been postponed since 2020, due to COVID-19. Once we arrived at base camp, reality hit that we were finally going Dall’s sheep hunting. Each of us having a guide, we parted ways from the same airstrip on a 21-day adventure. We put in hard work and determination hunting until the opportunity presented itself on day 10 for Rusty and day 14 for Shae to harvest our rams. It was such an epic, unbelievable trip and an opportunity-of-a-lifetime. We will cherish the memories forever and the people we have met along our journey. We want to extend our thanks to everybody at ARRO on making these dreams come true!

Keith Atcheson

SPECIES: Stone’s Ram

OUTFITTER: Trophy Stone Outfitters

GUIDE: Bill Sandulak

LOCATION: Yukon, Canada

I booked this hunt in 2019 intending to go in 2020, then Covid hit, and hunters and outfitters missed the 2020 season and most of 2021 sheep season. In August 2022 I was able to go and well worth the wait. We hunted hard, rode horses well over 100 miles, hiked thousands of vertical feet and saw good numbers of sheep and other species. On day 12 we made a wet and windy run on several rams, closing the gap to 250 yards and ended with a beautiful full curl Stone ram. Bill is an experienced and exceptional hunting guide and my wrangler; Andy was with me the whole trip and deserves much credit as well. I took my first ram in Alaska at age 16 and have been blessed and so grateful to hunt many rams since then. 46 years later it feels so good to still be a sheep hunter! Thanks so much to the entire crew at Trophy Stone Outfitters in the Yukon. You are the best!

Joe Nobles

SPECIES: Bighorn Sheep

OUTFITTER: Self-Guided

LOCATION: Colorado

With great thanks to great friends, Mark, Chris and Brandon Campbell, Duane Newton who took vacation time to help me scout, find, stalk and pack out this beautiful old ram. Thanks to my wife Brenda and kids for their support. So many blessings from the Lord! I completed my FNAWS at 12,930 ft. in spectacular sheep country. This was the hardest and most rewarding of my quests. I want to also thank Ralph Miller of Deltana for my Dall’s, Darwin Carey at Scoop Lake for my Stone’s, and Dennis Campbell for helping arrange my desert ram hunt with Uma Purisima. With my FNAWS complete, I will not hunt another ram unless I am supporting family or friend with a tag. Good luck to you in the draws.

Chad Germann

SPECIES: Altai Ibex

OUTFITTER: Zev Hunting

GUIDE: Muugii Dorj

LOCATION: Mongolia

We had an awesome hunt and got to see a lot of Mongolia as we drove cross country from the Altai Mountains to the Gobi Desert, to Ulaantaatar to the north chasing Altai & Gobi ibex, gazelle and roe deer. The people were very nice and it was very interesting learning about the country and their culture. One of the highlights was stopping at a yurt in the middle of nowhere to ask an old man if we could get some milk from one of his cows to “give to the mountain”. While our guide went with him to get the milk directly from the cow, his wife invited us into their home for tea and bread. I told my hunting buddy David, “most tourists never get this kind of experience and insight into the local people!”

Mike Borel

SPECIES: Vercors Chamois

OUTFITTER: Iberhunting, Antonio Teruel

GUIDES: Antonio Teruel, Phillippe Simone

LOCATION: France

Roz, my wife, and I flew into Nice for some pre-hunt touring and dining, arriving Friday September 16. We enjoyed wonderful weather, fun touring and as expected, superb dining!

On Tuesday we left well before sunrise and with a steep but relatively brief climb, got into a good glassing position that with luck, could also be a good sniper spot. We spotted a number of chamois, but none within stalking range —until one showed up directly across from us. Despite Herculean efforts to establish a solid rest on a steep uphill on my left, as a right hander, I simply couldn’t get it done before the chamois left the area. In the early afternoon we moved spots and glassed further. We saw nine in a group some distance away, but Phillippe wasn’t confident we could get to them yet this day.

Day two was again beautiful and our first glassing point did not produce any options. At ~3:00 we spotted two at 460 yards, but in an area Phillippe said would be impossible for recovery. We enjoyed watching them until they went out of sight. At ~5:00 a lone chamois gave us a glimpse below us at ~200 yards. He stayed just out of sight, or at least a shot opportunity.

At 6:00 he gave us an opportunity and we took it. Chamois down. Thanks to Antonio Teruel, Iberhunting, for a very professional staff, quality preparations and excellent hunt/tour management!

