Wild Sheep Winter 23 Issue

Winter 2023/24

VOLUME 11 • ISSUE 4

the journal of the mounta in hunter a nd committed conservationist

‘24 JAN. 18-20 WINTER 2013/14 ~ WILD S HEEP 3

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Learnmore more at Learn atWeatherby.com Weatherby.com WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 1

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Winter 2023/24

®

CONTENTS the journal of the mountain hunter and committed conservationist

Departments: 10 President’s Message 14 Chair’s Corner 18 Sheep Stats 28 Today, Tomorrow, Forever 30 Legislative Affairs 32 Awards 104 Basecamp Dispatches 108 Chapters & Affiliates List 110 Chapters & Affiliates Banquets 112 Chapters & Affiliates News 120 Women Hunt® 124 Culinary Corner 126 Conservation Education 204 Sheep Shorts 208 Adventure Profiles 214 <1 Club® Kicked Out 216 Last Sheep Camp 228 Travel & Gear 233 Advertiser’s Index 236 On the Adventure Trail

Special Sections: 34 1 More For Four 132 Convention Sponsors 135 Convention Seminars 136 Convention Schedule 140 Donations & Permits 201 Full Curl Cinema

On the Cover:

After a lifetime of dreaming about sheep hunting, Life Member John King gets to put his hands on his first sheep in the summer of 2023. Photo: Will Duryea.

See the full story beginning on page 36.

Features:

36

Cover Story: Journal Of A Sheep Hunter

by John King

A <1 Club® Chronicle.

36

50

The Win-Win

by Lucas Hile

A photo essay on a giveaway win in the Last Frontier.

50

58

Always Be Ready

by Adam Weatherby

Making the most of opportunities in the Yukon.

58

72

The Human Side of Conservation

by Alexander Sharif

Hunters get a lifeline in Tajikistan.

82 72

The Mission

by Michael Ambrose

Battling breath for a FNAWS.

90

O’Connor’s Other Sheep Rifles

82

by Wayne Van Zwoll

The mountains didn’t limit him to just one gun.

90

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 3

®

the journal of the mounta in hunter a nd 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........................ Term Expires 2025 VICE CHAIR: Kyle Stelter • kylestelter@gmail.com.............................. Term Expires 2024 SECRETARY: Larry Jacobs • lljacobs4@aol.com.................................. Term Expires 2024 TREASURER: Charlie Kelly • azsheepguy@gmail.com........................... Term Expires 2026 Tony Caligiuri • tcal@boytharness.com.............................................. Term Expires 2024 Jann Demaske • demaskes@msn.com................................................ Term Expires 2026 Julie Chapman • jhelmchapman@yahoo.com........................................ Term Expires 2025 Larry McGovern • ltmcgovern67@gmail.com....................................... Term Expires 2025 Emilio Rangel W. • emiliorw@me.com.............................................. Term Expires 2024 Peregrine L. Wolff, DVM • falcolupus@gmail.com............................... Term Expires 2025 Logan Richard Young • loganyoung270@gmail.com.............................. Term Expires 2026

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

STAFF

PRESIDENT & CEO - EDITOR IN CHIEF, WILD SHEEP® MAGAZINE:

Gray N. Thornton • gthornton@wildsheepfoundation.org • Bozeman HQ Kim Nieters, Vice President of Operations – Auction Director knieters@wildsheepfoundation.org Cody Office

Julie Tripp, Awards & Publications Director jtripp@wildsheepfoundation.org Remote – Lolo, MT

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

Mike Aiazzi, Expo & Exhibits Manager maiazzi@wildsheepfoundation.org Remote – Reno, NV

Terry Ziehl, Finance Director tziehl@WildSheepFoundation.org Cody Office Keith Balfourd, Director of Marketing & Communications keith@WildSheepFoundation.org Bozeman HQ Paige Culver, Development Manager pculver@WildSheepFoundation.org Bozeman HQ Maddie Richards, Membership Manager/<1 Clubs Manager mrichards@WildSheepFoundation.org Bozeman HQ Megan Costanza, Banquets & Events Manager mcostanza@WildSheepFoundation.org Remote – Reno, NV

Charlie Booher, Lobbyist charlie@watershedresults.com Missoula, MT

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.

Janessa Kluth, Membership Assistant jkluth@wildsheepfoundation.org Bozeman HQ

Pat Cummings, DNWR – NTTR Project Lead Patrickcummings1002@gmail.com

CONTRACT

Maureen Jefferson, Conservation Permits Jm_hullinger@sbcglobal.net

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

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

COME FOR THE SHEEP, STAY FOR THE PARTY™, AND TODAY, TOMORROW, & FOREVER FOR WILD SHEEP™ ARE TRADEMARKS OF THE WILD SHEEP FOUNDATION.

CONSULTANTS

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

Justin Phillips, Graphic Arts & Design Jphillips@wildsheepfoundation.org Cody Office Jaime Teigen, Office and Store Administrator jteigen@wildsheepfoundation.org Bozeman HQ

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

CONTACT THE PUBLICATION

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 selfaddressed 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 Clay Brewer, Mexico Initiative Lead & Special WAFWA Projects Claybrewer1@outlook.com

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

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

Wayne van Zwoll, Contributor 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.

4 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

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

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

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MISSION STATEMENT VISION Our desired future state

To be the best managed, most respected, influential and relevant conservation organization benefitting wild sheep worldwide.

PURPOSE Why we exist

To Put and Keep Wild Sheep on the Mountain®

MISSION What we do

We enhance wild sheep populations, promote scientific wildlife management, and educate the public and youth on sustainable use and the conservation benefits of hunting while promoting the interests of the hunter.

VALUES The principles that guide us

Honesty Integrity Respect for Others Hunting Ethics

Teamwork Positive Attitude Respect for Wildlife

Accountability Stewardship Loyalty

Putting & Keeping Wild Sheep on the Mountain® Since 1977 6 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

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WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 7

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WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 9

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

by Gray N. Thornton President & CEO

WHAT’S NEW FOR SHEEP SHOW® 2024

T

he 2023 hunting seasons in North America are wrapping up, so what better time to start planning your trip to Reno for Sheep Week® and Sheep Show® January 17-20, 2024!

Each year, WSF prides itself in coming up with new things to see and do for our members, soon-to-be members, and guests that Come for the Sheep, Stay for the Party™ at our annual convention.

So, what’s new for Sheep Show® 2024?

Let’s face it, hunting, as with all endeavors, is not getting any cheaper.

Fuel, transportation, food, and equipment costs, supply and demand, as well as recent inflation all play a part.

To help bypass this reality, we’re offering a number of ways to lessen the burden. Floor Credit Drawings Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from $1,000 to $5,000, Auction Credits, and special hunt drawings:

Registration $10,000 Auction Credits ** Full Registration Desert Bighorn Sheep Drawing ** <1 Club® $25,000 Auction/ Floor Credit Raffle!

This year, we are offering three $10,000 auction credits just for registering for our Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evening banquets AND a desert bighorn sheep hunt for those booking a Full Registration for all the evening events.

Buy an individual evening banquet ticket, and you are entered into the $10,000 auction credit for that night. Buy multiple evening events tickets, and you are entered for a $10,000 auction credit for each night

10 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

registered. Or do yourself a favor and buy a Full Registration for Wednesday through Saturday nights, and you are entered into all three $10,000 auction credit drawings, PLUS you are in for a desert bighorn sheep hunt at Sierra El Alamo, which will be drawn Friday night. You must be present to win the Auction Credits and Desert Sheep Hunt drawings.

You can register online at:

We have also upgraded our registration software and are very anxious to see the results and receive member feedback this next year for both the online frontend process and at the show at the registration desk where your tickets and badges will be printed.

During July through September, we raffled a $25,000 auction credit online, which was won by a very lucky Alaskan. He’ll be at the auctions playing with $25k in house money!

To support our <1 Club® members and those just wanting to support the <1 Club® program, we are offering another $25,000 auction and/or floor credit raffle in addition to the THREE Dall’s sheep hunts we are giving away in the Yukon and Northwest Territories. Only 500 tickets at $100 will be sold during the show. The winner will be drawn during the <1 Club® drawings at the Friday <1 Club® Blue Moon Beer Reception.

Tickets will be available for purchase

in Reno near the WSF Membership Booth under the <1 Club® tent and during the beer reception.

You’ll want those $10,000 and $25,000 auction credits to help you connect with your next epic mountain adventure! Again, you must be present to win this $25,000 auction and/or floor credit.

FREE Thursday Ram Awards Luncheon – Free Aoudad Hunt Drawing and Weatherby WSF Bighorn Edition Rifle Raffle

Last year, we moved the Ram, FNAWS, and Mountain Monarch Awards from a Friday breakfast to a FREE Thursday lunch with enormous success. We are doing this again with some exciting additions. We will be holding a raffle for the new Weatherby Backcountry 2.0 WSF Bighorn Edition rifle. Tickets will be available at the luncheon and are $50 each. Only 250 tickets will be printed! PLUS, all award luncheon attendees are entered into a drawing for a free-range Texas aoudad hunt with Rowdy McBride Hunting Services! You must be present to win both of these offerings.

During the Saturday Life Member Breakfast, in addition to the annual La Palmosa desert bighorn sheep drawing for all Life and Summit Life members and the always popular Ride for Your Brand hat raffle, we are offering a raffle for a free-range aoudad hunt with Craig Boddington as your hunting partner with High West Outfitters in Texas. Tickets are $100 and will be available for purchase in Reno near the WSF Membership Booth under the <1 Club® Tent and during the Life Member Breakfast.

‘24 JAN. 18-20

You must be present to win the La Palmosa desert sheep hunt drawing, the hat raffle, and the Hunt With Craig Boddington Aoudad Raffle.

Land Rover Defender on a ship enroute to Reno!

Speaking of raffles, after two years of delays due to Covid, war, and supply chain challenges in South Africa, the WSF custombuilt Chugach Edition Land Rover Defender 110 is finally on a ship enroute to the USA and Reno! God willing, we will have it on display and draw a winner!

Full Curl Cinema, Art Exhibit, and Expanded Hall An exciting addition this year is the Wild Sheep Foundation Full Curl Cinema, featuring exceptional films in a theater-style venue complete with complimentary popcorn! A draft schedule of the films and times is

included on page 201 of this issue.

We have again expanded the exhibit hall with new exhibitors as well as larger displays from current partners. New for 2024 will be a special art exhibit to showcase our wildlife artists.

Feeling lucky? In addition to the special raffles noted above, the 2024 Sheep Show® Raffle is bigger and better than ever! Get a sneak peek at our offerings on pages 186-187, as well as the live and silent auction items in our donor auction profile section.

While our evening conservation auctions are first-class entertainment in their own right, we’ve invited country music legends Jimmy Herman and Chris Hennessee to join us again Wednesday night and will also feature some campfire entertainment from a few Icons of the North spinning yarns about our beloved sheep hunting, past

and present. Thursday is our Horse Packing Competition, Friday is our Backpack Race, and Tessy Lou Williams will again entertain us early into Sunday morning after our Saturday Grand Finale Banquet and Auction. Come for the Sheep – Stay for the Party™ at the 2024 Sheep Show®!

I want to thank all our sponsors, donors, exhibitors, members, and guests for their support of our January 2024 show. See you in Reno!

Enjoy this winter 2023/24 issue of Wild Sheep®. 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 WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 11

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WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 13

CHAIR’S CORNER

by Glen Landrus Chair

I

FROM RECORD-BREAKING EVENTS TO RECORD-BREAKING OUTCOMES

hope all of you were able to get out and enjoy some fresh air and outdoor activities this fall. I live on the edge of Hells Canyon and have been out to enjoy the growth of our area bighorn herds with another great lamb crop. We are a few years into the “Test and Remove” process, and at least in this area, the results have been astonishing. Your WSF Board of Directors once again approved a Grant-In-Aid request for Hells Canyon, this time more than $200,000 for this upcoming year. This is just a fraction of the record $1.6 million in Grant-In-Aid approved for our next fiscal year. I want to thank the Hells Canyon Initiative team for their steadfast dedication for nearly 30 years for the recovery of the bighorn sheep and for bringing another great project to WSF for funding. I also want to thank all the chapters and affiliates that are contributing both financially and with the man-power necessary to make these projects successful.

Collectively, it is paying off! We are all excited at the trend line on Hells Canyon lamb recruitment, and for sheep hunters out there, our permit numbers are following a similar trend.

These are the outcomes we need to share more of and ones that all our WSF members, donors, and exhibitors should be proud of. Thank you!

Staff, your board of directors, and

14 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

countless other committee members are logging the extra miles for the next two months to put on another record Sheep Week®! I want to give my shameless plug to some of our events that you want to make sure you attend while in Reno. First, we continue to make improvements to our Ram Awards. Make sure to join us Thursday for lunch to see the incredible animals your fellow members have harvested recently.

These animals are testament to the efforts we all make Putting and Keeping Sheep on the Mountain®.

Last year saw record attendance and we expect to do so again this year.

Thank you to our new Ram Awards Director Julie Tripp and Committee Chair Tony Caligiuri for your hard work and dedication to make this a one-of-a-kind event.

Also, don’t forget to get a ticket for the Ladies’ Luncheon for Friday at noon. I know Jann Demaske and her committee have been working extremely hard to put on another enjoyable and profitable event.

Ladies, get registered!

And finally, the Life Member Breakfast (LMB) has become a can’tmiss event to attend at Sheep Week®.

We have a great keynote speaker this year with Craig Boddington joining us. Also new this year we have an aoudad raffle that will be pulled during the event. The winner will get to accompany Craig Boddington on a

great Texas aoudad hunt donated by High West Outfitters!

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 WSF Summit Life Members receive two additional chances. In addition, we are looking for at least 50 members to serve as LMB Patron Sponsors at a cost of $1,000. In addition to helping underwrite the event, Patron Sponsors earn additional chances in the drawing. You can contact me as the LMB Chair or reach out to our WSF World Headquarters if you are interested. Thank you to Emilio Rangel and La Palmosa for making this amazing hunt available for our LMB! As you can see, we have a stacked agenda for Sheep Week® 2024. I look forward to another record-breaking event, another record-breaking mission funding year, and recordbreaking outcomes like I shared about Hells Canyon, so I hope to see you all in January at Sheep Week® 2024! WS Yours in Conservation,

Glen A. Landrus

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 15

FOR THE FULL LIST OF CRS MEMBERS SCAN ME

LIST UPDATED QUARTERLY

YOU CAN HELP WSF PUT AND KEEP WILD SHEEP ON THE MOUNTAIN BY JOINING THE CHADWICK RAM SOCIETY! 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 a lapel pin 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

16 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

WSF SALUTES

(List is current as of press time - Jan1 - Dec.31 2023

THE 2023 NEW/UPGRADE

PLATINUM - $50,000

CHADWICK RAM SOCIETY MEMBERS

Darin & Tonya Fiedeldey (OH) Hank Raats (NV) Steve Letcher (AZ) Steve & Sue Skold (IA)

Sheep Family Snapshots

Craig & Laureen Nakamoto (IA) Donald Priest (AZ) Kip & Sue Slaugh - (UT)

®

CRS MEMBERS ARE LISTED IN ALPHA ORDER BY BENEFACTOR LEVEL

“UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better.” This line is from Dr. Suess’s “The Lorax”, a story that was read to my children not all that long ago. The Lorax boldly speaks for the trees as the trees cannot speak for themselves.

In the same way, we must be the voice for the most vulnerable creatures and systems in our natural world.

We must advocate for them. We must make a case for their healthy existence. (Mosquitos may be my only exception to this rule.) We advocate in a number of ways but, to me, there is no greater way of showing support than by how and to whom one gives his or her money. That is why my family and I support the Wild Sheep Foundation through a membership in the Chadwick Ram Society. Being a staff member for the last 6 years, I have first-hand knowledge of the mindful distribution of funds to carefully reviewed Missions and Programs, Grant in Aid projects, and Industry Partners that will move the needle of wild sheep conservation in a tangible way. I urge you to consider showing your support through an annual gift that is right for you.”

-Paige Culver

SILVER - $10,000 Derek Blake (AK) Joseph Ciavarra (CA) Alan Day (OR) Paul Greene (CO) Patrick Hagens (AK) Samuel Hays (TX) Shad Hulse (UT) Stacey & Dorcey Hunt (WA) Mike Schmillen (MN) Victor Smith Jr. (CA) JT Tubbs (MT) Zachary Walton (CA)

BRONZE - $5,000

WIN THESE LEICA 10x32 GEOVID PRO BINOS! FROM OCTOBER 1 - DECEMBER 31 Join the Chadwick Ram Society and be entered to win! Already a member? No problem. Existing members can upgrade their pledge and/or enroll in AUTOPAY for a chance to win.

LEVELS Copper Bronze Silver Gold Platinum

GOLD - $25,000

NEW $2,500 $5,000 $10,000 $25,000 $50,000

UPGRADE One ticket Two tickets Three tickets Four tickets Five tickets

*Autopay enrollment will earn CRS members (new and upgrades) 1 (one) additional entry.

1 ticket per level Upgraded (max four tickets) Example: Silver to Gold =1 ticket •Bronze to Gold = 2 tickets •Copper to Platinum = 4 tickets

Anonymous Louis M. Balenko (CO) Don Colter (ID) Randell Cotta (CA) Matt DeLong (OR) Brian Fienhold (TX) Charles Hartford (CA) Jeff Haynie (WA) Charlie & Linda Kelly (AZ) Chuck Middleton (ID) Nick Negrini (MN) Carl Nelson (AK) Pat O’Neill (MN) Paul Spyhalski (MN) Ty Zumach (WA)

COPPER - $2,500 Bryan Bailey (WA) Matt Burke (CA) Lowell Burris (MT) Kaleb Desjarlais (AK) Marcus Gores (OR) Garrett Grant (WA) David Hartwig (CA) Stan Henderer (OR) Eric Mackay (UT) Michael McComas (TX) Brian Nelson (WI) Nate Peckinpaugh (MT) Brian Pelczar (MT) Dan Powell (IL) Michael Salomonson (CO) James Sheehan (CT) Simon Whetzel (CA)

To Join/Upgrade contact: Paige Culver • 406.404.8758 • pculver@wildsheepfoundation.org

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 17

SHEEP STATS IN-DEPTH, STATISTICAL SHEEP INFORMATION Beginning with the Fall 23 issue of Wild Sheep® magazine, jurisdictional WAFWA summaries will appear in the next three issues as space allows.

STONE'S SHEEP 1

2

3

4

5

6

7 1 4

3 2

7

6

9 10

8 5 11

13 12 20

17

15

14

16

22 23 21

18

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Nakina Atsutla Jennings Tatsamenie Level Cassiar Horseranch Cry Lake West Turnagain Kechika Ranges Yehiniko Edziza Klastline 3 Sisters Tucho Frog River Terminous Mountain West Toad - Gundahoo

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Four Mile - Eight Mile Todagin Spatsizi Lunar Thudaka Range Fosberg - Driftpile Racing River Herd Wokkpash Stone Mountain Range Steamboat Metsanta Sifton Range Gataga Northern Rocky Mountains East Muskwa Tatlatui Samuel Black Range Geigerich Peak

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Far Mtn - Illgachuz Mtn Nemaiah/Yohetta Junction & Deer Park Relay/Taseko Churn Ck & Camelsfoot Fraser/Churn Alkali/Dog Ck Shulaps Fraser R West Fraser East Chasm Mission Ridge

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Narraway/Torrens Spences Bridge Spatsum Chase Lower Arrow South Salmo Kicking Horse Windermere - Radium Assiniboine Columbia Lake Whiteswan Upper Elk - West Upper Elk - East Crossing Creek

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BRITISH COLUMBIA WILD MOUNTAIN SHEEP POPULATIONS Design by: GeoBC August 2023

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CALIFORNIA BIGHORN SHEEP

Tatshenshini Mansfield Primrose Tutshi Table Atlin Snowdon

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Fording Premier/Wildhorse Coyote - Blackfoot Ewin Creek Bull River Elk Valley West/Hornaday Crowsnest - North Maguire Elko - Lizard Crowsnest Pass - South Flathead/Middlepass Phillips Creek Wigwam Waterton

Q:\projects\Mof\Wildlife_Habitat_Branch\Wild_Mtn_Sheep_Habitat\arcgisprojects\WSSBC_Generalized_Map\WSSBC_Generalized_Map.aprx

British Columbia has 4 native subspecies of wild sheep (thinhorns: Dall’s and Stone’s; bighorns: Rocky Mountain and California).

BRITISH COLUMBIA

British Columbia has 4 native subspecies of wild sheep (thinhorns: Dall’s and Stone’s; bighorns: Rocky Mountain and California).

Harvest management for all species includes a combination of over-thecounter licenses for General Open Season (GOS) areas and Limited Entry Hunting Zone (LEH) drawonly hunting areas. The province currently only issues a general, nonspecific sheep hunting species tag, so we are unable to report out on specific

18 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

numbers of licenses sold for each of the subspecies’ hunting opportunities; the information reported for licenses sold shown in Tables 1-3 represents the number of subspecies specific draw permits issued in the 2022/23 hunt year (Figure 1).

Rocky Mountain & California Bighorn Sheep

British Columbia uses a combination of GOS and LEH to manage hunter harvest in both California and Rocky Mountain

bighorn sheep populations, and has recently made changes to both GOS and LEH opportunities in an attempt to mitigate population declines and address localized harvest pressure.

B.C. is reporting significant declines in California BHS populations through the past five years as a result of disease and health related losses from MOVI, Psoroptes and bluetongue. Affected populations include sheep in Regions 3 (Thompson), 5 (Cariboo) and 8 (Okanagan). The 2022 provincial population estimate

LEH delivery). The total provincial population estimate is ~2,250 RMBHS.

Thinhorn Sheep

The province recently drafted a Stewardship Framework for Thinhorn Sheep in B.C. This document incorporates recent genetic information, applying it across traditional Wildlife Management Unit boundaries; from this, five large thinhorn sheep genetic population groups have been identified (Figure 2).

Figure 1. Numbers of sheep licenses sold annually in British Columbia, by hunter residency type.

across all regions for California BHS was ~2,000 sheep.

Rocky Mountain sheep have also declined to some degree in the Thompson region over the past decade, to ~400 RMBHS in 2022.

Region 4 (Kootenays) populations have shown mixed outcomes with several populations declining below management objectives and some others showing slight improvements in populations over recent years.

In March 2021, the Kootenays released their regional bighorn sheep management plan (https://www2.gov. bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/plantsanimals-and-ecosystems/wildlifewildlife-habitat/sheep/kootenay_ bighorn_sheep_management_plan. pdf), that included a regional estimate of ~1,800 RMBHS. The continent’s most northern population of RMBHS is a crossjurisdictional population located in Region 7 (Peace) and Alberta.

Inventory information has confirmed that this population has steadily declined since 2015. The B.C. portion of this meta-population has also declined to <75 sheep, as a result of severe weather events and predation

effects; hunter harvest is currently managed through general open season and it increased to a 10% harvest rate in 2022. As such, the region is currently considering changes to hunting regulations in order to reduce the harvest rate to more sustainable levels (i.e., potentially moving to an

Dall’s Sheep

Recent genetic information has confirmed that the range of Dall’s sheep in B.C. is larger than previously thought. B.C. provided revisions to the previous estimates provided to the WAFWA WSI data records to reflect this new information (i.e., we re-assigned sheep previously included as Stone’s into the Dall’s category).

The 2022 total estimated number of

Figure 2. Current Stone’s and Dall’s sheep distribution.

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 19

Dall’s sheep in B.C. is ~700, with the new geographic distribution being identified as all populations west of the centerline of the Teslin and Taku watersheds. Approximately 75% of all Dall’s sheep range in B.C. has been inventoried over the past decade.

Hunts for Dall’s sheep in B.C. are predominantly managed through LEH draw hunts (for white sheep), however, some of the newly-defined areas immediately west of Teslin Lake that contain Fannin or dark-phased Dall’s phenotypes, continue to be managed through GOS. A review of all sheep license sales suggests that hunts for sheep in B.C. continue to increase, despite reduced numbers of LEHs being issued; this supports the general conclusion that those who receive an LEH draw are more likely to attend and hunt that opportunity today than they were in the early 2000’s (Figure 3).

Stone’s Sheep

Genetic information has confirmed that the distribution of Stone’s sheep in B.C. is smaller than previously thought. B.C. has provided revisions to past estimates provided to the WAFWA WSI data records to reflect this new information (i.e., we reassigned sheep previously included as Stone’s into the Dall’s category) and the new geographic distribution

Figure 4. Approximate number of Stone’s sheep license sales, 2006-2023.

is identified as all thinhorn sheep populations east of the centerline of the Teslin and Taku watersheds.

The 2022 total estimated number of Stone’s sheep in B.C. is ~12,300, however only about 35% of known Stone’s sheep range has had population level inventory work completed in it over the past decade.

Hunting for Stone’s sheep provides the bulk of the hunting opportunity in B.C. with most areas managed through GOS; some smaller specific hunt areas overlapping provincial park areas are managed through LEH, and there is one archery-only GOS

hunting area. A review of all sheep license sales suggests that hunts for sheep in B.C. continue to increase, despite reduced numbers of LEHs being issued for other subspecies of sheep, supporting the general sense that the number of hunters pursuing Stone’s sheep has increased since the early 2000’s. An estimate of sheep license sales focused on Stone’s sheep hunting opportunity was generated by rounding-down the result of subtracting the total number of LEH permits issued from the total number of sheep licenses sold; while the specific numbers may not be accurate, the trend very likely is (Figure 4).

NOTE: The estimated numbers of Stone’s sheep licenses shown in the graph are generated as a rough estimation for discussion purposes only. WS — Bill Jex, British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Fish and Wildlife Branch

Figure 3. Dall’s sheep license sales, 2006-2023.

20 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 21

IDAHO

In Idaho, bighorn sheep exist in both small, isolated populations and in interconnected metapopulations (Figure 1). For management purposes, these populations and metapopulations have been divided into 21 Population Management Units (PMUs). Currently, an estimated 3,400 bighorn sheep occupy about 15.5% of the state.

Historical and recent data indicate most PMUs can sustain higher populations of bighorn sheep, and overall management direction will be to increase population levels where feasible. To attain this goal, IDFG

Figure 2. Statewide population estimates of California bighorn sheep and Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep in Idaho, 2000–2022. Statewide estimates are based on the most recent survey in each population management unit which may, or may not, reflect the year of the estimate.

will write an annual action plan to describe in more detail planned activities to address management directions and strategies.

Populations

Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (approximately 2,950 animals – Figure 2) occur in 16 PMUs in central and southeastern Idaho.

Eighteen out-of-state translocations and 17 in-state translocations were conducted between 1975 and 2005 to restore Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep populations to historicallyoccupied habitat. Translocations have successfully expanded the distribution of bighorn sheep, but most of the largest populations are still native Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep that were never extirpated in the Salmon River drainage. In southcentral and southwestern Idaho about 450 California bighorn sheep (Figure 2) occur in five PMUs. Bighorn sheep were completely extirpated from this part of the state, and current populations are the result of 11 translocations from outside Idaho and 18 in-state translocations between 1963 and 2004.

Harvest Management Figure 1. Current distribution of bighorn sheep in Idaho, as defined by Population Management Units (PMU).

22 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

Over the last 85 years, ram tags and harvest have varied considerably with changes in populations (Figure 3). Disease-related die-offs that have

Figure 3. Bighorn sheep tags (issued) and harvest 1980–2020, Idaho.

impacted large portions of Idaho’s bighorn sheep populations typically resulted in large reductions in tag levels, followed by slow increases in tags when populations recovered.

Beginning with the 1991–95 bighorn sheep management plan, hunting was not recommended unless a population was estimated at >100 animals. However, a 100-animal minimum may preclude legitimate ram-only harvest opportunities in some smaller populations where habitat carrying capacity prevents achieving minimum population size or risk of catastrophic, all-age die-off is high.

In Idaho, harvest was restricted to ¾-curl or larger rams from 1970–1983 and ¾-curl or larger rams or rams >4 years old (≥3 annual growth rings on horns) from 1984–2006. In 2007, regulations were changed to allow harvest of any ram. Data gathered since 1994 indicate this change had no effect on the average age of harvested rams in Idaho.

Since 1991, management direction is to set tag levels so that harvest is ≤20% of class III and IV rams (¾-curl or larger) observed during the most recent survey for each hunt area.

This conservative harvest strategy ensures adequate mature rams for harvest and biological-behavioral requirements (social dominance hierarchy, genetics, mature male/ female ratios, etc.).

Current timing of bighorn sheep seasons avoids hunting during the breeding season. Most bighorn sheep seasons start 30 August and continue until 8 October for California bighorns and until 13 October for Rocky Mountain bighorns. Some late-season hunts exist; for example, some hunts for Rocky Mountain bighorns extend through 31 October.

Reduction of ewe numbers may be necessary when sheep numbers have increased above population objectives, including when habitat degradation is possible due to overpopulation or bighorn sheep move into habitat with an increased risk of contact with domestic sheep and goats. Removal of ewes can be accomplished through capture and translocation (in-state or to other jurisdictions) or regulated harvest. Ewe removal is generally

not recommended when populations are below habitat carrying capacity, newly reintroduced, or suppressed by a mortality factor (e.g., disease).

There is currently no ewe harvest in Idaho.

All bighorn sheep hunting in Idaho is allocated via a controlled hunt (random drawing) system. Currently, nonresidents are limited to ≤10% of all bighorn sheep tags and not more than one nonresident tag can be issued for controlled hunts with ≤10 tags (≤10% to nonresidents in hunts with >10 tags). Chances of obtaining a bighorn tag generally declined over time as interest and demand have increased, particularly for nonresidents (Figure 4).

Disease and Herd Health

Population health is an essential component of bighorn sheep restoration and management.

Historically, disease was an important factor contributing to declines and extirpation of bighorn sheep in much of their range, and disease continues to limit bighorn sheep numbers today. Not only does disease affect populations directly, risk of disease transmission also affects where and how IDFG manages for bighorn sheep in Idaho.

The primary limiting factor for Idaho bighorn sheep populations is disease, although other factors including habitat, genetics, climate change, predation, and hunting can

Figure 4. Resident, nonresident, and total number of applicants for bighorn sheep tags WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 23

also be important. The disease that has the most widespread and severe impacts on bighorn sheep population abundance is a microbiologically complex pneumonia triggered by the bacterium Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (MOVI) (Figure 5).

The most recent die-off was first detected in the Bruneau-Jarbidge PMU (California bighorn sheep) in 2017. The population has decreased from 150 bighorn sheep counted in 2010 to 26 bighorn sheep counted in 2021.

IDFG is currently conducting test and remove research/adaptive management to clear MOVI from multiple infected bighorn sheep populations. This includes testing and removing infected sheep in the Lower Salmon, Lower Panther-Main Salmon, and the South Beaverhead PMUs. We are gathering baseline data in other populations and evaluating the North and South Hells Canyon PMUs post MOVI clearance. WS Figure 5. Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (Movi) infection status and current distribution of multi-locus sequence strain types in Idaho bighorn sheep. 1980–2020, Idaho.

24 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

— Hollie Miyasaki, Idaho Department of Fish and Game

Dedicated to artistic wildlife design.

3538 Cottonwood Avenue Cody, WY 82414 (307) 587-4863 Info@DeweyWildLife.Com www.DeweyWildLife.com

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 25

MPS Reception - Reno, NV - 2023

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.

Since its inception in 2008, more than $9.5 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.

WSF SALUTES OUR MARCO POLO SOCIETY® MEMBERS TO DATE - Alphabetical Order Shane & Angela Alexander (TN) Lee & Penny Anderson (FL) Anonymous Anonymous Anonymous Anonymous Stanford & Pamela Atwood (CA) John & Jane Babler (MN) Bryan & Barbara Bartlett (NM) Scott & Erica Barry (MI) Brian & Debbie Benyo (OH) Gary Bogner (MI) Dan & Kathy Boone (TX) Louis & Patti Breland (AL) 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) Sam & Tracy Cunningham (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) Tom Foss (AB) Ronald S. Gabriel, MD (CA) Kevin Gilbert (MT) Brian and Susan Ham (AZ) Marc & Cheryl Hansen (PA) Jim & Sue Hens (NY) Charles Herron (AL) 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) Roger Kenner (ND) G. Thomas & Patricia Lang (FL)

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

George & Kelly Lawrence (WA) Doug & Dana Leech (WV) Thomas Lemmerholz (GER) Wayne & Denise Lennington (TN) Jeff Lindgren (MN) Robert Hall & Jane Link (FL) Paul Mattes (MI) Kyle & Joanne Meintzer (NV) Joe & Christine Michaletz (MN) 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)

Gray N. Thornton - President & CEO 406.404.8750 or gthornton@wildsheepfoundation.org

The Marco Polo Society® 26 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

Steve & Sue Skold (IA) Kip & Sue Slaugh (UT) Kevin & Tuesdy Small (CA) J. Alain Smith (WA) Mike Snider (MI) Jeff Sorg (MT) Daryll & Shauna Southwick (CO) Brandon & Kristi Stokes (OR) Rick Taylor & Carole Danyluk (BC) Jelindo & Sandee Tiberti (NV) Matt Tomseth (OR) Mark Watkins (MN) Tim & Ruth Van Der Weide (IA) Ken & Anna Vorisek (AK) Mark Watkins (MN) Jay & Martha Webster (TX) 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)

Ensuring the Future of Wild Sheep

Current as of press time

RACE TO THE SUMMIT I

n 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 #95. To date this incredible group has committed $9.5 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 $1.6 Million dollars in Grant-in-Aid projects for the 2023-2024 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.

76. Tony & Virginia Caligiuri (IA)

88. Jay & Martha Webster (TX)

77. Lyle and Jennifer Wood (AB)

89. Joe & Christine Michaletz (MN)

78. G. Thomas & Patricia Lang (FL)

90. Jeff Sorg (MT)

79. Wayne & Denise Lennington (TN) 91. Roger Kenner (ND) 80. Tom Foss (AB)

92. Steve & Sue Skold (IA)

81. Anonymous

93. Bryan & Barbara Bartlett (NM)

82. Anonymous

94. Rick Taylor & Carole Danyluk (BC)

83. Sam & Tracy Cunningham (TX)

95. Charles Herron (AL)

84. Robert M. Hall & Jane Link (FL)

96.

85. Louis & Patti Breland (AL)

97.

86. Kevin & Lauri Gilbert (MT)

98.

87. Mark Watkins (MN)

99.

100. Sheep Show Auction Item!!

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

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 27

TODAY, TOMORROW, FOREVER

by Paige Culver WSF Development Manager

S

TAKE CARE OF TODAY, PLAN FOR TOMORROW… PARTY IN JANUARY

heep People! It’s time to herd up. Sheep Show® and Sheep Week® 2024 is going to be one for the books!

New and exciting programs and events, an entire convention center packed with quality exhibitors, worldclass auctions and raffles and, as usual, giveaways galore. Not to mention, all the cool kids are going. Who knew having so much fun could result in Putting and Keeping Wild Sheep on the Mountain®?! (Well, we did… and if you’ve ever been to Sheep Show® and Sheep Week® you get it too.) If you haven’t ever been, book your flight, hotel room, and get your registration NOW! We need you there as this year, the Wild Sheep Foundation plans to raise and distribute a record $7.8 million for FY 2023-2024 Mission and Program Funding. We cannot do it without the ever-faithful members, Sheep Show® attendees, and of course

our Chadwick Ram, Marco Polo, and Legacy Society members. Last fiscal year, Chadwick Ram, Marco Polo and Legacy Society members alone accounted for $1.29 million of the total dollars raised for the wild sheep resource. Incredible! You all deserve a treat.

To give a big, heartfelt “thank you” to some of our most faithful, the Societies Lounge in hall three of the Reno Sparks Convention Center will once again be available for all Chadwick Ram, Marco Polo, and Legacy Society members to enjoy.

A big shout out to our friends and incredible conservation partner, Snowy Mountain Rifle Co., for keeping our feet rested and our thirst quenched for the THIRD year in a row! You can thank them in person by stopping by booth #758!

New this year, we are amping up

the festivities on Thursday night as well. Prior to the Thursday evening banquet, we want to invite ALL society members to the Peppermill Hotel and Casino’s Edge Nightclub from 4:30-6 p.m. for the Today, Tomorrow, and Forever cocktail reception. Show up for free drinks, appetizers, and…(DRUMROLL PLEASE)…a couple of STELLAR drawings you won’t want to miss out on! You must be present to win! This is a fun way to meet other society members and kick off a great evening of celebration and raising money for the wild sheep resource.

To our prestigious Marco Polo Society members, we will be celebrating you as well with a cocktail reception Saturday evening prior to the Grand Finale Banquet.

Invitations and details to come. Be on the lookout! WS

The Societies Lounge brought to you this year by our friends at Snowy Mountain Rifle, Co. Thursday’s Today, Tomorrow, & Forever cocktail reception for all society members brought to you by Snowy Mountain Rifle, Co. & Jeffrey Geiger of Merrill Lynch. *As a reminder, the Societies Lounge is only for Chadwick Ram, Marco Polo, and Legacy Society members who are over the age of 21 and in good standing. This year, there will be an attendant checking names at the entrance to ensure that the space remains available and open for our Society Members. Please reach out to Development Manager, Paige Culver, if you have any questions regarding your society membership.

28 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

T

he Conklin foundation board is pleased to announce the 2024 winner of the Conklin award. Eduardo Negrete, is the 22nd 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.

Eduardo, began his big game hunting in 2001 at the age of 33. Since then he has been on over 170 hunts throughout the world taking over 580 animals including 237 Conklin animals. This includes taking 65 sheep and 58 goats.

Eduardo has been married for 28 years to Julia and has a son and a daughter. He lives in Mexico City and has a commercial real estate company.

2024 Conklin Award Winner

sponsored by:

Eduardo Negrete

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

Go with Bo Giuseppe Carrisosa Iberian Hunters Laser Shot Brilliant Stars Point Blank Hunts

Finstincts Hunt Conexion Mexico Champion Ranch Spanish Mountain Hunts Baranof Jewelers Vidale Safaris

MJ Miller & Company Legelela Safaris Salvaforcaza Renaud Desgrees du Lou Fernando Saiz Spain Caprinae Safaris of Turkey

Canada North Outfitting Deron and Suzie Millman Alan and Barbara Sackman Renee Snider Rex Baker WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 29

LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS

by Greg Schildwachter, Charlie Booher WSF Lobbyist

PAIN ON THE PATH FORWARD FOR HORSES AND BURROS

T

he latest attempt to manage feral horses and burros is failing despite a 2019 agreement to increase the last four annual budgets.

WSF joined the 2019 agreement, noting that if it failed to reverse herd growth quickly, a faster alternative would be necessary.

Many people have views on the Bureau of Land Management’s decades of gathering, offering for adoption, or sterilizing free-ranging horses. Legal skirmishes flare, people celebrate seeing horses, and others condemn horse overpopulation. In all—even the celebrations—unhappiness lurks or boils. Once you’ve heard from more than a few people on this issue, you’ve heard about something wrong with everything about the feral horse program.

One obvious fact stands out. As some people worry about having enough horses, and others worry about having too many, no one knows how to adjust—forget about controlling— how many horses there are. The horse herd—like many horses each of us has known personally—is doing what it wants to do.

The 2019 agreement, The Path Forward for Management of BLM’s Wild Horses & Burros, united 13 organizations and coalitions by honest hard labor to reconcile views among sportsmen, animal protectionists, ranchers, and others. Sadly, it isn’t working out.

The problem is that because horses are special, people avoid the hard realities of having too many. Horses are special to America. They are companions and fellow laborers. They have their own federal law. (Only eagles share this distinction in US

30 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

policy.) Yet, the free-roaming horse herd is three times over its sustainable size, damaging the land, water, wildlife, and resigning more of its members to starvation. A greater good may cost us some healthy horses, and that’s hard.

Honor and devotion demand expert scrutiny, heartfelt judgment, and consensus in deciding to end a life.

Even then, it’s a grievous decision. A person, a couple, a family anguishes to make it for an animal in their care.

A country cannot have universal information and involvement and therefore cannot decide, which is, of course, a decision itself.

As a result, the number of horses on BLM lands is neither sustainable nor affordable. The 82,000 head running free have fluctuated around that level for the last few years, but the cost of the program is rising steeply. Another 62,000 horses are now held, fed, and cared for by the BLM. That cost is now two-thirds of the program’s $150 million budget. It’s more than BLM spends on rangeland management and half the entire land resources budget.

A 10-year projection takes the cost to $440 million to merely maintain this three-fold overpopulation.

Path Forward endorsed four activities that have accomplished as much as they can, which is not enough. BLM is gathering and removing horses (and a few burros).

They are applying contraceptives to horses they release from holding. They transfer horses to long-term holding pens and pastures. They offer horses for adoption with a $1,000 incentive.

Each of these actions stir fusses, all of which miss the main point. The work may be too sparing or harsh, or

incorrect, inconsistent, or illegal to one person or another. Pick your point of view, but the one thing not being tried is lethal removal.

Lethal removal is legal but never really used and now prohibited by BLM policy and Congress. The underlying law—The Wild and Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act of 1971—directs BLM to “destroy” excess horses humanely and costeffectively. In 2004, Congress provided for the sale of “excess animals” to private ownership. From 2005-2008, BLM sold 2,744 horses, but only to people who would keep, not slaughter, them. Then, from 2010 to present, Congress has annually prohibited BLM from destroying healthy excess horses or selling them for slaughter.

Lethal removal may be necessary only occasionally, but even to consider it means reconciling big beliefs and emotions. The dreaded discussion must begin with big hearts and principles.

In the heart of every mountain conservationist, and at the heart of all our issues, is a passion for thriving landscapes abundant with life. The same passion fires the people whose main interest is free-ranging horses.

Principles to guide this common passion began to emerge in Path Forward. It called for economic and environmental viability, and humane and feasible practices. These are sound principles, but can they be kept under Path Forward’s commitment to nonlethal practices?

To be economical, environmental, humane, and feasible, is to confront the mournful decision. WS

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800-232-6064 ® WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP 31 9:01:41 AM 10/23/2023

AWARDS AWARDS

by Tony Caligiuri Chair, Ram Awards Committee

ANOTHER GREAT AWARDS SEASON ON TAP

W

e are only weeks away from what many consider to be the “Greatest Show on Earth”, Sheep Week® 2024!

Reno, the biggest little city in the world will again play host to our annual event. While there is much to anticipate and do during convention week, one of the more popular events on the show floor is the Ram and Mountain Monarchs Awards Luncheon where more than 700 show attendees will be in the audience to watch 90 lucky hunters take to the stage on Thursday of Sheep Week®.

The awards, started in 1978, are always exciting and always surprising.