Jesus Viejo Gonzalez

SPECIES: Bukharan Markhor

OUTFITTER: Summits of Russia

GUIDE: Aleksei

LOCATION: Tajikistan

Capra Falconeri Hepteni, without a doubt one of the most coveted mountain trophies. This was one of the toughest hunts I have been on both physically and emotionally. I will start from the end and work myself back to the hunt itself. It was heartbreaking not being able to claim my trophy on the field. The place from where I shot, so I am told, is a place where neither guides or hunter clients has ever gone before, and the place where the trophy fell was only reached two days after with the aid of professional climbing equipment. The bittersweet feeling came from not having an appropriate field picture but also the call I received in the airport before my flight back home notifying me that it was potentially a new world record, something that was carefully confirmed 60 days after by an SCI master measurer that I had flown in from Russia into Tajikistan for that sole purpose.

Long story short, my hunt culminated with a nerve-racking choosing game at about 250 meters. The joy of a wellplaced shot with the bitterness to know that he was only 300 meters away but, in a place, impossible to reach. It was a long way back to camp and the bitterness only left me 48 hours after when I received that phone call in the airport. He was indeed a 14-year-old monarch, and despite the fact that he was broomed off, he was the SCI new world record by a good margin.

Todd Anderson

SPECIES: Desert Sheep

OUTFITTER: Amigo’s Guides & Outfitter

GUIDE: Nayo Balderrama

LOCATION: Sonora, Mexico

My Valentine’s Day desert sheep was truly a gift from my wife. February 2022, I had the opportunity to go on a desert sheep hunt in Sonora Mexico. After 37 years of being married to a hunter, she said it would be my Valentine’s gift from her. I decided to drive to Sonora from Illinois.

After arriving at camp, we set out early the following morning. Around, mid-morning one of the guides spotted a decent ram worth looking at closer. The ram dropped out of sight into a large bowl and we pursued with no sight of the ram.

It was now late in the afternoo and we were all gathering at a saddle point. The day was pretty much over in my mind. Then my guide said one of the others spotted the ram. We hurried closer to the area and spotted him. My guide said he was 460 yards. I took the shot and hit him low in the chest, he hobbled over the crest of the ridge and into the next cut, standing on a flat rock quartering away. He was now at 506 yards. I settled in and sent the bullet through him. He jumped from his perch and never got up again.

When we reached the ram, my guides already had measuring tapes out. Saying “this is a great ram, Boone and Crockett in the 170’s”. It was getting dark so we took a few photos, field dressed him and decided to return in the morning to safely pack him out.

I crossed into Arizona on Friday the 18th, with my ram. Now it was just 1800 miles to my home to the one who married a hunter. She was happy to see me—but ecstatic when she saw the horns of the desert sheep! I thanked her again and told her I never expected such a large specimen, truly a gift—and on February 14th!

Bradley Aboltin

Dall’s sheep/Alaska

This was my first North American wild sheep in the hopes of achieving the FNAWS in my lifetime and kicking me out of the <1 Club®. The hunt was an amazing experience with a great guide and outfitter, Justin Dubay, as well as Calvin Conner alongside me to capture the whole experience. It has been surreal to finally have a lifelong dream fulfilled and I am hopeful to have more of these experiences in the future.

Way to go Bradley! You are kicked out!

J.T. Larkin

Ibex/Tajikistan

I have been involved with many conservation organizations over the years. Wild Sheep Foundation is the one organization where I have seen their money and efforts put to good use firsthand. With their help and the work of Oxus Holdings, a area in Tajikistan that was struggling for years, now has an incredible number of markhor, urial, ibex, brown bear and wild boar—all in huntable numbers. I am thankful to have been officially kicked out of the <1iClub®.

You are internationally kicked out JT!

Dall’s sheep/Alaska

After a few unproductive days of weather-related frustration, my guide, Garrett Gillespie, spotted four rams walking along the top of a ridge on the other side of a wadable river. After packing up, we watched them cross to the far side of the ridge and endeavored to make it to the base of that ridge to make a play on them the next day. However, nearing our intended camp, I saw that they had crossed back to our side and that they were headed into an enclosed canyon to feed. With much encouragement from Garrett, we were able to close into 350 yards of the rams that evening. After he determined that one was legal, I took the nine-year-old with one shot. The entire experience was overwhelming, strenuous, and absolutely incredible.

Great job Colin! You are kicked out!

Colin Brose

The following <1 Club® or <1iClub® members have LOST their membership status by taking their first wild sheep rams! Congratulations!