The Ram Awards are really an “everyman’s” game with medal winners coming from all walks of life. The winners are just as apt to be a hard-working, do-it-yourself, first-time sheep hunter as they are to be hunters who ponied up several hundred thousand dollars to secure a premier auction tag. And just as often as not, the do-it-yourself guys will knock the auction hunters out for a gold medal ram and vice versa.

The Ram Awards include archery and rifle bronze, silver, and gold awards for the three highest-scoring sheep in each species category, plus honorable mention awards for all rams that meet the Boone and Crockett Club or Pope and Young Club minimum entry requirements— as well as an overall Award of Excellence for both rifle and bow hunted rams.

Forty-three North American 32 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

rams were entered this year, and no surprise, the biggest Dall’s sheep are again from Alaska, Stone’s sheep entries were a little light this year, desert sheep entries were represented almost equally between Mexico and the Southwest states, and the majority of Rocky Mountain and California bighorns came from the lower 48 with a couple of great rams

Ben Rawls with his Gold Award Bighorn taken in Washington’s Hells Canyon in August 2023.

from north of the border as well.

There were some pictures of absolutely giant Dall’s sheep and Stone’s sheep floating around the internet this year, so we can only assume that those hunters were not WSF members and did not enter

these rams. With that in mind, if you are an outfitter, make sure your hunters are WSF members prior to the start of their hunts, or better yet, make a membership part of the hunt package. The publicity garnered from these awards for your outfitting business can be game-changing as a couple of well-known outfitters from Mexico and Alaska can attest.

This year’s Mountain Monarch Awards saw forty-three entries from around the world with some exceptional trophies in all categories, but once again, the argali categories including Marco Polo rams is considerably off from past years and reflective of the current issues with getting them back into the United States.

To underscore that Ram Awards are indeed an “everyman’s game” I won my first gold back in 1991 for a desert sheep taken in Arizona and my last, a California bighorn from Idaho in 2021—30 years apart! Both of those rams were on draw tags and were completed for less than $12,000 dollars combined, including licenses, outfitting fees, and travel costs.

Living proof that you don’t need a king’s ransom in diamonds or the youthful legs and lungs of a marathon runner to be in contention.

Sponsors for this year’s awards are the Boone and Crockett Club, Pope and Young, Safari Club International, Zeiss, Boyt Harness Company, Guides and Outfitters of British Columbia, and the Alaska Professional Hunters Association. WS

2024 RAM AWARDS NOON – 2:00 P.M. THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 2024 Mt. Rose Ballroom – Reno-Sparks Convention Center

RECEIVE 1 TICKET AT ENTRY – MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN

5-DAY AOUDAD HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER IN WEST TEX AS

PLUS! We’ll have a Weatherby Bighorn Edition Rifle and Zeiss Optic Raffle!

TICKETS ARE $50 — ONLY 250 TICKETS WILL BE SOLD. MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN.

EVENT SPONSORS

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 33

DONATE TODAY

ALREADY HAVE YOUR F.N.A.W.S.?

BECOME A “ONE MORE FOR FOUR” SPONSOR!

Receive one of these beautiful medallions commemorating the “1 MORE FOR 4” Challenge.

Donations of $500 receive a bronze medallion and contributions of $1000 or more receive a 1.75” silver medallion (2 Troy ounces of .999 pure silver) in a presentation case.

34 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

You can keep the tradition alive by joining Bernie Fiedeldey and the current* 2024 1MF4 sponsors listed below by making a donation today. Your gift will help send one very lucky fellow hunter on the trip of a lifetime and gift them the opportunity to complete their F.N.A.W.S. Bernie has once again generously offered to match up to $25,000 in sponsor dollars!

Our sincere appreciation to Bernie Fiedeldey and the “1 MORE FOR 4” participants for making this drawing and hunt of a lifetime possible! *current as of press time

• THE EXPERIENCE (Dan Catlin) • Kris Kohlhoff • Bernie Fiedeldey • Midwest Chapter WSF • Darin & Tonya Fiedeldey • Renee Snider • Kevin & Lauri Gilbert • Charles & Denise Swanson • Jeff Haynie • WSF Alberta

For more Information Contact: Paige Culver: 406.404.8758 PCulver@wildsheepfoundation.org

What separates posers from the real deal?

This badge.

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 35

COVER STORY

Journal of a sheep hunter byJohn King W

hy does a man sheep hunt?

Why would a man fly to a place of isolation far from the love of his family to chase a beast few will ever see? Fewer will ever kill? Sheep county is a place of extremes. Extreme light, extreme dark, extreme elevation, rain, fog, snow, wind, sun, extreme miles. What makes a man dream of such an adventure? An adventure he cannot financially justify to his wife? He knows it’s beyond reason at this time in his life and yet he still longs for the adventure. It’s a dream so crazy he rarely speaks of it because it seems so far beyond this moment in

36 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

his life. And yet he still has a longing to step in the ring and see what he is made of. This is the story of my dream. A dream so big I never expected to see it come true. And yet it did.

January 14, 2022, I was sitting in my bedroom watching the <1 Club® drawing

live. Gray pulled the first name and it was a man from Texas. I was not surprised my name wasn’t pulled—after all—I have never won anything from a random lottery.

Then a second name was pulled— she was not present and she got the “it sucks to be you,” speech, from Gray. It made me laugh. The third he pulled was my name. I

was shocked...I felt like my throat had been stepped on. I ran into the kitchen to tell my wife and kids I would have won a hunt if I was in Reno tonight. They looked at me like, who cares? You hunt somewhere every year. They basically scolded me for my anguish in the kitchen. The next 24 hours I told myself it was fine, everything was fine. I never really had it so I can’t be mad. I painted an oil painting with my oldest daughter, because she loves to paint. I’m not very good, but its common ground where we can spend a day together bonding. My painting was titled “It sucks to be you.”

January 16, 2022, I was sitting down with my family to watch a movie and my phone lit up. It was a 307 number at 8 PM. I thought it was weird, but I answered it because I recognized the area code deep in the back of my head. First words on the line were, “This is Justin from Wild Sheep Foundation.”

The throat kick turned into a knot at this moment. I got up and stepped away from my family to give Justin one hundred percent of my attention. He took his sweet

time explaining the first two names drawn in the <1 Club® raffle were individuals of great character, they had both killed wild sheep the previous year. They both disqualified themselves over a phone conservation that day. Justin told me they had to watch the video back to be sure of who the third ticket was. It was me. You don’t have to be present if you are the first drawn in the <1 Club® drawing.

By honesty and grace, I became the first drawn. So overwhelmed with

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 37

COVER STORY

emotions I could hardly speak, it took awhile for me to compose myself.

My family was in wonder and fear when I came back into the living room with tears in my eyes. They had no context for my emotions.

My daughters said they had never witnessed such a thing from their dad. Joyous phone calls were made

38 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

to my father and to my best friend Will Duryea. Will and myself have spent the past 15 years traveling and hunting the West chasing adventure and journey. It was decided that night that Will would join me on this journey and carry his Sony A7 R3.

The next 18 months I spent preparing gear and training, both

physically and mentally. People would ask me questions about my expectations for this hunt and my answer was always the same. I want to experience what it means to be a sheep hunter and the cards will fall where they may.

basecamp. I went to bed wondering if this was going to be a slam dunk. Will this be over in the morning?

August 15, 2023...

The first morning of sheep hunting, I woke up full of excitement and hope. We had spotted three rams the night before and were headed south to get a better look at two rams. We found both rams and neither were legal. We covered a good ten miles of country the first day.

August 16, 2023...

August 14, 2023...

we have landed on a strip in the Arctic so far from home... and yet this country immediately feels like

home. We were greeted by the guide and the previous successful client. He was stoked to show us a ram they had in the spotting scope directly behind

Today we hiked a good 12 miles in a drainage the guide always sees rams in. In fact, he said this was the first time he had not seen a ram while in the drainage. We found nothing but nine miles of loose rock and cobble.

A good guide reads his clients and a good client should read his guide.

Our guide was not showing his cards emotionally, but the circumstance and the words of other sheep hunters in the area were telling me this was going to be a tall mountain to climb.

On day two I am already feeling the mental games of a sheep hunt. Today I asked myself, Is this about the kill or the journey? I decided it was both.

Only two days in and I feel the odds of success are lower than normal based off the chatter and a big ram already taken off the mountain in this drainage...and with low sheep density to begin with. I didn’t want to show weakness to my guide or friend. I planned to keep this thought in my head and suppress the negative waves. I chose to move forward with a good attitude. That night, I went to bed feeling anxious and a sense of a low-odds hunt.

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 39

COVER STORY

August 17, 2023...

We woke up to decent weather and I was ready to pound another ten or twelve miles to the west. Our guide was not so ambitious with the weather forecast of crap coming in for several days. About 9 AM as I was burning the morning toilet paper and saying my morning prayers, I spotted a dot on the hill to the west. At ten power I confirmed it was a grizzly. In the deepest way I wanted to pursue it from there, but I knew my guide would not be happy with me, so I hustled back to camp. We confirmed the plan was not to cover lots of country on foot, so we decided to get closer to the bear and see if we could make a play on him. The plan failed because of poor wind, and we ended up glassing most of the day close to base camp.

On slower days with less hiking, I begin to miss my girls at home. As bad as it sounds, I try not to think of home too much. I try to stay present and focus on the task at hand. They all wrote me letters for the trip, but I aim to open and read them after the hunt.

August 18, 2023...

Today we have been getting rain

40 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

all day and we are tent bound.

Late afternoon we got a break in the weather long enough to spot another sub-legal ram from base camp. Deflated, I’m wondering if we will ever see a legal ram. Again, I

question my intentions on this hunt.

Is it about the journey or the destination?

Sheep hunting is not easy...physically or mentally. Cooped up in a tent all day is like prison when you’re chomping at the bit to glass and pound the hill. Too much idle time lets my mind wander from the sheep hunt and think about my wife and girls at home...the loves of my life.

My tent is leaking on me and I could care less about my house, bed, or a hot shower, I only miss my girls. Trips like this are good for a family. It really puts the importance of your loved ones in the forefront of your mind.

August 19, 2023...

It’s day five, I think. I didn’t even know it was Saturday until dinner.

Today was the toughest day mentally.

We woke up to fog, and after it cleared, we climbed a mountain to the west to look over new country.

Just as we reached the peak, fog rolled back in and stayed for a good while. So, we retreated to lower country with little to show for our efforts. We are hearing more local chatter on the InReach. Sounds like everyone is struggling this year. At this point I don’t feel like I have a lot of hope in finding a legal sheep.

I feel like this is my title fight and I’m getting my teeth kicked in every day. Each morning I wake up I try to be optimistic, it’s a new day and I want to put out positive vibes to my guide and buddy, Will. The weather forecast for the next two days is supposed to be snotty—that makes it tough on a sheep hunter’s mind.

At this point I’m thinking the next two days are going to be a bear and caribou hunt. Never in my wildest dream did I think I would want a

grizzly near camp and now I pray for one to show up. Doing the math, I’m realizing we are running out of time with the predicted weather forecast. We may only have a possible day or two for good weather at the end of this hunt. I feel like I need a miracle from God at this point. I question myself again, am I only here for the trophy? I do think the trophy is important. Why else would a man spend so much time away from his loved ones climbing and suffering physically and

mentally not to be focused on the prize?

God, I pray for better weather and a legal ram, in Jesus’ name amen.

August 20, 2022...

Proverbs 12:27 is now my favorite bible verse. I read it to the guys two days back while we were stuck in the tent. “The lazy do not roast any game, but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt.” We woke up to fog hanging above the tundra like a salad mister. I stepped out of the tent WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 41

COVER STORY

I knew my shot was true. When you shoot a lot, you know when you make a good shot and you know when you make a poor shot almost the moment you pull the trigger. My final thought before the trigger pull was make the first one count. Pack out was a short one-mile, downhill walk to camp. It was leisurely after 25 miles of cobble and rock sheep hunting. The bear hunt today was a good morale booster for me. It got us out of the tent and working and now I’m not sitting around thinking about not sheep hunting today.

to drink a morning coffee and look for bears. Moments later I spotted a grizzly about a thousand yards from camp. All I had to say was “bear” and it got the boys in the tent moving around. Today is the perfect day for bear hunting. After all, we won’t be sheep hunting in the fog and rain today. It took a bit to gear up. We were drinking coffee in crocs and puffy pants. Not exactly bear hunting attire. We closed the mile between us and the bear on the flat ground with ease. The stalk and wind were perfect. The size of the bear was not of major concern. I was more 42 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

concerned about a nice coat. Blonde Arctic grizzly bears are possibly the finest specimen of all the bears.

Bright blonde bodies with black legs and a distinct humped back. When it came time to make the shot, I was focused and felt an intensity you don’t feel when shooting an ungulate.

It wasn’t exciting like you would feel with a 200-inch deer, or the follow of your first musky. It was more like entering a Brazilian jiu jitsu ring. I settled into clean prone shooting position and found my reticle on target with a rock-solid hold. The hammer dropped seconds later and

August 21,2023...

We woke up to more rain and fog this morning. It was a bit of a letdown with forecasted better weather supposedly coming at us.

Mid-morning our guide informed us of the plan to pack three days of food, we were headed to the west to spike out and hunt new country. I felt like Lloyd Christmas, “So you’re telling me there is a chance?” I’m not sure our guide always connected with me and Will’s humor. This immediately brought my hope level up to ten again. After too many days of glassing three drainages near basecamp in and out of fog and rain I was ready to see new country. Since I was a boy, I have had a drive to see what is over the next hill. I can’t explain it, but I hated going to the same classroom or working in the same building every day. Staring at the same walls day after day kills me. I love covering ground and seeing new sights.

With packs loaded we were covering new ground and moved to the west to country that hasn’t seen a man in quite a while. Naturally, it rained on and off all day. Soaked from sweat and creek crossings, we crawled into our bags to rest up for the morning. The forecast is supposed to be clear but windy tomorrow, after that, the weather window is supposed to close and go to crap for the next three days. God, I pray for good weather and a ram tomorrow. I lay in my sleeping bag questioning God. Does it matter if I kill a ram, what is the lesson in this journey?

August 22,2023...

We woke up to bright high clouds with a crisp blue background. By

now our morning routine is pretty dialed, eat blueberry mountain house, drink instant Black Rifle Coffee and burn toilet paper. About the time we finished all our morning business meetings we spotted a small ram and a grizzly in the valley below camp.

Before we left camp, Will declared he thought today was our day, I agreed.

We cleared the alders and hit the next drainage without introducing ourselves to the bear headed our way.

The hike to the saddle that morning taught me a valuable life lesson. One foot in front of the next. Look for the next rock to safely place your foot on.

Focus on your next step not the ridge or what’s beyond it.

As soon as we eased our way to the crest of the saddle our guide spotted two rams about a thousand yards away. Immediately after getting them into the scope, he knew one was a shooter. At that moment I felt like the tide was turning in our favor. We had to drop back and sidehill around to a lower elevation to get a small peak between us and them. When we crossed over the top to head towards the rams, he informed us the steep, loose scree field was going to suck. It seemed like an eternity crossing the 500 yards of rock. The wind was everywhere on top, and I was getting pretty nervous about the angle we were headed, but we WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 43

COVER STORY

really had no choice. This late in the hunt with weather coming, we had to go for broke. We finally reached the blocker peak and the rams were gone. The wind was hitting us in the back. At this point my mind was contemplating we would be seeing them on another mountain very soon. Our next move was to sidehill around to the peak of this mountain and try to gain a better wind angle and hope to relocate the sheep on the mountain. As we crested the summit, we slowly scanned as we walked. In that moment we looked back to the backside of the drainage and the ram was spotted. The guide dropped down, stacked two packs and said “shoot that sheep”—he never pulled his spotter out. I remember being amazed at his confidence in it being a legal ram. I dropped into position and took a look through my 10x rifle scope at his horns. I’m not an expert 44 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

judging sheep—this was my first week on the job—but I knew immediately he was a good ram.

At 300 yards on two packs with no

rear buttstock rest, my crosshairs were on and off the sheep. Definitely not acceptable reticle movement. I pulled the rifle back into the packs, dug my bipod in and got my crosshairs to stay on the sheep, but I was still drifting in and out of the kill zone.

Still not acceptable reticle movement.

On my third attempt at building a good shooting position, I put my right knee under my right elbow and floated my shoulder open like a wing.

While not exactly perfect shooting form, it finally steadied my crosshairs enough to get comfortable with a trigger pull. A deep breath and my final thoughts were...you have waited your entire life for this trigger squeeze, make sure it’s clean. A millisecond later fire erupted from the muzzle brake and I knew I had a good hit.

The ram didn’t go far and I was looking for a follow-up shot to ensure we would not be going on a wild ram

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WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 45

Every part of this adventure fell into place perfectly, at the right time. chase. The second shot anchored him and it was all high fives. With the ram of my dreams, all my dreams, I can’t help but think we got the full sheep hunting experience: the mental anguish when things were not going well, the physical miles with loose rolling rocks, and now the sweet success of sitting with the monarch of the mountain.

August 23, 2023...

We packed back to base camp today and our old friends rain and fog showed up. At this point it made no difference, we had our sheep secure in the meat shelter and we were preparing sheep ribs in basecamp. I would say sheep ribs fried in butter

46 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

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COVER STORY I have a new dream now—I’m a sheep hunter and one is not enough…I don’t know where or when, but I will sheep hunt again. are now my all-time favorite meal.

August 24, 2023...

Without a doubt God blessed me on this hunt. Every part of this adventure fell into place perfectly, at the right time. Rain continued today and the forecast is snotty. Looks like we will be camping in the tundra for a few more days.

August 25, 2023...

It has been raining about 36 hours now. No way we fly back today.

48 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

August 26, 2023...

We flew out of the Arctic today.

Back to reality.

I want to thank Kevin and Tuesdy Small for their long-term support of the >1 Club®. They truly play a pivotal part in making dreams come true. Big thanks to Tim Fallon and all the crew at the FTW Ranch—without a doubt they built confidence in my shooting skills. Thank you, to our guide and outfitter, for putting up with me for 13 days, I’m grateful for your

involvement in the club. Also, I want to thank my best friend Will Duryea for following along and documenting this adventure with great photos. I want to thank all the sponsors and staff involved. So many people and companies support this great club. It is unquestionably the best club in the world. I’m officially kicked out! I have a new dream now—I’m a sheep hunter and one is not enough…I don’t know where or when, but I will sheep hunt again. WS

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wild@instinct-hungary.com WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 49

From WSF: Congratulations again to Lucas Hile, our 2022 Last Frontier Hunt Giveaway winner. Thanks to our partners with the Association of Mackenzie Mountain Outfitters (AMMO) and NWT Tourism, this member appreciation sweepstakes was a huge success. Lucas had the choice of hunting with one of eight AMMO outfitters, and he chose Arctic Red River Outfitters. As part of his package, Adam Foss joined Lucas on his hunt to provide professional photography and videography.

50 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

L

ooking back on my recent Dall's sheep hunt at Arctic Red River Outfitters (ARRO) with new friends, Guide Derrick Klassen and Cameraman Adam Foss, this was by far the best experience I have ever had. I cannot say thank you enough to the Wild Sheep Foundation and all its partners and staff for making this dream a reality. I am forever appreciative and will always be a member supporting what they do in every way I possibly can. It's hard to put into words how great this trip was and how truly thankful I am. It was unreal, and I have come out of this experience a rich man for the friendships made in the mountains and at the camp. Spending lots of time with the ARRO staff and family and all the guides in camp was a rich experience. I met my guide's family and his father, legend Ale Klassen, as well. I have some lifelong friends and was fortunate enough to harvest a ramof-a-lifetime. Harvesting rams is no easy task, and it's getting hard to do because of recent hard winters in my home state of Alaska. Thankfully, the Wild Sheep Foundation exists, and outfitters like ARRO and their team are dedicated to preserving this amazing animal. I would never have been able to go on a trip like this without winning the NWT Last Frontier Hunt Giveaway. I am forever grateful, and it was a super humbling experience that tested me physically and mentally. I'm in love with sheep preservation and hunting. It's a lifestyle, and the people I have been fortunate to meet, talk to, and spend time with embody this lifestyle day in and day out. Truly blessed!

Thank you, WSF, ARRO, Adam Foss, Derrick Klassen, SITKA, and Mystery Ranch.

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 51

52 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 53

This was a super-exciting encounter on day one.

Up close and personal.

Hunting makes friends. Not just a guide, lifelong friends.

54 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

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There is no better feeling than a ram on your back after giving it all you got.

56 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

Giving thanks to the ram.

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 57

ALWAYS BE READY

BY ADAM WEATHERBY

M

y bug for sheep hunting began in 2015 when I first experienced chasing

58 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

these incredible creatures in the far north. A successful Dall’s sheep hunt in the Northwest Territories

left me with incredible memories and photos—and a deep desire to return. A lucky draw in Oregon in

2017 sent me on my second North American sheep hunt where I was able to harvest a California bighorn ram on a fun and challenging DIY hunt in the southcentral part of the state. Over the next several years, I found myself waiting for the perfect opportunity to arise that would send me back into the field with a sheep tag in my pocket. That waiting

came to a sudden halt the summer of 2023 when I woke up on a Saturday morning at home to a text that there was a last minute cancellation on a sheep hunt…in the Yukon…in 12 days!

Most people know that I love to hunt. With a last name like mine that probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise. However, my wife will

be the first to tell you that I have many other hobbies as well. One of those hobbies is flying. Although I first started flying about 17 years ago, there is something incredibly calming and exhilarating every time I take off. The earth gets really small really fast and my crowded brain tends to focus in on one thing; survival. With that being said, there were many

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 59

things on my mind as we loaded our gear into the plane that morning in August. I would be flying the furthest north I had ever flown and would be navigating international airspace.

There were fires and weather to deal with in addition to clearing customs and refueling a couple times.

However, none of that seemed to matter that morning. I was with my wife and good friend Luke in a plane chock full of hunting and camera gear with a sheep tag in my pocket!

With the sun slowly rising, I pushed the power forward and the propeller started to spin up and we sped down the runway at Sheridan Municipal Airport in Northern Wyoming. As I pulled back on the yoke, my little hometown suddenly shrunk until we couldn’t see it anymore. All we could see were open skies representing uncharted territory and unmet adventures, both of which are things I live for!

We were on our final leg of the 60 W ILDSSHEEP HEEP®®~~WINTER WINTER2023/24 2023/24 WILD

journey, later that afternoon, high above the endless mountains the Yukon provides, when the air traffic controller came on the radio and asked if we had dinner plans in Dawson City, Yukon. Having been accustomed to a much more formal radio protocol in the lower 48, I was taken back with the question.

What transpired over the next several minutes were restaurant and bar recommendations from not only the Canadian controller but also another pilot who threw in his recommendation for dinner at the Drunken Goat followed by drinks at Bombay Peggy’s. As we neared our landing in this old gold rush town, I knew we were truly headed for the middle of nowhere. With a landmass twice the size as my homestate of Wyoming, but with ten times less people, I knew it would be perfect for one thing; ten days of epic hunting!

From what I understand, Midnight Sun Outfitting has over 7 million

acres in their concession. Logan and Jessie Young are a brother/ sister team that operate as second generation outfitters in the Yukon.

Having grown up in these incredibly remote mountains, the Youngs certainly know what they are doing and it shows in their operation. The logistical undertaking to get hunters, guides, wranglers, horses and all the gear in over a hundred miles from the nearest road is unbelievable. We ended up flying in to base camp on a Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander while other hunters landed on the legendary de Havilland Otter on floats. Those big planes were a blast to see taking off and landing at base camp, but the pinnacle of aviation there was Alan’s Super Cub tied down just outside the cabins. Alan is Jessie and Logan’s father who has accumulated thousands of hours flying hunters around the Yukon over the years. From the large Alaskan bushwheel tires to the extra fuel

As we neared our landing in this old gold rush town, I knew we were truly headed for the middle of nowhere. tanks, this thing was ready to get in and out of just about anywhere.

Alan may have officially handed the business over to the next generation, but they hired their dad to do what he does best; be the taxi driver.

As excited as I was about hopping on the Cub and heading to our spike camp, I must admit I was equally as excited when I found out we’d be riding horses out of the base camp instead for about eight hours to where we’d set up our spike camp for most of the week. Although I am not an avid rider of these large beasts, I did grow up with horses and love a good hunt on horseback. There certainly is something nostalgic about horses and beautiful terrain that make for amazing photos. Let me tell you, that ride to our sheep camp was one of the prettiest rides I’d ever been on. We saw black bear, grizzlies,

moose and even some younger sheep on the ride that day. The main pass was incredibly steep but provided views that were unbeatable as we dropped down the other side into camp.

Although some prefer a proper base camp full of amenities to a remote spike camp, I feel I am at home in the backcountry with a tent, Jetboil, and a sleeping bag. This type of camp just lends itself to being right in the middle of the action. We could literally almost glass sheep in the mountains right from camp.

Sometimes, however, you can be too much in the middle of the action as one morning we saw a grizzly sow and her cubs a few hundred yards from camp. Nonetheless, we set up here and made ourselves as comfortable as we could knowing we probably had some long days ahead of us.

I had chosen a special rifle for this trip. As an avid supporter of the Wild Sheep Foundation, Weatherby had built a special “Thinhorn Edition” limited run of rifles to help raise money at chapter banquets in addition to the annual get-together in Reno. I had a special one of these rifles built up last minute for this hunt. I chose the 6.5 Wby RPM as I knew it would the lightest possible package while providing the energy I was looking for should I need to take a long poke at a ram. We’d come up with a custom paint job for both the rifle and the Leupold VX6HD scope with the WSF logo on the floorplate.

Honestly, it’s a mighty fine looking rifle if I do say so myself! I’d practiced the week before out to 700 yards and had it shooting consistently under .5 MOA with the 124-grain Custom Hammer bullets.

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The rifle made itself into the scabbard each morning on Barley.

Barley was a blue roan that had grown up hunting in the Yukon season after season. We became pretty good friends that week as he carried my rifle and I over passes and through valleys in search of a mature ram. The hunt consisted of riding, hiking, and glassing as we covered quite a bit of miles each day. Between the height of the willows and the saturation of the ground, hiking was quite difficult at times in the low country. We let the horses do most of the work down there and then would tie them up when it was time to gain some elevation.

62 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

We tried to stay warm and dry, but the Yukon doesn’t usually let you get away with that.

The hardest part of sheep hunting is not necessarily finding sheep. It’s more about finding a mature legal ram. That first morning we were into sheep after just a few hours. Even

thankful for good hunting gear, but even with the best that money can buy…you just end up wet! There were times we would be on those horses and it would just absolutely

when spotting ewes and lambs it is just fun seeing sheep in the binos or spotting scope. We eventually got onto some younger rams when the excitement really started to kick in.

You end up just watching them for hours as they turn their heads back and forth showing all the angles of their horns. If you haven’t sheep hunted, it doesn’t take too long to really spot the older rams from the younger ones. Full curl is full curl and it is quite addicting to sit behind glass trying to find a legal ram. Needless to say, I put my Swarovskis to good use all day, every day.

As is quite typical, it rained pretty much every day on our hunt. That first day hunting sheep was no exception. It certainly makes you

downpour. You end up riding along watching the rain run off your rain gear...and the horses would just keep going. We’d get off occasionally and glass for a while, then ride again.

We tried to stay warm and dry, but the Yukon doesn’t usually let you get away with that.

When we ended up spotting the first mature legal ram, it was after a long day of wet riding. We were actually on our way back to spike camp when we located some rams up high and a mile or two away. After getting an initial look in the spotting scope, Logan said it was definitely worth closing the distance to see if one of those rams could be the “one” we were looking for. By the time we tied the horses up and hiked in it

was probably between 8:00 PM and 9:00 PM in the evening. It had been a long day of hunting and we were fatigued but we had the possibility of seeing a full curl up close if we played things right. We ended up popping out of the willows at about 600 yards away from the small band of rams but for the first hour we couldn’t seem to turn up the big one we had seen a couple hours earlier.

After quite some time we realized we needed to reposition to get a place where we could set up for a good shot and play the wind right. So we backed down the hill and hiked back up a steep mountain thinking it would place us in a better view of the sheep and possibly within 500 yards of them. The sun continued to set, although it certainly took its time on this August evening. I may mention at this point that it was my wife’s birthday and I knew if we ended up shooting a ram near last light it would be a long and wet night.

However, that certainly didn’t slow us down as we approached the top of the mountain we were closing in on.

Sure enough, as we crested the top we ended up 480 yards away from the band of rams who were now bedded.

I was able to build a great prone shooting position and put one in the chamber. It would now be a waiting game as Logan and Arlis looked through the spotter and made sure the ram was the age and size that we were after. They had a good look at one side, but as he was bedded it was very difficult to see the other side.

After some time went by the ram got up and turned and re-bedded where we could now see the other side. At this point we knew he was the ram that we were after. We figured him to be at least 9 ½ years old and possibly WINTER WINTER2023/24 2023/24~~W ILDSSHEEP HEEP®® 63 WILD

older. He was certainly full curl and given the past few harsh winters he was a ram that you would not want to pass up. It was at that point that the ram got up and stood broadside. With the crosshairs on him and my scope dialed, I let it rip.

To have my wife by my side to share in the moment was incredibly special. She had heard my stories from previous hunts in the Northwest Territories and British Columbia.

She knew that things could be hard at times hunting these rugged and remote mountain areas. Well, here we were on her birthday with a Fannin sheep on the ground and the storm clouds rolling in. The sun finally set for good by the time we got up to the ram. It was even bigger and older than we had originally thought.

Logan had a smile a mile wide as we took photos with the last light upon us. I was more than elated as I now had my third North American sheep and my friends and Brenda along with me to share in the moment.

Nothing says happy birthday like a picture in front of a ram with your husband, right?

Along about midnight, the sky unleashed a downpour that would end up lasting through the night.

We put a tarp up as a shelter and we all crawled under it. With an animal to cape and quarter, a mountain to hike off, and a couple-hour horse ride ahead of us, we decided to stay under that wet tarp until the sun came up. The next five hours ended up being one of the wettest and longest nights of our lives. There was Brenda soaking wet laying under a tarp in the pouring rain on her birthday. She had no dinner, no dry clothes and no bed. She has often heard me say, “if it’s miserable it’s memorable.” Well, 64 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

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TO JOIN CRS contact Paige Culver: 406.404.8758 or pculver@wildsheepfoundation.org WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 65

that night is a night that none of us will ever forget. Using boots and rifles and packs as pillows and blankets we shivered our way until first light.

As we packed the ram off the mountain the next day and back to camp it was awesome to know we had done what we came to do.

However, the hunt didn’t end with that ram. A couple of days later I had the opportunity to take my first wolf. We were riding along on the horses when Logan pointed at a wolf a few hundred yards away in the willows. In a matter of seconds, I dismounted, grabbed the rifle, and shot that wolf just as he was turning to run off. Luke has seen me shoot a lot of animals, but he later said that he has never seen me so “pumped” in my life! I remember taking my hat off and throwing it in excitement.

I had possessed a wolf tag many times in my life but never had the opportunity to squeeze the trigger on one. I was thrilled to have been a part of predator management that day as the large, mature male wolf 66 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

was less than a couple miles from the “nursery” where ewes and lambs were often seen.

We found ourselves back at main camp with a couple days left before the plane would come get us. It was at that point that we decided to see if we couldn’t turn up a big caribou for Brenda. After all, I owed her a birthday present after that long night under the tarp. However, we had determined that she would probably only shoot if we turned up a giant bull. Well, several hours into the day we did just that. I was the first to spot a couple bulls a ways off.

After several hours of stalking, we ended up less than 400 yards from where they had bedded. Brenda was set up and ready to shoot if a big one presented himself. She quickly went from “observer” to “hunter” that afternoon. She is an incredible hunter and when she puts her mind to something she gives it her all.

The “one-shot kill” on a bull-ofa-lifetime was the perfect ending to the trip that afternoon. Brenda

didn’t come to hunt, but we had got her tags just in case. To have harvested a 10 ½ year old ram, a huge wolf and a monster of a caribou in those 10 days exceeded all our expectations. The Yukon is a gamerich environment and the Young family has a concession that is chock full of beautiful mountains, lakes and valleys where these critters love to roam.

I am so thankful for the Wild Sheep Foundation, of which Logan Young serves on the national board.

Their ongoing conservation efforts Putting and Keeping Sheep on the Mountain® ensures hunts like this one are possible. More importantly, it helps to ensure that generations to come will have similar opportunities as I have been able to have over the years. On behalf of everyone at Weatherby, thank you to the countless volunteers and donors who continue to fund this organization.

My family business is proud to support the Wild Sheep Foundation.

My WSF Thinhorn Edition

SEAN KECK

THANK YOUR

GUIDE / OUTFITTER Thank your Guide/Outfitter for a job well done in the Spring issue of Wild Sheep Magazine.® This generates business for them and shows how appreciative you are!

AD REQUEST FORM

FOR MORE INFO CONTACT: Terry Ziehl 406.404.8765 • tziehl@wildsheepfoundation.org

wildsheepfoundation.org/wild-sheep-magazine WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 67

Weatherby rifle came to do a job. Just as my grandfather tested his products generations ago in places like Africa, the Yukon proved to be the ultimate testing grounds for the endurance and performance of a rifle. It’s a tough job to get out there and test a rifle, but someone has to do it, right? With that being said, I plan to donate this rifle for auction at the 2024 Sheep Show® in Reno. It served me and my wife well as we harvested three great animals in the Yukon, so it just seems right that it should help raise money to allow others to be able to do the same generations from now. I hope to see you all in Reno this year. You will find me at the raffle buckets for a desert bighorn! #1MF4 WS

68 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 69

Thank you Dan Castles and Midnight Sun Outfitters!

— JIM LINES

70 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

ALBERTA 2023

ALASKA 2003

Thank You All!!!

Chad Lenz, Savage Encounters. Guides, Logan Hunt, Matt, and Jim Ferguson Rob Jones, R & R Guide Service. Guide, Scott Ruttum Tom Vince, TurnAgain Adventures. Guide, Jerry Porter Emilio Rangel, La Palmosa. Guide, David

KEVIN GILBERT BRITISH COLUMBIA 2013

MEXICO 2021

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 71

(A small-scale humanitarian effort after an epic Ibex hunt)

BY ALEXANDER SHARIF

72 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

nce an engineer, always an engineer. After roughly 40 years of being involved in designing, breathing, living, and executing complex engineering projects across the globe with the essential ingredient of “safety above all,” the safety culture will start to embed itself into your DNA. This feeling becomes second nature regardless of where you travel to and whether it is for work or pleasure.

This tale will be a long one, ergo a beverage of choice will be essential to get through it all.

Roll the clock back to early November of 2021, with the company of my longtime pal Carl Tatarin and my photographer friend Darryn Epp, we travelled to one of the most remote parts of this planet in pursuit of a mid-Asian ibex. For those interested, a complete account of this hunt was published in the

2022 Spring issue of Wild Sheep® magazine. This article, however, is about the humanitarian aspect of the trip that developed as we started our actual hunt.

We were venturing in the southern Pamir Mountains of Tajikistan at the tip of the Wakhan Corridor at the confluence of Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. This place has a long history of battles and many armies including the Russians, the Chinese,

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 73

the Mongols, and even the British have fought for its control and have all failed.

The scenery is stunning and the surrounding Pamir Mountains with their 7,000+ meter peaks eventually connect with the Hindu Kush range and later turn into the Himalayas.

No wonder they are referred to as “the roof of the world.”

Our journey there from Calgary, Alberta, Canada took roughly four days, including three long flights and a two-day, 750 km 4WD truck ride up the Pamir Highway. The drive was both spectacular and dangerous as it followed the Panj River. The fact that the 500 kms of this highway run along the Afghan border, which at the time, was a geopolitical hot spot didn’t help either.

Eventually we arrived at the small village of Darshay and met with the locals, organized our gear, loaded it on yaks/donkeys, and started the two-day hike to our base camp. This was to be a true expedition-style trip. For the three of us, a total of 16 staff which included guides, porters and helpers, three yaks, and several donkeys were deployed. It reminded me of Teddy Roosevelt’s hunting expedition in central Asia and Africa at the beginning of the 19th century.

Slowly scaling up the trail to our first ibex camp and after about two hours of hiking in 3,000-meter elevation terrain where you start gasping for oxygen and count your steps carefully, there was a short section, roughly 200 meters long where our entire caravan came to a halt. I looked ahead and was baffled at what I saw. On the side of an almost vertical face of solid rock, the locals had built a narrow (1 meter wide) walkway made up of twigs, rocks, 74 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

mud, etc., and our entire entourage of people and animals had to cross this section. A slip or a small mishap would send you into the abyss several hundred meters down a steep slope.

Come to think of it, I had seen similar walkways in Chris Klineburger and Robert Anderson’s book on Asia.

With some hesitation, we all crossed this gnarly section in one piece, but the experience left a mark in my conscience. I was also told this walkway gets washed out every winter by avalanches and sometimes even in the spring due to excessive flooding. There is tremendous danger for the folks who must come back and repair it. Right there and then was when years of engineering safety thoughts flooded my head, and I wondered how I could come up with a simple solution to build some sort of a safety system to both get across this precarious section and be able to rebuild it every year.

After our successful hunt, and during our descent, I took a closer look. Thanks to jet-lagged sleepless nights, I had already fashioned a plan in my head. Thankfully, we got down

to the village safely and eventually back to Canada without an incident.

After a little home rest and using my years of mountaineering experience, I made some sketches, did some research on an available anchorage system for rocks and came up with

a bill of materials. I also discussed it with the village chief—an enthusiastic and soft-spoken man by the name of Munavvar who spoke broken English—and let him know what I intended to do, and of course, he fully agreed to co-operate.

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 75

Basically, my plan was to have Munavvar, and his crew drill holes into the rock about waist high and install epoxy-grouted anchors every five meters, similar to what you see in the Alps known as via ferrata routes.

The bolt head would then have an eye-shaped clip with a 15 mm hole to allow for passing of a 12 mm stranded steel cable. The ends of the cable would then have to be chocked and tied off by Crosby-style shackles to prevent the cable from slipping out.

This safety cable would not only serve as a life-line cable to hold on to while crossing the precarious and dangerous section of the trail

76 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

but would more importantly still be present after the walkway was destroyed by avalanches or floods.

With the aid of a climbing harness worn by able men and a via ferratastyle double sling, they would be able to “clip” on to this cable while they repaired and rebuilt the narrow walkway. Catch my drift?

Now it was time for project fundraising. I reached to my contacts at Hilti Canada whom I have known and worked with for decades. After they listened to my spiel and saw the photographs and videos, there was no hesitation about a donation commitment. Nevertheless, as in any

large corporation, proper paperwork needs to be completed and the necessary signatures must be obtained from the appropriate people and this all required time.

In short, they agreed to supply a rechargeable battery powered Hilti hammer drill, a couple of bits and 60 bolts with epoxy capsules as well as some more paraphernalia that would be required for the project.

In parallel, I reached out to the upper management at my employer and once again, after our general manager listened carefully to my story, he agreed to absorb the costs for the remaining items which would

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 77

I saw a message on my phone from Munavvar with pictures of the first set of anchors having been installed. be two sets of climbing harnesses and via ferrata slings plus the 60 eye-bolt clips. By mid-August, I had the entire package in my possession, but we still needed a shipping company.

We reached out to FEDEX and DHL to see if they would transport the goods for free because of the humanitarian nature of the project to no avail. Finally, a kind soul from Avisar International agreed to ship the package which weighed close to 60 kgs for a discounted fee which Hilti also stepped up and absorbed.

Because of the lack of trust that exists in many of the central Asian countries, labelling the accompanying paperwork as a donation would possibly get the villagers in trouble with the customs officers as goodwill donations are not common in that part of the world. I thus prayed that this would not be the case when the shipment arrives in the capital Dushanbe.

From an installation perspective, even though many of the Tajik men work in Russia on construction projects and are technically savvy, I still put together a step-by-step installation procedure for them with sketches and video links and had it translated to Russian by a co-worker.

Finally on a warm September day, the goods left Canada via Turkish airlines cargo and arrived in Dushanbe airport three days later, on September the 27th where a representative from the village crew was expecting it.

It took another two months to get organized, buy the cable locally, and obtain a converter, as their network runs on 220 volts. Finally, Munavvar had to explain the tasks that lay ahead to his crew.

On the morning of December 10th 78 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

as I got ready to head to the office, I saw a message on my phone from Munavvar with pictures of the first set of anchors having been installed.

A few questions and answers followed, and in just two short weeks, they completed the entire project without a glitch. He also sent me a series of pictures and videos via WhatsApp showing the proper use of the via ferrata harness by his crew to walk along the pathway while they were safely clipped into the permanent cable. This news brought

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䬀愀猀栀洀椀爀 䴀愀爀欀栀漀爀

倀甀渀樀愀戀 唀爀椀愀氀

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䈀氀愀渀搀昀漀爀搀 唀爀椀愀氀

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 79

It is true that the risk tolerance exercised by folks in less fortunate countries is much higher than us here in Canada, but this is certainly not by choice, rather, by necessity. great joy not only to me but to all the folks at Hilti Canada and my employer who had trusted me with their donations and wanted to see it get built.

It is true that the risk tolerance exercised by folks in less fortunate countries is much higher than us here in Canada, but this is certainly not by choice, rather, by necessity.

This had been a low budget/low overhead grassroots type of project

80 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

with local involvement with myriad of benefits for improving the safety of the local folks at a remote village some 11,000 kms away from home.

In final, if this life-line cable can save even one life at Darshay village, not just my day but certainly that of those folks who were involved and donated the materials is made.

It also reminds us that there are many ways to give back of ourselves and our talents to the communities

that host our distant hunting experiences. Contributing to safety or other humanitarian causes that will improve the lives of all the community members is more meaningful and lasts a lot longer than a cash donation. All we need is some creativity and perseverance! WS See it on YouTube at: https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=8P3qw-EmNJk

X-BOLT SPEED →

in OVIX Concealment

browning.com WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 81

THE MISSION

BY MICHAEL AMBROSE

M

y wife, Suzanne, was fighting a battle with stage four lung cancer when she told me she had “made arrangements” for me to try and get my FNAWS, something I had been thinking about since turning 70 the previous year. Suzanne passed away on November 8th, 2018, and within a couple months, I was suffering from breathing issues that had me on oxygen 24/7 while undergoing test and procedures to determine the cause.

January 2019 saw me in Sonora on the first of the sheep hunts Suzanne

82 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

had arranged with Rob Brown of Timber King Outfitting. Phil Byrd of Arctic North Guides in Alaska, accompanied me on this trip to tote my gun and gear, and because of the sharp eyes of guides Elijah and Johnny, a ram was spotted the morning of day one. A long slow climb ensued and when we were within 640 yards. It was my turn to put some of my Seal Team Shooting Skills in play when the ram

stood up. The first shot was a clean miss, but the second one brought him straight down and tangled in a cactus just below where he had stood. I was unable to climb to retrieve this ram but everyone got it done for me and suddenly I was no longer a member of the “less than one club.”