It’s not hard to kill sheep, it’s hard to find them. That’s what I had heard after I drew my first tag in Nevada for a California bighorn. The exact opposite turned out to be true. We saw sheep every day! Getting to them was the hard part. My son Henry was with me every day of the hunt and was next to me when we belly crawled about 200 yards to get within shooting range. We had passed on larger rams than the one I took, but I was just incredibly happy that I could take a once-in-a-lifetime California bighorn sheep!

Make friends. That is one of my biggest takeaways from my first sheep hunt. Starting now, if you know of someone who has drawn a tag for any kind of hunt, if at all possible, volunteer to help. After you draw your first sheep tag hopefully those that you’ve helped will reciprocate, and believe me, you will need it. I also found the more people you know that have already hunted sheep, the more likely it will be you’ll have offers of help. Sheep hunting is just dang fun!

I’m at that point (with bonus points) here in Nevada where hopefully I will draw a desert and a Rocky tag in the next few years. Anyone need help with their hunt this year?

Credit has to be given to NDOW, NBU, and the Wild Sheep Foundation for helping the species grow and thrive, not only in Nevada, but throughout the West.

Fantastic, Jerry! You are kicked out!

Jerry Evans California bighorn/Nevada

LAST SHEEP CAMP

had an amazing knack for learning and teaching himself skills which he mastered over and over. God gave him many talents! He was VERY good at a lot of things in his life. Pete was married and divorced three times. He felt happiest and most content when hunting on the side of a mountain or fishing. Pete’s hunting expeditions took him all over the world and he returned from his adventures with exotic animal trophies that he was proud to display and tell stories about. In his forties, Pete added a game room onto his home

that he envisioned would hold all of the trophies for the rest of his life. It turned out that Pete filled that room to over capacity within a decade, with his trophies later invading additional bedrooms, his medical office, and his second home.

Pete is survived by his two children: Erin (Rick) Carosa and Jeremy (Christan) Seda; three grandchildren: Chloe James, Ethan Seda, and Naomi James; sister MB [Mary Beth] (Rick) Hamik; and two dogs: Bella and Chenga. WS Dr. Peter Seda

Doctor Peter (Pete) Eugene Seda, 75, of Tri-Cities, Washington, passed away on August 6, 2022 at the Kennewick home he resided in for 43 years. He was born on November 5, 1946, in North Platte, NE to Edward and Irene Seda, whom he has now joined in eternal rest. In life, Pete went to medical school, earned his medical degree, completed a fellowship in cardiology, and later established Mid-Columbia Heart Institute, where he practiced Cardiology from 1978 –2012. Pete was smart, handsome, and feisty! Along with his big personality, he was also well-known as an avid fisherman, big game hunter, gardener, horseman, and excellent cook. Pete

Stefan Weingarth

It is with great heartache and sorrow that we acknowledge the passing of our incredible friend and colleague Stefan Weingarth.

Stefan passed while out doing what he loved so very much. He was an avid hunter and fisherman and as incredibly sad as his passing is, he was out doing the very thing that made him feel most alive.

Stefan was a rare young man. An incredibly hard worker but an even better human being. He was taken far too soon and will be sorely missed by anyone that had the great fortune to get to know him. WS

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PAYMENT INNOVATIONS FOR A CHANGING WORLD.

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Lloyd Robert Broadwater

ILloyd Robert Broadwater, 75, of Kellogg, MN died peacefully on Thursday, September 1, 2022 in hospice care at Mayo Clinic Hospital Methodist Campus.

Lloyd was born wearing a plaid flannel shirt and pocket tee with work boots and a John Deere hat on November 14, 1946, in Preston, MN. His parents Raymond and Marjorie (Leland) Broadwater welcomed him to their home in Ostrander, MN where this outdoor loving boy began first grade. He continued elementary school in Spring Valley, MN and then attended eighth grade at the Old Stone School, a one-room school northeast of Cherry Grove, MN. He graduated with thirty-five classmates from Wykoff High School in 1964 and trained for two years as an engineering draftsman at Rochester Junior College.

Lloyd’s four younger siblings looked up to him, and he modeled a strong work ethic on the family farm in Cherry Grove. There was always energy, love, and occasional antics not shared with Raymond and Marjorie until years later.

Throughout his life, Lloyd developed electrical, mechanical, and construction skills on the farm and on the job. During his employment years, he wore many hats as a mechanic, draftsman, designer, estimator and project manager.

His leadership and collaboration skills were also valuable while building living quarters for oil field workers in Prudhoe Bay, AK and constructing a hotel on Sakhalin Island, Russia.

Fishing and hunting in the United States and Canada satisfied Lloyd’s highspirited sense of adventure and love for nature. He was a reliable guide for family and friends on annual trips to Fisherman’s Cove on Lac Seul in Ontario, Canada. His big game hunting adventures added to his repertoire of stories. He was proud to be a Life Member of Wild Sheep Foundation and attended state and national conventions in support of their conservation efforts.

Lloyd married Alethea Chapman Selsor on August 11, 1984 in Wabasha, MN. Lloyd and Alethea met at the historic Anderson House Hotel in Wabasha, MN where Lloyd was the Chief of Operations. He was increasingly responsible for maintenance and operation of Anderson House Tours as the business expanded. He and his son Dan spent many summer hours working together to maintain the company motorcoaches. Alethea would sometimes accompany Lloyd as he drove tour groups

to events throughout the United States.

Lloyd loved to drive his red Chevy pickup and listen to country music. He followed NASCAR, Twins, Vikings, and Gopher games when he relaxed in his recliner with his Scottish Terrier by his side. As an early riser, he could be found drinking coffee and eating breakfast with friends at the Town and Country Cafe. He was a good listener and his sense of humor could quickly lighten up the conversation. Beneath his light-hearted exterior was a genuine caring for family, friends and community. He considered it an honor to be on the Kellogg City Council for ten years. Lloyd’s commitment to serve others was a reflection of his faith developed as a member of Root River Church of the Brethren in Preston, MN.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial gifts be sent to Wabasha Kellogg Area Community Foundation (WKACF), PO Box 268, Wabasha MN 55981 or designated to Lewy Body Dementia Research at Mayo Clinic and mailed directly to Mayo Clinic Department of Development, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905. WS

Mike Baumann

Feb 13, 1950 – Aug 30, 2022

It is with great sorrow to announce the passing of Life Member and Past WSF (FNAWS) BOD Mike Baumann of Arvada, Colorado. Mike was a fullof-spirit kind of man. Mike served on the Board of Directors for then FNAWS from 1994 - 2000. He was always known for his laughter and having a good time. His love for conservation and wild sheep was evident by the time he spent volunteering his in his home state of Colorado as well as at a national level. His infectious smile and laugh will truly be missed.

Our condolences go out to his children. Sons: Mike Baumann (Lisa), Matt (April) Baumann, Daughters: Kimberly Thorfinson (Michael) and Barbie Saracino (John) and grandchildren: Peyton, Zoey, Jaxon, Sammie, Sarah and Addison.

We’ll see you at the Sheep Show® - January 2022 See you at the Sheep Show® January 2023

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ON THE ADVENTURE TRAIL

by Ken Nowicki

WOULD YOU RESCUE ME

“H

ave you hunted in the Willmore?” I asked. “Cause I just got back.”

“Of course,” said Packtrain MacNammee. “Who hasn’t?”

Who indeed? Is there any single area in North America that is more famous for sheep hunting? The list of hunters would include many of the icons in the hunting world and the outfitters and guides would count in the dozens and include the legends of the fall. The history of the People & Peaks is set out in the book published by the Willmore Wilderness Foundation*. It is a must-read.

At one time, the huge area north of Jasper National Park was roadless wilderness—a wonderful remote and beautiful country with access only by horse. But gradually the mineral extraction industries began explorations into the Rocky Mountains from the Montana border all the way to Intersection Mountain. Bulldozers started carving roads and trails into the high country all over Alberta. Thankfully, the limestone formations held no gold or precious minerals in quantities worth mining. The oil and gas reserves were poor in the area west and south of Grande Cache.

Today there are scars on the land, but the roads that were carved into the

*Song by OneRepublic

mountain valleys make super horse and hiking trails. Still, there is a lot of rough trekking into the side valleys where outfitters sneak hunters into the cirques to snipe fine rams and other mountain game.

Jack O’Connor describes his two hunts in the area as including “one of the great experiences and most successful hunts of my lifetime” and a later hunt in 1961 as one of his worst. The difference was a road carved into the Big Smokey. I walked that road myself in 1978 and shot a goat an even twenty miles from the truck. Oh, those were the days.

Where O’Connor had glassed “thousands of goats” and at least 35 mature rams and 33 grizzlies, and caribou by the hundreds and bull moose and mule deer and black bears, I found the game depleted and goats were on the draw, but it was still magnificent country. Back in the 1970’s you could still run a jet boat up the Smokey but who had the money for one of them?