In March of 2019, I was diagnosed with Terminal Pulmonary Fibrosis, and the daunting tests and procedures began to try to qualify for

a bi-lateral lung transplant. I was approved in July of that year, but told them to hold off on placing me on the roster until I returned from a July 18th bucket-list trip to Asia with Shikar Safaris for the Mongolian Slam of argali.

Thirty days later and relying on my oxygen regenerator and the patience of the three different teams I hunted with, the goal was accomplished and I returned home and was placed on the transplant roster and began a rigorous schedule of monitoring and testing while I awaited a call that may never come as my breathing became more difficult by the day.

On the Mongolian trip I had met Pat Garrett of Garrett Bros.

Outfitting and Consultants, and when I returned home, I asked him to book me for the remainder of my FNAWS—and I didn’t have time to draw tags. I had sold what remained of the hunts Suzanne had arranged, as I was unable to physically do them, and needed Pat to look into hunts where I had a better chance of executing them.

In November, I received my first call from Pat, and he had a Nelson desert sheep tag available on private land in Texas, but I had to be there November 30 and they would throw in an aoudad as a bonus.

November 30 saw us in camp on the Stovall Ranch near Alpine, Texas, hunting with Zack Knowles of Xtreme Outfitting. In the early afternoon of day one we spotted the ram that had been seen and scouted the week before on another hunt.

With Pat carrying my oxygen and me following on a hose, the gap was closed and a 540-yard shot started the “mission” and my FNAWS was officially underway.

I had met a wonderful caring woman, Keiy, and January had us welcome 2020 with our marriage and, well, she is the reason there is a “rest of the story” here.

I got the call for my lung transplant on March 16, 2020, “How soon can you be at the hospital Mr. Ambrose?”

One hour were the words out of my mouth as Keiy and I both stared at and hugged each other, quite shell shocked and thankful that once again the good Lord was providing.

This is where the determination of and incredible care of Keiy and my doctors took over—and after several months—I was beginning to feel normal enough that my thoughts returned to the mission. The recovery was brutal, I was not a good patient and my survival I owe to Keiy’s loving patience, determination,

strength, and motivational skills.

It was nearly a year later when Pat called again and asked how I you felt.

He said, “If we are going to complete this mission, we are going to have to bid on some governor’s and conservation tags, as there are almost no sheep hunts available anywhere due to COVID which has caused a backlog that will last for years.” With Pat and his experience in charge of the bidding, we managed to win one of the Utah governor’s tags for a 2021 California bighorn on Newfoundland Mountain. A couple weeks later we won the Profit Muskwa donated Stone’s sheep conservation tag from the auction held by FNAWS Iowa Chapter for 2022. These motivated me to do what was necessary to get into condition to be able to follow

through and make these hunts.

As COVID’s Canada backlog was still preventing Pat from locating a Dall’s Hunt, I took an opening August 1-10, 2021, with Hunt Alaska, where we were unable to locate a legal ram over a hunt of 10 days.

We arrived in Salt Lake City October 28, 2021, and were settled into Bronson Brothers Outfitting Camp on Newfoundland Mountain early the afternoon of October 30, 2021. We went scouting in search of rams, guided by Adam Bronson of Bronson Brothers Outfitting. The rut was in full swing and we found several rams on a hot ewe, two of which looked good, and backed out quickly to not cause any disturbance before morning. Early the next day we searched the scouted area, and by 10 AM, had located the ewe and her pursuers. We proceeded to head up the mountain with a goodlooking ram down low as our target, but that soon changed as he headed for the high part of the mountain to join in the chase. More than a mile later, I finally managed to reach a point where Pat and Adam had been waiting with my gun set up. After some directions on their part, the ram finally stepped into the open behind the ewe. A shot of 560 yards and the “Halloween Ram” put me half way to my goal.

The recovery from the transplant continued as did my workouts, and although very weak and slow in Utah, things were improving and I was looking forward the horseback hunt to come in B.C. August 9, 2022, had me in Fort Nelson, waiting for Pat to arrive by car when I got a call from the transplant center. The results of the test and procedures, taken the week prior were in and I needed to locate a doctor and get a prescription filled immediately for a steroid they would prescribe, no further explanation. There was one doctor in this town, and after waiting most of the day in his office unable to fill a WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 83

prescription written in the U.S., he agreed to write one for me, under the circumstances, and the problem was solved.

Pat arrived and we were whisked away to Profit Muskwa headquarters where, after greetings and lunch, we changed planes and ended up in base camp for the hunt. Our guide, Gary van Hee, is one of the most experienced Stone’s sheep guides in the world and he was prepared for us and my limitations. This was a horseback hunt—I am a sailor and there is no fooling a horse—they know. After spending three, eighthour-plus-days in the saddle and only seeing a few young rams, Gary and Pat went alone for a day to allow my hind-quarters to scab over. It was decided the next day we would pack a spike camp for the next few days.

Nearly four hours out of camp we revisited a bowl where we had seen three young rams on day one, and after a 90-minute hike into the bowl, we spotted two rams at 1,000 yards. We closed the distance to 600 yards, where Pat and Gary determined one ram to be nine or ten years old. I was using a borrowed gun, clothes, and new boots on this hunt as Air Canada had lost all my gear and clothing. Pat knew a guy, who knew a guy and I was graciously 84 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

loaned a Kimber in 280AI with a dial-up scope, and had put one round through it at 100 yards before getting to this point. Gary wanted us to close the distance, and divine intervention once again allowed us to get to 350 yards and a one-shot kill ensued.

The gun proved to be everything the owner said it was. Things like this restore your faith in humanity. A three-quarter FNAWS was done and dusted. I was now heading directly to Dall’s hunt number two, now in the Wrangell Mountains of Alaska.

Unfortunately, we were weathered in 50% of the 10-day hunt and again, saw no legal rams.

My diagnosis upon return was that my immune system was doing its best to reject my lungs. Several procedures were tried to reverse or halt the decline over the next few months, including an April 2023 hospitalization to kill my immune system in hopes of resetting it. At this point I had lost about 30-40% of the lung capacity I had regained a year after the transplant.

Pat called with good news. He had located a Dall’s hunt in the Yukon, but not the helicopter-to-the-topof-the-mountain-and-hunt-down hunt we were looking for, but rather, a horseback hunt in the Ogilvie Mountains. Desperate to complete

the mission, we booked and waited what was to come until the upcoming departure date of August 17, 2023, when I would head to Edmonton to meet Pat and then to Dawson City via Whitehorse.

Arriving in Dawson City, we were quickly moved to “Camp One” by Russ Geisbrecht, owner of Tombstone Outfitters. We spent the night, prepared our gear for horseback and hunting camp and grabbed some grub and sleep.

Off early the next morning, a seven-hour ride got us to a very comfortable, bear-proof cabin in wonderful scenery alongside a beautiful drainage and stream. I was left at camp and Pat, Brandon our guide, and Jake our wrangler all went to check for sheep where a good ram had been spotted on a scouting mission a few days prior.

Again we rose early and mounted the steeds for a day in the saddle, and that it proved to be. Although sheep were spotted at distances of two or three miles, closing the gap did not produce any opportunities and we found ourselves eating a late dinner back at camp that night.

We were heading to a new drainage the next morning just after first light and spotted some rams at a great distance, measured in miles not yards.

A few hours of closing the distance found the rams resting on the side of a mountain 2,000’ above us and 1,800 yards away, but with a clear view of any approach we had. We waited until they moved, and when they did, it was our turn. Brandon and Jake did a brilliant job of getting the horses to near the top of the mountain, leaving me only 200 yards of a steep slope to navigate. This was a great effort for me and I had to stop

he one thing that is certain (outside of death and taxes) is that nothing in life is static. It is ever changing. The Wild Sheep Foundation witnessed the winds of change along with the rest of the world this spring. We have done our fair share of bemoaning while remaining cautiously optimistic.

While we know that things will eventually normalize, we have always been aware that the change 2020 brought us has no foreseeable end.

Thanks to sound leadership and our staff’s willingness to pivot quickly, we have been able to adjust our sails.

As soon as the world “shut down,” each staffer at the Wild Sheep Foundation was commissioned with the task of rethinking and retooling efforts within our respective departments to ensure that we will continue being a leader in the world of conservation. As one example, we launched a pilot run on a new fundraising platform called Classy.

It is a digital platform that allows for crowdfunding, peer-to-peer fundraising, team fundraising, and virtual events. We wereII excited to add this new tool to our arsenal and we are even more thrilled IIin the incredible success we sawIIfrom the outset. On October 22, we released a campaign to help fund two bighorn reintroduction projects in the Little Belt and Tendoy mountain ranges PROUD SPONSOR of Montana. Thanks to our partners

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As the rams closed the distance, I had a single bullet left and I willed the next shot which found it’s mark and sent the ram tumbling down the mountain slope. many times and my embarrassment was growing as the moment of truth could be rapidly approaching. My breathing was hard and labored.

Topping the slope Pat spotted the six rams about 200 yards into the bowl— and as this year was Pat’s turn for Air Canada to lose all of his gear—my binoculars were no replacement for the spotting scope he didn’t have. He quickly located Brandon and got him to our position. I could not get the pack I had into position as a rest lest the rams would see me. My talent, if I have one, is long range sniper-type shooting from a solid rest. This was becoming a rodeo quickly as Brandon

was sorting the rams for the biggest and they were getting nervous and began to mill about, crisscrossing as they moved. “I’m not good freehand,” I said to Pat, to which he replied, “That’s what you have today. We need to take the ram on Brandon’s call.” “Far left and high in back,” Brandon said. Spotting the ram, I tried to settle the crosshairs and was having no joy, when Brandon quickly said, “No, no, far right. That’s a small ram,” Pat replied. “Behind him,” responded Brandon, and when the ram moved into view, he was all horn. They were on the move now and Pat did a brilliant job of

keeping me on the ram. “220,” said Pat, and I squeezed the trigger in an unsteady scope. “Missed,” which I already knew as the rams started to run straight at us. Pat kept me on the ram but the hair trigger I use to the benefit of long range shooting was my enemy here and discharged before I intended. “Very high,” was the next sound I heard. As the rams closed the distance, I had a single bullet left and I willed the next shot which found its mark and sent the ram tumbling down the mountain slope. So powerful was the emotion I felt then, and still do today, it is beyond my ability to describe. For those of you who have been where I was that day, you know of what I speak, for those that are yet to, I will not ruin what is to come for you. WS Editor’s Note: Michael Ambrose is a Vietnam Era Navy Seal. He spent 22 years as a commercial diver in the global arena, and the next 24 in executive management positions around the globe for Sub Sea Marine Construction Companies, retiring in 2015. Being a rabbit and pheasant hunter as a boy in Illinois, and a duck and goose hunter since discharge from the Navy, Michael relocated to Louisiana, and eventually, Texas. He made his first international big game hunt in New Zealand in 2005, and now has amassed over 160 species of big game from around the world. He made his first mountain hunt in 2015 for a Marco Polo ram, and now has achieved several SCI diamond level awards—including the ones of which he is most proud—goats and sheep.

Michael lives in Sugar Land, Texas, with his beautiful wife, Keiy, trying to decide what is next.

86 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

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TOOLS OF THE TRADE

O’CONNOR’S OTHER SHEEP RIFLES THE MOUNTAINS DIDN’T LIMIT HIM TO FEATHERWEIGHT .270 WINCHESTER 70S GUNSMITHED BY AL BIESEN.

BY WAYNE VAN ZWOLL An iron-sighted 7x57 took O’Connor’s first ram at 30 yards. Long shots, he wrote, seldom make sense.

“I

shot my first ram a desert bighorn in the middle 1930s in the Mexican state of Sonora. I used a light 7x57 Mauser with a Lyman 1-A peep sight….”

Jack O’Connor invested much of his time during the Depression in dry, thorny hills hiding deer and desert bighorn sheep. Born in January, 1902, in Nogales, Arizona Territory, he was just five when his parents divorced.

His uncle, Jim O’Connor took him in tow on his Box O Ranch near Florence. There the lad killed his first game, a javelina, with a Winchester 92 lever rifle in .25-20. A couple of years later he shot a mule deer with a .30-40 Krag he’d snared for $1.50. The frontier West had yet to lose its raw edge or make hurdles 90 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

of national boundaries. After high school graduation in Tempe, Jack worked for an uncle who owned a sawmill in Sinaloa, Mexico. Hired to drive trucks, he soon proved better suited to shooting game for the mill crew. He used a .30-30 Winchester 1894 and his own Savage 1899 in .250/3000.

Studies at the Universities of Arkansas and Arizona brought him a diploma in 1925. He was again blessed by a kind uncle, who gave him a Griffin & Howe Springfield in .30-06. That year, Winchester put a new bolt rifle on the market, and a fast-stepping new cartridge. Jack could resist neither.

At the close of the 19th century, smokeless powder was changing

rifle design. While one of every four long arms sold stateside was a Winchester lever-action designed by John Browning, the bolt rifles of Paul Mauser were bigger news. The U.S. Army’s adoption of the 1892 Krag, then the 1903 Springfield, confirmed a bright future for bolt-actions. But Winchester and Remington had floundered trying to make one that sold. In 1880 New Jersey inventor John Keene developed for Remington a tube-fed .45-70 turn-bolt. It failed to interest the Army. RemingtonLee .45-70 bolt rifles (Models 1879, 1882 and 1885) drew a few military contracts. Winchester’s 1883 .45-70 bolt-action, by Benjamin Hotchkiss, earned an 84,000-unit production run into 1897, when Winchester

Despite his affinity for the .270 and flat-shooting cartridges, O’Connor didn’t celebrate long shots at animals. took up with a straight-pull .236 by James Paris Lee. During the Great War, Winchester manufactured 1917 Enfield and Pattern 14 rifles for U.S. and British troops. Tooling up, then refining production processes, brought Winchester closer to its own boltaction hunting rifle. By 1922 a prototype had shed the weaknesses of the Lee, Hotchkiss and Enfield.

Its receiver and cock-on-opening bolt, its safety and extractor, were much like a Mauser’s. A Newtonstyle ejector nixed the need for a slotted lug. A slim walnut stock with schnabel forend cradled a nickel-steel

barrel with the 1903 Springfield’s coned breech.

Winchester paired this new rifle with a cartridge that hurled game bullets at Mach 3. In-house, it was called the .27 W.C.F., a neckeddown .30-06 refined during 1924.

In December of ‘25, Winchester unveiled its 7 ¾-pound Bolt Action Rifle Model 54 in .30-06 and .270 Winchester. Later chamberings, in order of increasing rarity: .22 Hornet, .30 W.C.F. (.30-30), .250/3000 Savage, 7x57 Mauser, .257 Roberts, .220 Swift, 7.65x53 Mauser and 9x57 Mauser. “Sporter” versions of the Model 54 were most common.

The .270’s head-to-shoulder length is the same as the .30-06’s. Both have a 17 ½ degree shoulder. Initial claims gave 130-grain .270 bullets a 3,140fps start. At 300 yards they were still moving faster than .30-30 bullets left the muzzle! But the .277 bullet must have seemed an odd offering at the time. It had no common kin. More logical: a .284 (7mm) bullet. The 7x57, an early smokeless infantry round, was hugely popular. Bell in Africa and Corbett in India used it on dangerous beasts. In the British Isles it had become the .275 Rigby.

Trim 7x57 Mausers were fetching mountain rifles. By 1917 gun-

Early on, “saddle guns” killed many sheep. O’Connor first hunted deer with a Winchester 94 in 1919.

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 91

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

In 1936 Jack bought one of Winchester’s first .348 Model 71 Deluxe rifles and killed a sheep with it.

Winchester replaced the Model 54 in 1937 with the Model 70, basis for Jack’s famous custom .270s.

92 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

makers also chambered for the 7x64 Brenneke, with a 250-fps edge on the 7x57. England’s .275 H&H Magnum used .284 bullets.

Winchester may have wished a distinctive number—perhaps, so soon after the Great War, one not easily confused with or linked to Teutonic sevens.

Strangely, the cartridge drew little attention from gurus of gun rags, like Ned Crossman and Field & Stream’s Paul Curtis. According to O’Connor, Outdoor Life’s Arms and Ammunition editor from 1942 to ‘72, his predecessor Charles Askins never wrote about the .270. Not until its third year did it earn a full review in American Rifleman. Occasional blessings from Townsend Whelen and Sport’s Afield’s Monroe Goode kept it in campfire chats through the 1920s.

Jack bought a Model 54 right away, his first .270. But he didn’t use it exclusively. In 1927, newly married, he began teaching college English in Alpine, Texas. The next year he shot his first pronghorn—with a Remington Model 8 autoloader in .30 Remington! The O’Connors moved to Flagstaff, Arizona in 1931.

There they sold the 54 and other firearms to pay medical bills. Jack kept the .30-06. In 1934 he took delivery of his first custom rifle, also a Springfield. Tucson’s Bill Sukalle did the metal work, and Adolph Minar, of Fountain, Colorado, stocked it. A Lyman 48 receiver sight backed up a 2 ¾x Hensoldt scope. O’Connor had great affection for this rifle. It felled many deer, his first grizzly (and several more) and his first elk.

In 1946 it downed his last desert bighorn ram.

Visits to Sukalle’s shop in 1934 brought Jack another Minar-stocked rifle, the second-hand 7x57 that took his first desert bighorn (and

two more). Its Lyman cocking-piece aperture proved more reliable than its Girard scope. He got it for $75.

In 1936 Winchester announced the Model 71 lever rifle to replace the discontinued 1886. The 71 fired a new rimmed .348 cartridge not factory chambered in any other rifle, then or since. Jack bought one of the first deluxe versions, with checkered stock and bolt-mounted aperture sight. “I used the .348 a bit,” he wrote, “[and] probably killed the first Arizona whitetail, the first mule deer and the first bighorn ram ever taken with it.” But he found it ill-suited to western hunts. Its tube magazine required blunt bullets, to ensure that in recoil they didn’t set off primers pressed against them. Of three factory loads, he preferred the 200-grain.

The 150-grain bullet, with its blunt nose and low sectional density “shed velocity rapidly,” he lamented, and in open country “the 250-grain was about as useful as a handful of rocks.”

Seventy years later Hornady would introduce 200-grain “Flex-Tip” pointed bullets—and spunky loads —for the .348. Higher speeds, flatter flight, harder hits downrange.

Jack renewed ties with the .270 in 1937, when Bill Sukalle supplied a barrel on a flat-bolt Mauser action.

The renowned Alvin Linden fashioned the stock; O’Connor added a 2 ½x Noske scope. This .270 saw long service, and Jack claimed to have shot more game with it than with any other rifle. It collected his first Dall’s ram in 1945, a year after it downed his last Rocky Mountain bighorn.

The stock market’s 1929 collapse sent Winchester Repeating Arms hurtling toward financial ruin.

In December 22, 1931, Western Cartridge bought the company. But

Jack soon found blunt bullets from his Winchester 71 ill-suited to sheep country. He peddled the rifle.

Western’s chief executive, John Olin, saw value in the Model 54.

He asked its engineers, under T.C. Johnson, to refine it. They gave it a beefier “NRA” stock and, in 1932, a “speed lock. The rifle remained in

Winchester’s catalog through 1941.

But of 52,029 Model 54s on record, 49,009 were boxed by the end of 1936. They sold at retail for $59.75 The 54 wasn’t perfect. Its trigger also served as bolt stop, disappointing WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 93

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

Jack shot his first mule deer with a .30-40 Krag. He got this buck in 1937 with a Minarstocked 7x57.

The second of two Biesen-built .270 Model 70s, “Number Two” began life as a Featherweight. Jack bought it in Lewiston in 1959. It soon became his favorite sheep rifle.

94 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

competitive shooters. The speed lock caught blame for occasional misfires.

The flag safety blocked Weaver’s 330 scope. Winchester corrected these failings in the Model 70, released in 1937. It listed initially for $61.25, in .22 Hornet, .220 Swift, .2503000 Savage, .257 Roberts, .270, 7x57 and .30-06, also .300 and .375 H&H Magnum. In 1952 Winchester added a 6 ½-pound Featherweight version. Short-action and belted magnums joined the 70’s cartridge roster over the next decade. Of the 581,471 M70s built before the rifle’s 1963 overhaul, 208,218 were .3006s; 122,323 were .270s. No other chambering came close. A 7x57 Model 70 has always been a rare find.

But 7x57s were never far from Jack O’Connor’s reach.

Early in 1957 an auto accident left him hospitalized. He said his recovery began when Al Biesen brought to his room what Winchester assured him was the last Model 70 barreled to 7x57. Al had stocked it in figured walnut, after slimming and shortening the barrel, “smoothing up” the action and checkering the bolt knob. Jack would add a Weaver K4 in Redfield mounts.

That 7x57 followed a 1953 Model 70 in .270. It got the same treatment in the same shop, below the Biesen residence on Spokane’s Sinto Street.

He scoped that rifle with a 4x Stith Kollmorgen in Tilden mounts. Years later O’Connor would describe these Winchesters as “my own two pet rifles for mountain hunting…. Each weighs exactly eight pounds.” The .270 killed game in Wyoming and the Yukon, Africa and India. Jack liked it so well, he decided to get another, for everyday use and to limit wear on what had become his favorite. In 1959 Lewiston’s Erb Hardware sold Jack a Model 70 Featherweight in .270. He took it to Biesen and asked

dS START SMART SEE THE UNSEEN WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 95

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

This fine Biesen-stocked .30-06 on a Mauser action, built in 1947, was one of Jack’s favorite rifles. He used it a lot and took his best North American ram with it.

him to “make it like the first one.” He did. With a 4x Leupold Mountaineer in Buehler mounts, the new rifle looked and felt as good in hand as the rifle on which it was modeled— and shot even better! They became 96 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

“Number One” and “Number Two.” The second rifle served Jack in Spain, Scotland and Iran. It took his last three Stone’s sheep.