It was then, as a wilderness park created by law in 1959 and pushed by a visionary Alberta legislator named Norman Willmore, a place healing from the scars on the land but still replete with game.

I have made a bunch of trips into the Willmore on shank’s-mare,

hunting grizzly back when that was still possible, goat hunting and sheep hunting. Most of these hunts originated at the Sulpher Gates trailhead just out of the Cache. It was not until 2022 that I planned to participate in a full-fledged horseback expedition.

We planned to stage at Rock Lake on the south end of the Park. It was late September. Our Party of three consisted of Jesse, a longtime Outfitter and consummate professional, Dave, in his late 60’s, and a rancher who was weaned on horse milk, my son Glen, all legs and full of testosterone in his 20’s, and me, the chief cook and bottle washer, and the weak link on the pack-string, sucking the hind-tit as the farm boys would say.

We started with a rodeo right at the get-go. Pulling the two horse trailers over 16 hours over two days to get to the parking area, I was not surprised. Can you see a three-year-old horse stepping out of the box with some attitude? That little mare had no intention of carrying the pack saddle, let alone the bright red panniers.

We had a little shakedown cruise the night before the first push up into the park and I watched in awe as Jesse stepped into the iron corral and started to tame that horse. It put on a display that would rival the best in the

Would you rescue me? Would you get my back? Would you take my call when I start to crack? Would you rescue me? Would you rescue me when I’m by myself?*

Calgary Stampede. I stood with my mouth gaping, but Dave just chuckled every time the horse bucked. I noticed the other horses seemed to look on with amusement as well.

In the morning we had another session with plenty of excitement, but Jesse used dulcet tones and the occasional epithet, and in short order we got the pads and saddles and packs lashed on every horse. Every pannier and top pack was stuffed and saddle bags too, and even my pockets. We were taking off heavy.

Things settled in. Plop plop plop, we went down the trail, into the golden aspen as we headed up the Rock Creek towards the Eagle’s Nest Pass. One hour down the trail I started to get comfortable and the nerves were settling down. I let my mind drift.

“George Kelley went everywhere in that country. Every hunter that went with George raved about his skills in

the bush,” Packtrain told me. “He was a top hand with horses.”

I started to feel like a top hand too. I recalled George’s laconic facility with words and his incredible sense of humor. I day dreamed. It was my estimate that we were making three miles an hour and the trail was a breeze—high and wide with only a few muckholes. You could not imagine a better day for riding, and most of the yellow jackets and flies were already frozen by frost. Not a cloud in the sky, and a picture perfect day. I loosened my grip on the saddle horn and started to really enjoy things.

Around two hours in, the gray horse (I had a difficult time with names throughout the trip) but it wasn’t the Bay Horse or the White horse or Palomino or Sorrel. They had nice names—some descriptive. Like, I rode Leroy, and Lola was the young

packhorse and also we had Spitfire and Nico and Frida and Gray Bitch and some others. It was Gray Bitch that reared and pulled back the slack and caught Dave by surprise.

I was following behind, and didn’t really grasp what happened, but I saw the ruckus, and then the aftermath. As quick as you can tell it, it was over, and Dave was standing there with a broken pinky. Well, that’s not the right description. It was a bleeding mess with bone and blood bubbling out and something you don’t ever want to see. Apparently the lead rope caught his hand and when the Gray Bitch pulled back, the finger got the squeeze.

Dave is an old time cowboy and has a lifetime of experience roping and riding. He was pretty upset at himself. Jesse and Glen and I were horrified at the obvious need for medical assist, even as we were impressed with Dave’s humerous take on the situation. “Just cut it off,” he joked.

Mindful of every minute, we hit the panic button on the In-Reach and wonder of wonders, the reply was swift and a helicopter dispatched. We rounded up the ponies and tied them to trees and built a fire and kept Dave talking and waited the agonizing 90 minutes for help to come. Luckily there was a meadow where we could chop out some brush and make a decent place to land.

Help was in the shape of a 13 million dollar whirlybird and fully five paramedics in jump suits swiftly went to work giving Dave a shot of pain relief and professional care. In minutes they were gone taking him to Edmonchuk for surgery.

Then we went to work with Jesse stripping packs and hobbling horses and making camp. It was another surprise to find Glen is allergic to horses or hay or both. He started

sprouting hives and hacking like he had the Covid convulsions. When we settled in for the night it was a time to reflect on the miracle of these modern communication devices. In the clear night sky we were entertained by endless spacegazer satellites streaming past.