But what of the Biesen 7x57?

After blooding it on a Wyoming

pronghorn, O’Connor hunted with it in Rhodesia and Southwest Africa (now Zimbabwe and Namibia).

With 140-grain Nosler handloads, it collected a full suite of big plains game. But there’s no record of it in sheep country. It was retired after Jack’s Lewiston neighbor and hunting partner Henry Kaufman used it on a Coues buck in Sonora.

“My own experience with the 7x57 is long but thin,” wrote O’Connor late in his career. “I have shot a good many jackrabbits with the cartridge… In Sonora in the fall of 1934 I jumped two buck mule deer in the brush, killed one stone dead with one shot but only broke down the other one.” He noted then that excepting this deer, the number of hits he’d made with the 7x57 equaled the number of animals taken with it.

So the record stood for over 20 years.

Then above the Snake River, he fired at a doe. “She rolled down a steep hill and a spike buck that had been on the far side also came tumbling down.” His 145-grain Speer bullet had killed both. The count was again even.

Jack’s wife Eleanor used the 7x57 with deadly effect in Africa as well as North America. Charlie Ren, his mentor on hunting desert bighorns, carried a Mauser in 7x57 (also a Savage 99 in .300 Savage).

Prince Abdorreza Pahlavi of Iran did much of his sheep hunting with a lightweight 7x57 under a Weaver K-4. O’Connor hunted with him and in 1960 wrote: “He uses the Canadian Dominion brand ammunition, with 140-grain bullets at about 2,900 fps.” At that time O’Connor named the 7x57, .270, .280, .308 and .30-06 as the most useful mountains cartridges. “All are sufficiently flat shooting…. With proper bullets they are powerful

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TOOLS OF THE TRADE

L-R: .270 Winchester (1925) .270 Weatherby Mag. (1943), .270 WSM (2002), 6.8 Western (2021).

enough for the grizzlies….”

He respected the choices of other hunters. “Herb Klein and Elgin Gates, both of whom have shot all species of North American sheep, like to use .300 Weatherbys. George Parker, who is probably the best desert sheep hunter in existence, has used a .257…. Myles Brown, who has shot all varieties of North American sheep and who was one of the first dude hunters [in the] Stone Sheep country around the heads of the Muskwa and Prophet Rivers in Northern British Columbia, [prefers] a .30-06.”

The .280 got a nod. “Don Hopkins, one of the more experienced North American sheep hunters, uses a .285 O.K.H., a wildcat made by necking the .30-06 case to 7mm...while Colonel Harry Snyder, a Canadian who has hunted all over the mountains of the North, likes a 7x64, a cartridge very similar to the .280.”

But while admitting “the .280 in a 98 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

good bolt action is just as good as the .270,” Jack controlled his applause. “… Remington factory figures seemed a bit optimistic for the 150- and the 165-grain bullet,” he wrote. He clocked both at around 2,650 from a 22-inch Remington barrel, when the factory listed “2,810 for the 150-grain bullet and 2,770 for the 165-grain.

“Actually, the .280 Remington was designed as a cartridge with pressure low enough to function in an autoloader but to [approximate] .270 ballistics. It is loaded to pressures of 48,000 to 50,000 psi. The .270 is loaded to 52,000 to 54,000…. I have a fine .280 on a square-bridge Mauser Werke action. I simply cannot get the velocity with the 140-grain bullet in the .280 (SD, .245) as I can with the 130-grain bullet in the .270 (SD .241)…” He noted that the .280 bullet driven by 60 grains 4831 clocks 2,950 fps from a 22-inch barrel, but the same charge in a 22inch .270 barrel sends a 130-grain

bullet at 3,070.

Incidentally, the .280 rifle he mentioned was metal-smithed

by Tom Burgess and stocked by Earl Milliron. It never got to the mountains with Jack, who sold it in ’74. A .280 on a Czech Brno action with Titus barrel was also stocked

by Milliron. O’Connor peddled it.

Ironically, the last Biesen rifle he had on order was a Ruger 77 in .280. At the family’s request Biesen completed it after Jack’s death.

Despite his affinity for the .270 and flat-shooting cartridges, O’Connor didn’t celebrate long shots at animals.

His first ram fell at about 30 yards, and he claimed to have shot more rams at under 200 yards than farther.

“Probably more under 150 yards. The last desert ram I shot was not over 30 yards away, and the best Dall I have ever taken was [roughly] 40 yards...

It isn’t once in three blue moons that anyone is justified in shooting at game at over 300 yards.”

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 99

TOOLS OF THE TRADE That conviction informed his shots afield, as well as his choices of rifles and cartridges. While he used the 7mm Remington Magnum in Africa soon after its 1962 debut, he didn’t take that Model 700 into sheep country. A Biesen-built 7mm Magnum gave Jack his biggest elk, but got no chance to pester rams.

“I’d consider anyone somewhat overgunned with the 7mm Magnum on animals the size of deer, sheep and antelope,” he wrote. “For those animals the .270 and .280 shoot just as flat, kill just as well, and kick less.”

Indeed, a 7 ½-pound .270 sending 130-grain bullets at 3,000 fps bumps you with just over 19 ft-lbs of recoil, while a 7mm Remington Magnum hurling 160s at the same speed delivers 26 ½ ft-lbs. You get similar bounce from Weatherby’s .270 and 7mm Magnums. Whatever your body build, reducing recoil reduces your tendency to flinch, improving accuracy.

A list of Jack’s favorite rifles was ably compiled by his friend and now O’Connor historian Buck Buckner for the book, Jack O’Connor, by R. Anderson, Safari Press, 2002. Notable for their absence on this roster: the .300 H&H and Winchester Magnums —albeit three rifles were barreled to .300 Weatherby, three more to Winchester’s .338 Magnum.

Buckner noted Jack’s MannlicherSchoenauer in 6.5x54, a classic European round in light rifles, and a .244 Remington on a Mexican Mauser action by Al Biesen.

Apparently O’Connor took neither into sheep country. He acknowledged the .243 and .244 (6mm) were adequate for animals the size of rams, but reportedly used his .244 only on rockchucks.

Unsurprisingly, rifles in .270 and .30-06 turned up most frequently on the register (seven and five times) and stayed longest in O’Connor’s 100 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

rack. The 7x57 appears thrice, but unlike the .300 magnums and the .280, the cartridge downed its share of rams. Two of three rifles in .257 were Eleanor’s Of course Jack also owned centerfire .22 varmint rifles and, for Africa, big-bores.

O’Connor’s enthusiasm for rifles and hunting, his engaging, matterof-fact writing, with his field exploits and the bully pulpit of Outdoor Life, brought him a big following. When he wrote, “I believe the light .270 is about the nearest thing to the perfect mountain rifle that I have ever owned,” then bumped off rams with his Model 70s, Winchester accountants smiled.

What would Jack think of rifles and cartridges that have appeared since 1978? Well, current rifles would hardly scratch his itch for fine walnut. But carbon fiber stocks and barrels have trimmed ounces, a crusade he joined early on and, within limits, would probably still endorse.

Potent cartridges based on the .404 Jeffery might not suit him any better than did belted magnums in the svelte rifles he used hunting sheep. I suspect he’d speak kindly of the 7mm-08 and .260 Remington, introduced on the .308 case in 1980 and 2002, also the .338 Federal that came in 2005. He would approve the .30 T/C, announced in 2007, and its progeny, the 6.5 Creedmoor, in ’09.

Nosler’s adoption of the .280 Ackley (2008) would have caught his eye.

He might like the 6.5 PRC (2018), while declaring the recoil of the 6.8 Western and 7mm PRC excessive in sheep rifles.

New bullets and powders would have crowded O’Connor’s loading bench. Dozens of propellants boost the odds one will improve a given rifle’s accuracy and ballistic performance. New bullets include “controlled expansion” stars. The

Barnes TSX, Hornady InterBond and Nosler AccuBond, with Federal’s Trophy Bonded and Terminal Ascent and Swift’s A-Frame and Scirocco might be unnecessary for rams, but they add heavy-game capability to traditional “sheep cartridges.”

All speculation. Well, mostly.

Today’s dearth of figured walnut for rifle-stocks would not please Jack O’Connor! WS

JACK’S PLACE Partly at the behest of Vernon Speer, Jack O’Connor moved from his native Arizona to Lewiston, Idaho, in 1948. He finished his writing career there. Returning from a cruise in 1978 with wife Eleanor, he passed at sea. In June, 2006, above the Snake River just south of Lewiston and the Speer/ CCI plant, the Jack O’Connor Hunting Heritage and Education Center opened to the public. Its treasure of memorabilia includes Jack’s rifles and 65 big game mounts from his many hunts, plus the books and magazine articles that so compellingly drew readers onto sheep mountains—and into game fields world-wide. Here visitors find period photos of an extraordinary time in the history of sport hunting—and an intimate glimpse into the life of arguably the best hunting and shooting writer it produced. WS

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TOOLS OF THE TRADE BALLISTIC SUMMARY OF O’CONNOR’S FAVORITE CARTRIDGES, AND OF OTHERS HE MIGHT HAVE LIKED O’Connor’s three most-used sheep cartridges (current loads) .270 Winchester, Nosler 130-gr. AccuBond

Muz.

100

200

300

400

500 yds.

Velocity, fps Energy, ft-lbs Arc, inches

3075 2729 -1.5

2852 2348 1.4

2641 2013 0

2439 1717 -6.4

2246 1456 -18.6

2062 1227 -37.8

7x57 Mauser, Nosler 140 gr. AccuBond

Muz.

100

200

300

400

500 yds.

Velocity, fps Energy, ft-lbs Arc, inches

2700 2265 -1.5

2516 1967 2.0

2339 1701 0

2170 1463 -8.4

2007 1252 -24.1

1852 1067 -48.5

.30-06 Springfield, Federal 165 gr. Swift Scirocco Muz.

100

200

300

400

500 yds.

Velocity, fps Energy, ft-lbs Arc, inches

2607 2489 1.8

2421 2148 0

2244 1844 -7.8

2074 1575 -22.5

1910 1337 -45.0

2800 2872 -1.5

Candidates for the sheep mountain since 1978 .260 Remington, Hornady 129 gr. SST Muz.

Velocity, fps 2930 Energy, ft-lbs 2459 Arc, inches -1.5

102 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

100

200

300

400

500 yds.

2737 2145 1.6

2552 1865 0

2375 1615 -6.9

2204 1391 -20.0

2041 1193 -40.3

6.5 Creedmoor, Hornady 143 gr. ELD-X

Muz.

100

200

300

400

500 yds.

Velocity, fps Energy, ft-lbs Arc, inches

2700 2315 -1.5

2556 2075 1.9

2417 1855 0

2282 1654 -7.9

2151 1470 -22.4

2025 1302 -44.5

6.5 PRC, Hornady 143 gr. ELD-X

Muz.

100

200

300

400

500 yds.

Velocity, fps Energy, ft-lbs Arc, inches

2960 2782 -1.5

2808 2503 1.5

2661 2248 0

2519 2014 -6.4

2381 1800 -18.2

2248 1604 -36.2

7mm-08 Remington, Nosler 140 gr. AccuBond Muz.

100

200

300

400

500 yds.

Velocity, fps Energy, ft-lbs Arc, inches

2636 2159 1.8

2454 1872 0

2280 1616 -7.5

2113 1388 -21.8

1953 1186 -43.8

2825 2480 -1.5

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 103

BASECAMP DISPATCHES MISSION PROGRAM FUNDING

104 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

2024 ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING NOTICE Notice is hereby given for the 2024 Wild Sheep Foundation Annual Membership Meeting to be held Friday, January 19, 2024 from 9:00 am – 10:30 PM in Room A6 of the Reno-Sparks Convention Center in Reno, Nevada. All members are welcome and encouraged to attend.

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 105

BASECAMP DISPATCHES

A

WE GIVE CAMPAIGN UPDATE

t 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:

1. Jack Atcheson & Sons 2. The Journal of Mountain Hunting 3. The Wildlife Gallery 4. Backcountry BC and Beyond, Ltd. 5. Stone Glacier 6. RPS Bancard, LLC 7. YETI 8. SITKA Gear 9. Benchmade Knives 10. Kenetrek 11. Full Curl Spirits 12. RMP Rifles 13. 5.11 Tactical 14. Best of the West/Huskemaw Optics 15. Clarke – “1% For Tomorrow” 16. Brown Precision 17. Diamond Outfitters of Arizona 18. Black Rifle Coffee 19. Eventgroove 20. iHunt Apparel

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

NEW LIFE MEMBERS Zeke Aleman Jerry Allred Jason Anderson Brian Andress Ray L Bunney Kyle Davis Michael Dow Tyler Halm Wayne Hunt Ryan Kadavy

Gardnerville Vernal Lake Havasu City Geneseo Liberty Lake Littleton Effingham Eagle Elkford Arvada

NV UT AZ IL WA CO IL ID BC CO

USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA CAN USA

Michael Keele John King Louie “Scott” Kline T. G. LeClair John LoFaro Andre Lovett Royce Maples Don Parks Jr Jon-Paul Paulsen Larry Poland

Armena Camp Point Wasilla Mahtomedi Bailey Anchorage Roswell Phoenix Philipsburg Drumheller

AB CAN IL USA AK USA MN USA CO USA AK USA NM USA AZ USA MT USA AB CAN

Mark Ritchey Joe Romero Kirk Sheeley WilliamSimpson Scott Skinner Don Stevenson Troy Sturgill Mark Wright Steven Zettel James Zubillaga III

Altoona Anaconda Sparks Dallas Flagstaff Burns Lake Rockland Fountain Hills Challis Saratoga

Troy Sturgill David Toussaint

Rockland Lindon

PA MT NV TX AZ BC CA AZ ID CA

USA USA USA USA USA CAN USA USA USA USA

NEW SUMMIT LIFE MEMBERS Jason Anderson Jim Barbour Robb Facer

Lake Havasu City AZ St. Helena CA Roy UT

USA USA USA

106 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

Steve Raymond Rick Robertson Scott Skinner

Greenwich East Helena Flagstaff

CT MT AZ

USA USA USA

CA UT

USA USA

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 107

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

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

CHAPTERS:

ALASKA WSF Kevin Kehoe, President 907-441-6323 kevin.kehoe@alaskan.com Molly McCarthy-Cunfer, Executive Director 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

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

Association of Mackenzie Mountain Outfitters Tavis Molnar, President 867-633-4934 info@arcticred-nwt.com

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

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

EASTERN CHAPTER WSF Chapter Office 610-704-1704 www.ecfnaws.org

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

IDAHO WSF Josh Miller, President Joshmiller65mm@gmail.com 575-749-8859

AFFILIATES:

Tracy Rowley, Chapter Staff 208-345-6171 tracy@rtmmagt.com www.idahowildsheep.org IOWA FNAWS Craig Nakamoto, President 402-650-1383 nakamoto01@sbcglobal.net iowafnaws@gmail.com www.iowafnaws.org WSF—MIDWEST CHAPTER Gregg Boeke, President rockprogb@gmail.com 507-491-4429 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 Ty Stubblefield, Executive Director 406-696-3003 ty@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

2% For Conservation Jared Frasier, Executive Director 406-221-3102 contact@fishandwildlife.org www.fishandwildlife.org Alaska Professional Hunters Association Deb Moore, Executive Director 907-929-0619 Deb@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. Bill Davis 602-314-0376 william.davis@psc.com www.adbss.org Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society Office Tracey Martin 480-854-8950 admin@adbss.org

108 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

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 Patrick Cummings, President Patrickcummings1002@gmail.com Michelle Mercer, Treasurer mercerlvnv@yahoo.in 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 Jason Price, Executive Director 903-466-2195 gsco@wildsheep.org www.wildsheep.org Guide Outfitter Association of BC Scott Ellis, CEO 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

National Bighorn Sheep Center Amanda Verheul, Executive Director 307-455-3429 amanda@bighorn.org www.bighorn.org

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

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

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

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 Gavin Chodera, President gchodera@nnsci.com www.nnsci.com Northwest Guides & Outfitters Association 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 Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Donna Noel, Director of Natural Resources 775-574-0101 Ext: 17 www.plpt.nsn.us Rocky Mountain Bighorn Society Jeff Mees, President 303-304-6597 jdmees@hotmail.com www.bighornsheep.org Terry Meyers, Executive Director 970-640-6892 meyers.terry@gmail.com

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

Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance Marvin Kwiatkowski, Chairman marvin@goatalliance.org www.goatalliance.org

Lubbock Sportsmans Club, Inc. Dan Boone, President 806-733-0590 dfb@sonoramfg.com

Contact: Kendrick Chittock, Fundraising Coordinator kendrick@goatalliance.org info@goatalliance.org

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

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

Vi si t o ur B o o th In R eno a t the

10-DAY STONE SHEEP HUNT Aug 10-23, 2025

10-DAY DALL SHEEP HUNT Aug 8-18, 2024

10-DAY Free Range Trophy DESERT SHEEP HUNT NOV 2024/ MAR 2025

ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME RULE IS WAIVED

ALPINE HUNTER 7 PRC

ANY OPEN CONTROLLED BIGHORN HUNT UNIT, INCLUDING UNIT 11

MEMBER RAFFLE

SAVE THE DATE

Boise, Idaho

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 109

CHAPTERS & AFFILIATES

2024 BANQUET DATES NOTE: Dates noted are as of press time.

Please check C&A websites for updates.

Sheep Week® ........................January 15-20, 2024.......................Reno, NV Sheep Show®.........................January 17-20, 2024.......................Reno, NV WSF C&A Summit XVI...........June 13-16, 2024...................Calgary, AB WSSBC Jurassic Classic......August 23-25, 2024..............Chilliwack, BC

WSF CHAPTERS: Chapter

Date

Location

Date

Location

Alaska WSF............................................................. April 13.............................Anchorage, AK California WSF....................................................... April 27.......................... Sacramento, CA Eastern Chapter WSF..............................February 16-17................................ Lancaster PA Idaho WSF.............................................................March 16 .......................................Boise, ID Iowa FNAWS.................................................March 22-23............................ Des Moines, IA Midwest Chapter WSF.................................March 15-16..........................Minnetonka, MN Montana WSF............................................February 23-24................................ Missoula, MT MSU Student Chapter WSF............................................................................................... N/A New Mexico WSF .................................................................NM G&F BHS & DBHS Raffle Oregon WSF.............................................................. May 4.......................................Bend, OR Utah WSF..............................................................March 23........................Salt Lake City, UT Washington WSF................................................... March 9................................. Tacoma, WA WSF Alberta – 25th Anniversary.................. March 1&2....................................Calgary, AB WSF Alberta – Yellowhead.................................. April 20...................................... Edson, AB Wyoming WSF....................................................... June 7-8.............................Cheyenne, WY Yukon WSF................................................................... TBD........................... Whitehorse,YT

WSF AFFILIATES: Affiliate

Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society............. May 11.............................. Scottsdale, AZ Elko Bighorns Unlimited............................................ TBD........................................ Elko, NV Fraternity of the Desert Bighorn...................... April 13............................... Las Vegas, NV Nebraska Big Game Society..................................... TBD................................... Lincoln, NE Nevada Bighorns Unlimited.................................. April 5.......................................Reno, NV Nevada Bighorns Unlimited - Fallon....................... TBD..................................... Fallon, NV Nevada Bighorns Unlimited - Midas ...................... TBD......................................Midas, NV Northern Nevada SCI Chapter............................. May 9.......................................Reno, NV Rocky Mountain Bighorn Society.......................May 3-4............................... Loveland, CO Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance............................................................................ Online TBD Society for the Consv. of Bighorn Sheep........................................................................ N/A Texas Bighorn Society..............................................June 8................................... Odessa, TX Wild Sheep Society of BC–Northern..... February 2-3.....................Dawson Creek, BC Wild Sheep Society of BC–Salute to Conservation...Feb. 22-24..............Penticton, BC

110 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

get registered to win a Can-Am Outlander!

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Win this incredible 2023 Can-Am Outlander Max 6X6 XT 1000 · Dump dual-level cargo box with modular accessories valued at $18,759! Just join, renew, or upgrade your Alaska Wild Sheep Foundation Membership. Members who attend Drawing conducted April 13th, 2024 the annual banquet get bonus tickets!

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®, TM and the BRP logo are trademarks of Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. or its affiliates.

HUNT · PLAY · WORK WITH CAN-AM!

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· Selectable 4WD / 6WD · Tri-Mode Dynamic Power Steering (DPS™) · Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) with extra low L-gear · Visco-Lok† QE auto-locking front differential · 26 in. ITP† Terracross radial tires with 14 in. aluminum wheels · Heavy-duty front bumper · 3,500 lb. (1,588 kg) winch · RF Digitally Encoded Security System (D.E.S.S.™) · Dump dual-level cargo box with modular accessories Drawing conducted April 13th, 2024 at the AK WSF Banquet.

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®, TM and the BRP logo are trademarks of Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. or its affiliates.

For membership details, contest rules and complete vehicle specifications, visit us at

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WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 111

CHAPTERS & AFFILIATES

by Katie Cheesbrough Executive Director, Wyoming WSF

B

RETURN TO THE ROCKS

ighorn sheep are native to the Sweetwater Rocks and surrounding mountain ranges of central Wyoming. As early as 1812, fur trader Robert Stuart reported seeing wild sheep in the area traveling along the route that eventually became the Oregon Trail (Honess and Frost 1942). He noted that mountainous country around the North Platte was occupied by “innumerable flocks” of wild sheep.

John C. Fremont, the “Great Pathfinder,” harvested bighorn sheep in the vicinity of Devil’s Gate during his expedition of 1842 (Fremont 1887). Mr. J.B. Gaynor of Thermopolis reported harvesting a bighorn ram near Savage Peak north of the Sun Ranch in 1881 (Anonymous 1931).

The Audubon subspecies of bighorn sheep once thrived in the Sweetwater Rocks (Cowan 1940, Buechner 1960, Shackleton 1985).

Following settlement of the lower

112 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

Sweetwater River, market hunting, introduction of disease from livestock, and heavy domestic sheep grazing, native bighorn sheep were extirpated from the area by 1907 (Cowan 1940, Honess and Frost 1942). Similarly, Audubon’s sheep became extinct across their entire range in the early 1900s. Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep have persisted in Wyoming to the present, although their populations were dramatically reduced as human settlement and the introduction of domestic sheep reached a peak in the early 1920s (Honess and Frost 1942, Smith 1982, Ryder and Lanka 1997).

Beginning in the 1940s, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) began transplanting Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep into formerly occupied native habitats. Through the years, approximately 2,000 bighorns from Whiskey Mountain near Dubois were released throughout the West (Hurley 1996). In most instances, transplants of these Rocky Mountain

bighorns into former Audubon sheep habitats failed or were only marginally successful (Cook et al. 1990, Hengel et al. 1992, Easterly 1996, Hiatt 1997).

WGFD personnel attempted to reestablish bighorns in the Sweetwater Rocks area with three translocation operations (Wyoming Game and Fish Department 1950, Hiatt 1997). In 1944, seven desert bighorn sheep (0. c. nelsoni) from southern Nevada were in the area, and unsurprisingly they did not thrive there. In 1949 and 1950, twenty Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep from Whiskey Basin were transplanted into the same area.

Despite the extremely small founder herd, the population increased to a maximum of 40-50 animals during the 1960s. However, the population dwindled through the 1970s. By 1980, reports of resident bighorn sheep in the Sweetwater Rocks ceased.

A third attempt to re-establish bighorns in the Sweetwater Rocks was proposed in the mid-1980s. The

CHAPTERS & AFFILIATES

proposal was presented to the public during development of the BLM’s Lander Resource Management Plan.

Following signing of the Plan in 1987, the BLM stated, “the BLM will cooperate with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, interested sportsmen, conservation groups, and adjacent landowners in efforts to develop a workable bighorn sheep re-introduction program for the Sweetwater Rocks area.” However, strong landowner opposition and a shift in WGFD management priorities toward elk caused the proposal to be abandoned.

This current effort to re-establish bighorn sheep in the Sweetwater Rocks was proposed by the Pathfinder Ranches, one of the larger landowners within the Sweetwater Rocks.

Representatives of the Pathfinder Ranches, formally requested that the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission direct the WGFD to begin the assessments necessary to determine if reintroduction of bighorn sheep into the Sweetwater Rocks was feasible.

The Sweetwater Rocks bighorn sheep core habitat is defined as a 73,101-acre land area in central Wyoming. The Sweetwater River parallels the Sweetwater Rocks along its southern boundary. This perimeter is based on the habitat suitability model and seasonal probability of use model defined in the 2021 Research Brief—An assessment of bighorn sheep in the Sweetwater Rocks (Wagler & Monteith, 2021).

The proposed area within the Granite Mountain Range consists 114 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

of high-desert habitat dominated by rocky outcrops and sagebrush grasslands. Elevations range from 5,900 feet along the Sweetwater River to the 7,959-foot McIntosh Peak.

Other prominent land features include Devil’s Gate, Split Rock, Lankin Dome, Savage Peak, and Martin’s Cove.

Land ownership within the Sweetwater Rocks is a mix of federal (BLM; 68.3%), state (6.1%), and private ownership (25.6%). Nineteen BLM cattle grazing allotments overlap this area. There are no permitted federal grazing allotments for domestic sheep within the Sweetwater Rocks.

Five domestic sheep allotments are located in the larger area but they are outside the perimeter of the Sweetwater Rocks reintroduction boundary. Of these five allotments, only two currently stock domestic sheep. The predicted yearly contact rate between active domestic sheep grazing allotments and a population of 40 female and 10 male bighorn sheep translocated to Sweetwater Rocks is 0.03 contacts per year, or one contact every 33 years. If this herd were to thrive and grow to a population of 300, the Sweetwater herd would have

a risk of contact less than half that of the nearby FerrisSeminoe herd of that size (Wagler and Monteith 2021).

Forage data collected within the Sweetwater Rocks indicates that there is sufficient food to support more than 400 bighorn sheep within the specified core habitat. Wild sheep are not expected to compete with either native big game or livestock for forage due to their specific habitat needs.

Although this effort is being led by the Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation, support and cooperation from the Wild Sheep Foundation, other WSF Chapters and Affiliates, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, other wildlife and hunting groups, as well as local sportspeople and landowners, this effort could see the return of wild sheep to the Sweetwater Rocks where they belong and once thrived. Successful management of this potential herd could restore sustainable hunting opportunities for a species gone from this area for nearly 50 years. Visitors who often come to the area for its rich Western history will have incredible opportunities to see these iconic animals restored to their native range.

For further information regarding the Sweetwater Rocks Initiative, to watch the video “Return to the Rocks” or to comment on this proposal, visit us at www. wyomingwildsheep.org/sri or contact Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation at info@wyomingwildsheep.org or by phone: (307)213-0998. WS

Ninth Annual

BANQUET

Saturday, April 13th, 2024 DENA’INA CONVENTION CENTER ANCHORAGE, ALASKA DOORS OPEN AT 4:30PM DINNER SERVED AT 7:30PM

AUCTIONS AND RAFFLES: • Live Auction – featuring hunts from around the world including several Alaska Governor’s tags!

• Over $185K of guns and optics given away that night!

• Denali Tiered Raffle – custom firearms, Swarovski package, gear, gun safe, Argo & more!

Visit us online at www.akwildsheep.org to purchase banquet and raffle tickets.

• Ladies Only Mountain Huntress Raffle – package includes gear, rifle, and a black bear hunt!

• Ultimate Sheep Hunter Package Raffle – over $15K of guns and gear to one winner.

• Alaskan Sheep Hunter Rifle Raffle – Bansner Custom 6.5 PRC Chugach TI Rifle.

• Sheep Hunter University – A day of classes to teach you about Dall sheep hunting.

www.akwildsheep.org www.facebook.com/akwildsheep SPONSORS:

AK

AK

1963

1963

EST.

EST.

and many more!

Interested in sponsoring? Contact 907-868-8861 for details.

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 115

116 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

MORE THAN $2 MILLION PROVIDED TO THE STATE OF ALASKA FOR CONSERVATION

Step up and be part of the solution.

Keeping sheep on the mountains of Alaska www.akwildsheep.org info@akwildsheep.org

Photo by Jerry Herrod

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 117

15

$

CHALLENGE COINS 1.75 INCHES APPROX ACTUAL SIZE

GET YOURS NOW!

www.wildsheepfoundation.org/shop REVERSE DESIGNS

Life Member Copper Coin Antique Finish

Summit LM Nickel Silver Coin Antique Finish

Member Brass Coin Antique Finish

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, 46 Legacy Society members have been recognized through WSF’s Legacy Society for contributions or pledges of future gifts.

Anonymous Anonymous Lee & Penny Anderson Jack, Jr. & Cindy Atcheson Derek W.O. Berry Mike Borel Cabela’s Outdoor Fund David W. Campbell Rick & Heather Carosone Dr. Robert W. & Cynthia Cassell David & Sona Combs Monty & Becky Davis

Howard & Mary Deters Doug & Patty Dreeszen Buddy DuVall Tom Grimes Eric & Sue Hansen Robert & Arlene Hanson Dr. Paul F. & Kathy J. Havey Zach & Amber Higgins John R. & Mary Ann Justus Blair A. & Victoria M. Kenewell Robert M. Martin, Jr. Robert and Lisa Mays

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.

Roger McCosker Kyle & Joanne Meintzer Chuck Middleton David Mode Brad R. Plaga Robert L. & J.P. Puette Kevin & Janine Rinke Lanny Rominger Louis & Pauline Rupp SCI Foundation - Hunter Legacy Fund (HLF-100) Roger Segebrecht

Kasie and Jason Sheridan Tim & Roxane Shinabarger Steve & Sue Skold Curt & Marcia Thompson Gray & Renée Thornton Jim Travis Tim & Ruth Van Der Weide The Estate of Robert B. Johnson Zachary Walton Wayne W. Webber The William H. Donner Foundation, Inc

118 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24Campaign was the FNAWS Capital Endowment Campaign conducted 1998-2003. *New Beginnings

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WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 119

WOMEN HUNT®

by Kat Hunter

FROM NEW HUNTER TO NOW CONSERVATIONIST

W

omen Hunt® has the power to transform lives.

The Women Hunt® New Hunter Course, designed and delivered by FTW/SAAM under the banner Field to Fork, educates, empowers, and profoundly inspires its participants.

As a proud graduate of the class of 2022, I am living proof.

I didn’t come from a hunting family and I once believed that hunting was a pursuit reserved for men. Nonetheless, I’ve always had an affinity for the outdoors, whether it’s fishing, camping, hiking or simply immersing myself in nature.

However, I had never actively contributed to its conservation.

120 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

In my thirties, I briefly worked for an outfitter in Texas, managing a social media page. I embarked on this position with limited knowledge about the diverse wildlife species in Texas, the existence of aoudad, or even the presence of desert bighorn sheep in Texas mountain ranges. My introduction to this industry left me yearning to learn more, but I felt a bit out of place.

To be effective on the professional page, I had to familiarize myself with the terminology, etiquette, and jargon of the hunting world. I often heard the phrase “Hunting is Conservation,” but like many outside the hunting community, I initially

struggled to grasp its meaning.

It wasn’t until I delved into the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation through the Women Hunt® program that I began to comprehend the connection. This awakened a deep-seated passion for conservation within me. It instilled in me a passion for hunting and harvesting my own protein with the ultimate goal of passing this knowledge and tradition to my daughter.

Shortly after returning from the course, I was given the opportunity to embark on another whitetail deer hunt, thanks to the generosity of the Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation

in Texas. I had one chance, one shot, and I made it count. I successfully harvested my first buck, stocking my freezer and securing a beautiful eightpoint memory for my wall.

With a fist pump and a big smile, I was on cloud nine!

As soon as I arrived home, I had my first over-the-phone podcast interview scheduled with Chester Moore, the founder of Higher Calling Wildlife and a contributing writer for WSF. The interview was brief, to the point, and nerve-wracking.

We discussed the course, my time at the ranch, my dedication to passing this tradition on to my daughter, and the details of my hunts at the New Hunter Course and with Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation.

Towards the end of the interview, Chester asked me a pivotal question: “Moving forward, have you found a particular aspect of conservation you want to focus on?”

I was momentarily stunned by the question, as I had been primarily preoccupied with the hunting aspect.

However, his question spurred me to think deeply. Despite still riding the high of the course and all that followed in the weeks after, it got me pondering about the responsibility we were tasked with as Women Hunt® alumnae at the end of the New Hunter Course: Giving Back.

There is no predefined manual or curriculum for what ‘Giving Back’ should entail, and we all recognized the unique paths that each of the

twelve of us might choose.

I decided, in that moment, that I wouldn’t rush into a decision.

Instead, I would explore different avenues, engage with various individuals, and step out of my comfort zone. I would nurture relationships with those I admired and say ‘yes’ to opportunities that would allow me to learn and spread the message of conservation well beyond hunting.

Through Chester’s introduction, I met Derek York, a Texas Parks & Wildlife Fisheries Biologist and a Texas Coast Fishing Guide.

Despite grappling with imposter syndrome, I accepted an invitation from Derek to attend a Hunt & Fish Podcast Summit he organized. This

Summit brought together podcasters and seasoned hunters, anglers, conservationists, and biologists from all across the United States.

I shared my unique story on several podcast recordings and round table discussions and felt a sense of pride in doing so. During the summit, I had a conversation with Dr. Sam Cunningham, the current president of the Texas Bighorn Society, who introduced me to a new program in its beta phase: the Adopt-AGuzzler Program. This initiative aimed to involve more members in the maintenance of crucial water systems for the iconic desert bighorn sheep. Upon learning about this opportunity, I knew immediately that I wanted to involve the Women Hunt® alumnae. I reached out to Renée Thornton for advice on how to align this initiative for success.

After collaborating with Terry Rathert, the head of the Adopt-AGuzzler program and my appointed WH® mentor, I am delighted to announce that I adopted the “Peregrine” guzzler, and will involve the WH® alumnae from Texas to start. This opportunity will allow us to give back in a very hands-on manner. I am looking forward to our first scheduled trip in February of 2024.

This could have fulfilled my ‘Give

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 121

Back’ portion as promised, but I knew my growth and journey was not over.

Months later I found myself headed to Colorado on a ministry trip with Chester Moore’s Higher Calling Wildlife. This time, my daughter Delilah accompanied me—the very person I was eager to impart these experiences to.

However, my focus had shifted; I wanted to demonstrate the importance of giving back and caring for the wild places and animals we cherish. On this trip, I came to understand the significance of what

of coastal conservation, habitats and wildlife as well as the importance of reaching that ‘NOW’ generation.

Subsequently, I became certified through Texas Parks and Wildlife as an Angler Educator Instructor.

Yet another avenue to get kids interactive and interested in the outdoors.

As I reflect on the past year, I realize the Women Hunt® program has truly given me more than I could have imagined. It began as a tool to learn how to hunt and to pass skills on to my daughter, but has since evolved into a conservation-focused journey, working towards leaving things better than I found them.

I still have yet to find a single aspect of conservation I want to

focus on, and I plan to continue to grow as a hunter myself, but my goal still remains the same. As a hunter I will continue to share the truth about hunting and conservation and work to pass that on to the ‘NOW’ generation.

I was once told that we can contribute in terms of time, talent, or treasure, and I’ve discovered my time is truly my treasure. WS

Renée Thornton, Chair Rachel Ahtila Julie Chapman Linda Demmer Sara Domek Brandi Love Rebecca Peters Sue Skold

Convention Snapshot!

• Women Hunt® Booth #2649

Visit our volunteer alumnae Learn about the program Hear first-hand testimonials Full Curl Spirits tasting Free drawing for a Montana Knife Co. Chef Set

Chester refers to as the “NOW” generation of conservationists. We spent part of the trip sowing the seeds of conservation in the younger generations, and conservation success will rely on them. It’s well known that people protect and care for what they love.

Since then, I’ve volunteered as an adult leader with the Texas Brigades: Coastal Brigade division, a nonprofit organization with a mission to educate and empower adolescents with the skills and knowledge to become conservationist leaders and stewards. My first year was a profound learning experience which enriched my understanding Meet the Wild Sheep Foundation’s Women Hunt® Committee Bios and photos at: www.wildsheepfoundation.org/about/ women-hunt-committee 122 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

• Full Curl Cinema (Room A6)

Premiere of film Beyond Bonds: A Women Hunt® Story Dynamic Q&A! Hosts: Jana Waller and Robbie Kröger, Blood Origins

• Camp Chef Culinary Corner (Hall 3)

Chef Joshua Schwencke returns to heat things up!

Learn multiple skills, best practices, and creative wild game cooking Sample tasty recipes Free drawing for Camp Chef product

• Women Hunt® Volunteers will also be supporting WSF at: The Sheep Shop Registr ation Banquet Seating

Youth Conser vation Education Experience <1 Club® Ladies Luncheon

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

@women_hunt

@womenhunt

Conservation Through Hunting

DSC is a mission-focused conservation organization, funded by hunters from around the world. Every year, DSC hosts its annual Convention that raises funds for grants in conservation, education, and advocacy.

To become a member or learn more about DSC, head to biggame.org.

Mark your calendars! DSC 2024 Convention – January 11-14

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 123

CULINARY CORNER

by Joshua Schwencke WSF & Women Hunt® Executive Chef in Residence

B

GERMAN BRATS & MEXICAN CERVEZA

ound with blue tape to the top of a meat grinder sits a family recipe gesturing back and forth in the briny, south Texas wind. Atop it reads “Pork Bratwurst, Family Recipe” in cursive. This is our family farm in Yoakum, an hour and a half from the gulf of Mexico, two hours from my home in San Antonio and ground zero for a large part of my upbringing as a chef.

This recipe, its adaptations and even its handwriting were that of my father’s first cousin Raymond, or “uncle Ray” as he is called. Ray sat nearby, right hand resting on his knee resembling my father in much more than his posture and mannerisms. You see, years before, my father drew his last breath on this exact farm while building a hunting lodge for his beloved cousin.

Visiting this large piece of earth I am reminded the legacy, love, and even pain that exists here. I still see my father in Ray as much as he sees his childhood friend in me. However, this moment with my family wasn’t about that. It was about a sausage recipe and drinking Mexican beer.

A few yards away two wild pigs hung from the bucket of a front end loader, recently expired and with the aid of gravity were being bled.

These boars, as damaging as they are to farmland, make great sausage and remain a main staple of Texas hunters. Ray, eager to see two less on his land was happy to put them to good use.

I had been commissioned to prepare a meal for a hundred or so patrons while telling the story of the

124 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

relationship between predator and prey by the Witte Museum in San Antonio. Myself and three other local chefs were given this task to offer a course in the style of our respective cuisines. It was my honor to share this story of not only my German rural upbringing, but the balance between the wild pigs of this region’s diet.

My contribution to the museum event was planned off of the cherished family recipe, smoked over cherrywood and served with the sustenance of the pigs. I envisioned

pickled mustang grapes sitting atop sliced sausages on a bed of Bavarianstyle mashed cattail tubers. Think German potato salad, however done with the aquatic tasting rhizome that grows around rivers and lakes. These components are the main dietary staples of the two pigs waiting to be butchered.

“Lets undress these piggies,” my cousin Trey proclaimed sharpening a skinning blade. He always has a way of bringing humorous brevity into a conversation. Trey, a decade my senior, was my right-hand cohort

Scan here for the Mountain to Plate Video Series with Chef Josh Schwencke growing up in everything from milking cows and feeding livestock to even getting into trouble. Ray sat in the wings watching every move we both made with slight criticism paired with a look of pride bringing back memories of my time as a child here.

Earlier that day resembling the days of our youth, Trey and I ventured out onto the farm to source the remaining components of my menu. We would soon find ourselves stuck in the thick Texas mud while gathering cattails around a water tank, leading us to both fall to the ground laughing at the luck of our predicament.

Few chefs have had such a great time sourcing their ingredients.

The rest of the family had made their way from a few towns over to not only spend time with their citydwelling kinfolk, but to also aid in the preparation of the sausage. Each member took to their tasks quickly with little to no protest. Butchers twine made into loops, pork casings soaked, and aromatics cut and ready for preparation. Any restaurant would kill for such a synergy amongst their workers.

By the fourth or maybe fifth cerveza, the forcemeat was ground, seasoned, and ready for stuffing. I stood by in awe with all my culinary education, experience in protein fabrication and self taught knowhow

at the techniques employed by this band of butchers. It acted as a firm reminder that most methods in life are simply “a way,” acting to calibrate my own approach to such things. This amazing family of mine, gathered around purpose, their love for one another and sharp blades were not in need of my culinary clout, knowledge or “book-smarts.” In a beautiful way that I had somehow forgotten, they had their own.

The bratwurst were now in the their recognizable form, a long way from their genesis as a wild animal only moments before. Once the seasoned protein left the stuffing horn it naturally formed into a spiral, curling atop the stainless steel table.

Cherrywood smoke started to fill the barn where we had been laboring.

Ray had retrofitted a small metal railroad junction house he bought to act as a smoker equipped with removable rods and a fire box offset in the back. Picture a metal amour, but for sausage. Sexy right? It’s smoke billowed out of the cracks and seams, evaporating into the sky.

Each sausage link, uniform to its hundred or so cousins sat tied in butchers twine and hanging from multiple steal rods.

Each rod, carefully placed into the smoke house was left to allow the transition from method into means.

A beer or two later, a few more logs of cherrywood and great conversation found the offering of our labour complete.

These links of wild protein held not only the story I would later tell in the entertaining of strangers as they ate my food, but also the heritage I have always held so close. It acted as a reminder to revisit such corners of my gastronomic inheritance, ask the questions longing for answers and discover the methods that have been forgotten.

My motivation in introducing the amazing people I share my heritage with is that my story will act as a catalyst in pushing you towards a journey of your own. To be a reminder to the importance to visit home, break bread, make sausage and maybe drink a few beers. Prost! WS

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 125

CONSERVATION EDUCATION

by Ryan Brock, Ph.D. WSF Youth Education Coordinator

IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR The Life Membership Fund Scholarship

I

t is that time of year to encourage college students who are in a field related to the Wild Sheep Foundation’s endeavors to apply for the Life Membership Fund Scholarship. Specifically, those majoring in degrees in wildlife management, wildlife biology, and wildlife pathology. An area of focus on wild sheep is preferred but not necessary. This year a scholarship will be awarded to an undergraduate and another to a graduate student.

The recipients will each be awarded a $5000 scholarship for schooling.