I remember well the helicopter that rescued me in the Mackenzie mountains nearly 40 years ago where the ELT (emergency locator transmitter) and the Sarsat system saved the day. The signal was picked up by a passing jet and they dispatched a huge Hercules which passed seven times in the night dropping flares through the falling snow. The system was imprecise in those times and a mining helicopter had to do a bunch of checking up and down the river to find the plane the next day, but he saw my smoke signals. The sound of the chopper was beautiful music for me that time. Later, when I crashed with my good friend Phil Spano, and Phil was killed in the wreck, I developed some trepidations about riding in a rotory-powered conveyance. But when you are hurt, there is nothing quite like the whopping sound of spinning blades.

The amazing moccasin telegraph or maybe it was social media played a hand, but I was surprised to see Kyle, a modern day mountain man, who rode for 12 or more miles in the dark to find us. His concern for our condition and his quick reaction exemplify the finest tradition in the sheep hunting community. He went above and beyond to come to help. He had our back.

With Kyle’s help, we put on the packs in the morning and I just about fell off my steed when proffered the lead rope on one of the pack horses, but I was relieved when I found they were kidding. I had been relegated to dude status, and I was just fine with that. But those of you who trail in with an outfit know that the rear end of a string of horses is not as much fun as you may think.

“The horse at the back keeps jigging

up to catch the others,” I moaned to Packtrain. “My butt was tattooed on the saddle and my teeth were rattling every time he hit a trot.”

“You should be able to sit in a saddle,” snarked the old Outfitter. “All I ever seen you do was set in a chair.”

“Not a rocking chair,” I retorted, “And not one that lays ears down flat and turns and bites.”

Without further incident we crossed the Eagles Nest Pass and over into our chosen timbered hillock where Kyle had stopped and built and comfortable camp. He is a member of the Rocky Mountain Wilderness Society, a group that volunteers each summer to clear trails and spruce up camps. It is yeomans work they do, and I never saw a gumwrapper on our entire hunt, covering some 20 hours in the saddle.

We hunted hard, and the first thing each day is looking for horses. How they can hop along with hobbles on is a wondrous sight to see. How they can sit still with bells on and still feed up a belly full of grass is exasperating. I made the chop on a fire and propane stove, one of the luxuries of horse camping, and we ate like kings, with coq au vin grouse supplied by Colter, who was Kyle’s son and on his first sheep hunt, but his skills on horses and with gun belied his youth at 12 years old and counting. Some day he will lead his own packtrain into the mountains and already he has had days in the saddle helping with the society working on the trail systems.

We saw sheep, but not many rams. The neighboring camp took care of them just before we arrived. But there were more we knew, just not the time to find them. Our tally on grizzly and moose and goats and black bears and caribou did not match those seen in the halcyon days of yore as reported by O’Connor, but I am not so sure the Wilmore isn’t still the very best place there is to hunt for bighorn sheep.

Coming out, those horses were really travelling. The little mare that created excitement on the first day was a seasoned horse and no trouble at all. I sounded like a castanet with my

backside bobbing in the saddle. Colter offered me his big high stepping horse Freda and the crew put me in the lead. It was smooth sailing at the head of the line and I expect they gave me the honor in recognition of my culinary skills during the week. I plan to return to the Wilmore again if I have to crawl my way in. WS

Editors Note

Nowicki says people think of Wilmore sheep as small but reports the legendary Charlie Stricker told him some huge bases and heavy horns are sometimes found in a small area south of the Smokey River. A hunter took a ram of this type that scored over 190 inches guided by another outfit in later years. Nowicki and his son Blake lucked into an old ram in a distant basin 15 years ago. The horns are configured in a very distinct style. The vast area in the Wilmore is checkered with historic importance. Names like Eagles Nest, Big Graves, Blue Grouse, Summit, Hardscrabble and Persimmon evoke a storied past. But Nowicki believes there are some parts of the Wilmore that never get hunted and he is arranging another expedition to an area with deep cut canyons falling out of high summit glaciers. Information obtained from a trapper indicates the area is replete with fur and wildlife, including rams with deep curls and waffle cone applique near the bases. High winds make the area nearly inaccessible for aircraft surveillance and a hunter willing to risk entry into these dark gorges will be on his own with no support available should a disaster strike on the trail. A report on the expedition will be forthcoming in Wild Sheep® magazine. Dave is recovering the use of his finger and is in fine fettle.

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