Travel to the Wild Sheep Foundation’s national convention, the Sheep Show® in Reno, Nevada (travel expenses covered) is also offered. The goal is to allow the recipient an opportunity to network and experience the economic side of wildlife conservation. During the same Sheep Show®, the individual would also be involved with assisting in a variety of aspects of the show, including the Youth Wildlife Conservation Experience.

Applications are now available on our website, under “Education Programs”, and are due March 1st.

If you know anyone who may be interested in this scholarship, please help us get the word out to them.

Townsend Youth Conservation Award

This past September, the annual recipient of the Townsend Youth Conservation Award was selected by the committee formed between

126 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

the Wild Sheep Foundation and the National Bighorn Sheep Center.

This year’s winner is Hallie Swain from Idaho, who is affiliated with the Idaho Wild Sheep Foundation.

Hallie has been involved with working several banquets and sporting shows. Additionally, she has participated with helicopter captures of wild sheep, enabling her to see the full circle of conservation, from fundraising to captures and release.

This school year, her senior year, she is working on a senior project of

making a video to tell the story of the Idaho Chapter of WSF. It will tell the story of WSF over the last four decades and will paint a picture of what the future of the foundation will hold. Her goal in creating the video is to inspire the next generation to continue to support conservation efforts to keep sheep on the mountain. Hallie is sure to be part of the next generation of wild sheep conservation leaders and WSF is proud to recognize her.

This youth award began in 2022 and is dedicated in the memory of Butch Townsend, from Wyoming.

Butch was passionate and devoted much of his life to wild sheep. He sat on the Wild Sheep Foundation Board of Directors and was an exceptional supporter of the Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation.

The award is for a youth in 7th-12th grade; as of January, of the year, the award is presented at Wild Sheep Foundation’s national convention, the Sheep Show®.

Chapters or affiliates, please begin looking within your organization for a youth who stands out in the area of wildlife conservation. We challenge your chapter or affiliate to select a top candidate to be recognized locally, perhaps at your banquet.

Once recognized locally, the official WSF application is submitted by the nominee to the Wild Sheep Foundation through Ryan Brock (Rbrock@wildsheepfoundation.org)

by August 15 of this next year.

YWCE

This year’s Youth Wildlife Conservation Experience (YWCE)

will once again take place during the Sheep Show®. Just down the hall from the expo awaits 94,540 square feet of hands-on youth experiences. January 18th and 19th the YWCE is set aside for private school groups to attend.

Busloads of students arrive right after school begins and listen to a keynote on wild sheep conservation.

Next, they break into outdoor career seminars and individually select 3 of 12 offered careers to investigate.

During lunch, the Life Membership Scholarship recipients will present on their experiences that have led them

into majoring in a field of wildlife management, biology, or pathology.

The entire afternoon transforms into over 40 hands-on stations.

On Saturday, January 20th, the YWCE opens to the public and is free. The entire facility of the F-Meeting Rooms and all of Hall 4 will be open from 10:00 to 4:00 for six hours of hands-on learning.

Stations include multiple archery ranges, BB gun range, pellet gun range, rock climbing wall, duck calling, conservation, animal identification, and much more. For

those youth ages 12 and up, there is an additional program called the Tracks Program. With leading sponsor Leica, older youth get a card punched as they visit selected vendors on the expo floor. Here they learn from each vendor something regarding the outdoors. Cards are then deposited for a raffle that takes place back in the YWCE at 3:00.

There is something for every age in the YWCE. Bring a youth on over and watch the inspiration occur! WS

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

WINTER FALL 2023/24 2023~~W ILDSSHEEP HEEP®® 127 WILD

Thank you Van Wijk Safaris for all of the hunts over the years.

Some have been easy.

Some have been hard.

Some have been frustrating.

But, all of them have been great!

All the Best – Sherrill Neese

128 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

www.goatalliance.org

Dedicated to education, supporting the research & conservation of mountain goats Memberships available through WSF for $40 per year.

Join

y!

toda s t r o f f e our

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 129

SHEEP SHOP

wild-sheep-foundation.myshopify.com

COME

VISIT US 24/7 ONLINE

130 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 131

‘24 JAN. 18-20 RENO, NV

SPONSORS ARE CURRENT AS OF PRESS TIME

WSF SALUTES OUR 2024 CONVENTION SPONSORS WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO PATRONIZE THOSE WHO SUPPORT THE WILD SHEEP FOUNDATION

OFFICIAL SHEEP WEEK® SPONSOR

PRESENTING SPONSORS

DIAMOND SPONSORS

132 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

PLATINUM SPONSORS - ( Platinum Plus)

Jeff & Jann Demaske

Kevin & Tuesdy Small

GOLD SPONSORS TAKE 1 PUT 1 BACK

TAKE 1 PUT 1 BACK

Dan & Jean Smith & Dan & Cheryl Smith Mike Opitz

TAKE 1 PUT 1 BACK

SILVER SPONSORS

TAKE 1 PUT 1 BACK

M F SPONSOR

M F SPONSOR

Terry Rathert

Darin & Tonya Fiedeldey Kevin & Lauri Gilbert WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 133

BRONZE SPONSORS M F SPONSOR

M F SPONSOR

Denise Swanson Renee Snider

COPPER SPONSOR

RAM AWARDS BUCKLE SPONSORS

M F SPONSOR

Kris Kohlhoff

Brett Jefferson

Renée & Gray Thornton

M F SPONSOR

Jeff Haynie

Chris Dianda Dyrk Eddie Family Daryll Hosker James Lines Mike Opitz Steve and Sue Skold Kevin & Tuesdy Small

Bobby Theis William “Bill” Tittle Dave & Joanne Turchanski Scott Widdifield Lyle Wood Gary & Penny Young

LIFE MEMBER PATRONS Max Banwell Mike Borel Oscar Carlson Sam and Tracy Cunningham Denis Dale Sandra Fields Ryan & Tiffany Foutz Dale and Donna Gaugler Kevin Gilbert Alan C. Hayes Jeff Haynie

Martin and Jeanne Hendrix Bailey & Landrus Hunting Co. Kevin Hurley Larry and Gay Johns Dan and Jessica Kluth Bob & Marion Logan Dr. Gordon Lyons Larry and Joanne McGovern Kyle & Joanne Meintzer Midwest Chatper WSF Don Perrien

Drs. Glen & Caroline Pyne Dustin and Heather Roe Lou Rupp Steve and Sue Skold Kip & Sue Slaugh Jim & Alisia Stager Gray & Renée Thornton William Tittle André Van Hilten (Willow Creek Outfitters)

We invite you to become a sponsor of the 2024 Convention in Reno.

For sponsorship opportunities or more information contact: Gray N. Thornton • 406.404.8750 • gthornton@wildsheepfoundation.org Keith Balfourd 404.404.8750 • keith@wildsheepfoundation.org 134 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

‘24 SEMINARS

THURSDAY

10:30 am - 11:30 am ......... USFWS Permitting......................................................................Room A1 Kurt Alt with USFWS International Affairs Staff

10:30 am - 3:00 pm............ Camp Chef Culinary Corner ............................................Hall 3 Chef Joshua Schwencke

2:15 pm - 3:15 pm................. Pro Series: Glass Like a Pro ...............................................Room A1 With Bonus Seminar: Long Range Hunting Ethics Dan Adler - Diamond Outfitters

FRIDAY

10:30 am - 3:00 pm............ Camp Chef Culinary Corner ............................................Hall 3 Chef Joshua Schwencke

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm ............... Hunting with Non-Lead Ammunition ........................Room A2 Chris Parish - Non-Lead Partnership

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm ............... Pro Series: Elk Hunting...........................................................Room A1 Dan Adler - Diamond Outfitters

SATURDAY

8:00 am - 5:00 pm ............... Nevada Hunter Safety Course.......................................Room A4 NDOW Certified Instructors

10:30 am - 11:30 am ......... Why Fitness?....................................................................................Room A1 Mountain Hunter’s are not Ordinary Athletes Dustin Diefenderfer - Mountain Tough

10:30 am - 2:00 pm............ Camp Chef Culinary Corner ............................................Hall 3 Chef Joshua Schwencke

11:45 am - 12:45 pm .......... Hunting with Suppressors....................................................Room A3 Brandon Maddox & Karter Keefer - Silencer Central

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm ............... Pro Series: Glass Like a Pro ...............................................Room A1 With Bonus Seminar Long Range Hunting Ethics Dan Adler - Diamond Outfitters

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm ............... Outdoor Survival for the Modern Hunter ............Room A2 John Barklow - SITKA Gear

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 135

‘24 JAN. 18-20 RENO, NV

JANUARY 15 - 20 • 2024 | CONVENTION SCHEDULE CURRENT AS OF PRESS TIME

MONDAY - JAN 15 8:00 am - 5:00 pm............................................... PRAB Meeting...................................................................................................................................................... Board Room

TUESDAY - JAN 16 8:00 am - 5:00 pm............................................... Exhibitor Registration Open ........................................................................................................... RS-CC 8:00 am - 6:00 pm............................................... 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 Wild Sheep Initiative Meeting........................................................................... RS-CC - Room A8

WEDNESDAY - JAN 17 8:00 am - 5:00 pm............................................... Exhibitor & Attendee Registration Open ...................................................................... RS-CC 8:00 am - 7:00 pm............................................... Exhibitor Move-In........................................................................................................................................... RS-CC 8:00 am - Noon ..................................................... WAFWA Wild Sheep Initiative Meeting........................................................................... RS-CC - Room A8 1:00 pm - 4:30 pm .............................................. Wildlife Professionals Meeting ...................................................................................................... RS-CC - Room A8 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm .............................................. Pint Hour - Complimentary Beer Reception........................................................... Tuscany Ballroom Sponsored by: Stone Glacier 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm .............................................. Hosted Bar ............................................................................................................................................................... Tuscany Ballroom Sponsored by: Peppermill Hotel, Resort & Casino 6:00 pm - 9:30 pm .............................................. Grand Opening Banquet & Auction.............................................................................. Tuscany Ballroom Sponsored by: Global Rescue, Stone Glacier, 1 Shot Gear & Snowy Mountain Rifles Award Presentations: • WSF Exhibitor & Donor Recognition • Special Recognition • Gordon Eastman’s Grass Roots Award • Wild Sheep Biologist’s Wall of Fame Award “Icons of the North” Campfire Stories Grand Opening Conservation Auction 9:30 pm - 1:00 am ............................................. Sheep Camp Hospitality ........................................................................................................................ Tuscany Ballroom Entertainment: Jimmy Herman & Chris Henessee (Live Music)

136 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

THURSDAY - JAN 18 8:00 am - 5:00 pm............................................... Exhibitor & Attendee Registration Open ...................................................................... RS-CC 8:00 am - 9:30 am ............................................... Exhibitor Welcome Breakfast......................................................................................................... RS-CC - Mt. Rose Ballroom 9:00 am - 3:00 pm............................................... Youth Wildlife Conservation Experience ....................................................................... RS-CC - F1-10 & Hall 4 Sponsored by: MidwayUSA Foundation 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 10:30 am - 4:00 pm ........................................... Full Curl Cinema (FCC) ........................................................................................................................ RS-CC Room - A6 10:30 am - 3:00 pm ........................................... Camp Chef Culinary Corner (Chef Joshua Schwencke) ................................ Hall 3 10:30 am - 11:00 am........................................ Roots - Gordon Eastman Film ........................................................................................................... Full Curl Cinema - A6 10:30 am - 11:30 am........................................ USFWS Permitting......................................................................................................................................... RS-CC - A1 Kurt Alt with USFWS International Affairs Staff 11:00 am - 12:30 pm ....................................... High Country of the North - Adventure Wild ....................................................... Full Curl Cinema - A6 11:00 am - 11:30 am........................................ Ram/FNAWS/Mountain Monarch Awards Rehearsal .................................... RS-CC - Mt. Rose Ballroom Noon -2:00 pm ....................................................... Ram/FNAWS/Mountain Monarch Awards Lunch .................................... RS-CC - Mt. Rose Ballroom Sponsored by: Boone & Crockett Club, Pope & Young Club, Safari Club International Boyt Harness, Alaska Professional Hunters Association, Guide and Outfitters Association of British Columbia, & Ram Award Belt Buckle Sponsors 1:00 pm - 1:15 pm .............................................. Home for the Wild - Vail Bighorn Sheep Initiative............................................. Full Curl Cinema - A6 1:15 pm - 1:45 pm .............................................. Q&A with Vail Bighorn Sheep Initiative ............................................................................ Full Curl Cinema - A6 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm .............................................. Weatherby the Chase ............................................................................................................................... Full Curl Cinema - A6 3:00 pm - 3:30 pm .............................................. Q&A with Adam & Brenda Weatherby ............................................................................. Full Curl Cinema - A6 2:00 pm - 3:15 pm .............................................. Idaho-Oregon-Nevada (ION) Initiative Meeting.................................................. RS-CC - A8 2:15 pm - 3:15 pm .............................................. Pro Series: Glass Like a Pro - With Bonus Semiar Long Range Hunting Ethics - Dan Adler, Diamond Outfitters ................... RS-CC - A1 3:30 pm.............................................................................. 5x$1,000 Floor Credit Drawings (Must be present to win!) .................... RS-CC - Raffle Area Sponsored by: California WSF, New Mexico WSF, Northern Nevada SCI, Utah WSF, & WSF Alberta 4:00 pm - 4:15 pm .............................................. <1iClub Mid Asian Ibex Hunt ......................................................................................................... Full Curl Cinema - A6 4:15 pm - 4:30 pm .............................................. Q&A with Luke Thorkildsen ............................................................................................................ Full Curl Cinema - A6 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm .............................................. Today, Tomorrow, & Forever for Wild Sheep & Past President’s/ Chairman’s Reception & Full Curl Spirits Tasting ................................................ EDGE Nightclub Sponsored by: Jeff Geiger/Merrill Lynch Tasting Sponsored by: Full Curl Spirits 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm .......................................... Conservation Night - Banquet & Auction ........................................................... Tuscany Ballroom Evening Sponsored by: Alaska WSF, Bergara, Browning, SITKA, Vortex & YETI Award Presentations: • Chair’s Award • Outstanding Conservationist • Jack O’Connor Writers Award • Townsend Youth Conservation Award Drawings: (Immediately prior to Auction) • $10,000 Auction Credit Drawing • Thursday Raffle Drawing Conservation Night Auction 10:00 pm - 2:00 am ........................................... Sheep Camp Hospitality ........................................................................................................................ Tuscany Foyer Horse Packing Competition Sponsored by: Midnight Sun Outfitters & Sherwood Outfitters

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 137

FRIDAY - JAN 19 8:00 am - 10:00 am............................................ Exhibitor Breakfast........................................................................................................................................ RS-CC 8:00 am - 5:30 pm............................................... Exhibitor & Attendee Registration Open ...................................................................... RS-CC 9:00 am - 3:00 pm............................................... Sporting Clays Shoot ............................................................................................................................ Capitol City Gun Club 9:00 am - 3:00 pm............................................... Youth Wildlife Conservation Experience ....................................................................... RS-CC - F1-10 & Hall 4 Sponsored by: MidwayUSA Foundation 9:00 am - 10:30 am............................................ WSF Annual Membership Meeting.......................................................................................... RS-CC - Room - A6 10:00 am - 5:00 pm ........................................... Exhibit Hall Open.............................................................................................................................. RS-CC Silent Auction Open .................................................................................................................................... RS-CC Sponsored by: Wyoming WSF 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm .............................................. Seminars....................................................................................................................................................................... RS-CC 10:30 am - 4:00 pm ........................................... Full Curl Cinema .............................................................................................................................................. RS-CC Room - A6 10:30 am - 3:00 pm ........................................... Camp Chef Culinary Corner (Chef Joshua Schwencke) ................................ Hall 3 10:30 am - 11:30 am........................................ Selective ....................................................................................................................................................................... Full Curl Cinema - A6 11:30 am - 12:00 pm ....................................... Q&A with Jason Matzinger & Keith Balfourd ........................................................... Full Curl Cinema - A6 11:00 am - 1:00 pm ........................................... Nevada Working Group Meeting .............................................................................................. RS-CC - Room - A8 Sponsored by: Fraternity of the Desert Bighorn 11:30 am - 1:00 pm ........................................... WSLF Board of Trustees Meeting ............................................................................................. RS-CC - Room - A9 11:30 am - 1:30 pm ........................................... Ladies Luncheon “Good Vibes - 70s” ......................................................................... Naples Ballroom Sponsored by: Bass Pro Shops / Cabela’s 12:30 pm - 1:00 pm .......................................... Wild & Wool.......................................................................................................................................................... Full Curl Cinema - A6 1:00 pm - 1:30 pm .............................................. Q&A with Dr. Peregrine Wolff & Kevin Hurley ..................................................... Full Curl Cinema - A6 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm .............................................. Huntervationist - NWT Dall’s Part 1 & II..................................................................... Full Curl Cinema - A6 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm .............................................. Hunting with Non-Lead Ammunition.................................................................................. RS-CC - A2 Chris Parish, Non-Lead Partnership 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm .............................................. Pro Series: Elk Hunting - Dan Adler, Diamond Outfitters ............................... RS-CC - A1 3:30 pm.............................................................................. 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 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm .............................................. SITKA Gear Happy Hour .................................................................................................................... SITKA Gear Booth - 2335 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm .............................................. <1 Club & <1 iClub Reception & Drawings ...................................................... RS-CC - Mt. Rose Ballroom Sponsored by: Jeff & Jann Demaske, Kevin & Tuesdy Small, Blue Moon Brewing Company, New West Distributors, Leupold, Wyoming WSF, Texas Bighorn Society, Idaho WSF, & Brett & Maureen Jefferson 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm .......................................... Legacy Night - Banquet, Conklin Award & Auction............................ Tuscany Ballroom Sponsored by: Alaska Outfitters Unlimited, Best of the West, Leupold, Schnee, Shikar Safaris, & Steyr Award Presentations: • Federal Statesman Award • Outstanding Achievement • Conklin Award Presentation Drawings: (Immediately prior to Auction) • $10,000 Auction Credit Drawing • Full Registration Desert Bighorn Sheep Hunt Drawing • Friday Raffle Drawing Legacy Night Conservation Auction 10:00 pm - 1:00 am ........................................... Sheep Camp Hospitality ...................................................................................................................... Tuscany Foyer Entertainment: Backpack Races................................................................................................... Tuscany Foyer Sponsored & Hosted by: Stone Glacier

Colby Hartman

® WINTER 138 W2023/24 ILD S HEEP ~W ~ ILD WINTER SHEEP®2023/24 138

SATURDAY - JAN 20 7:00 am - 9:00 am ............................................... Exhibitor Breakfast........................................................................................................................................ RS-CC 8:00 am - 5:00 pm............................................... Exhibitor & Attendee Registration Open ...................................................................... RS-CC 8:00 am - 5:00 pm............................................... Nevada Hunter Safety Course ..................................................................................................... RS-CC - A4 8:00 am - 10:00 am............................................ Life Member Breakfast & DBHS Drawing........................................................... Tuscany Ballroom Sponsored by: Wild Hunting in Turkey & Asia & Life Member Patrons Keynote Address: Craig Boddington 9:00 am - 5:00 pm............................................... Exhibit Hall Open.............................................................................................................................. RS-CC 9:00 am - 2:30 pm............................................... Silent Auction Open .................................................................................................................................... RS-CC Sponsored by: Wyoming WSF 10:00 am - 4:00 pm ........................................... Youth Wildlife Conservation Experience ....................................................................... RS-CC - F1-10 & Hall 4 Sponsored by: MidwayUSA Foundation 10:30 am - 2:00 pm ........................................... Seminars....................................................................................................................................................................... RS-CC 10:30 am - 4:00 pm ........................................... Full Curl Cinema .............................................................................................................................................. RS-CC Room A6 10:30 am - 2:00 pm ........................................... Camp Chef Culinary Corner (Chef Joshua Schwencke) ................................ Hall 3 9:30 am - 10:00 am............................................ Riches of the Ruby Range - Adventure Wild ............................................................. Full Curl Cinema - Room - A6 10:30 am - 11:30 am........................................ Why Fitness? Mountain Hunters are not Ordinary Athletes ............. RS-CC - A1 Dustin Diefenderfer, Mountain Tough 10:30 am - 11:00 am........................................ LIONHEART ......................................................................................................................................................... Full Curl Cinema - Room - A6 11:00 am - 11:30 pm ....................................... Q&A with Robbie Kröger & Gray Thornton............................................................ Full Curl Cinema - Room - A6 11:45 am - 12:45 pm ....................................... Hunting with Suppressors................................................................................................................... RS-CC - A3 Brandon Maddox & Karter Keefer, Silencer Central 12:30 pm - 1:00 pm .......................................... Beyond Bonds - A Women Hunt® Story ......................................................................... Full Curl Cinema - Room - A6 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm .............................................. Beyond Bonds Q&A with Jana Waller Bair & Robbie Kröger, .......... Full Curl Cinema - Room - A6 Renée Thornton, Rebecca Peters & Brandi Love 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm .............................................. Pro Series: Glass Like a Pro - With Bonus Seminar Long Range Hunting Ethics - Dan Adler, Diamond Outfitters ................... RS-CC - A1 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm .............................................. Outdoor Survival for the Modern Hunter .................................................................. RS-CC - A2 John Barklow, SITKA Gear 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 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm .............................................. Transmission........................................................................................................................................................... Full Curl Cinema - Room - A6 4:00 pm - 4:30 pm .............................................. Q&A with Jesse Bone, Tash Baycroft & Kyle Stelter........................................ Full Curl Cinema - Room - A6 4:00 pm.............................................................................. Raffles Close - Drawings Held ...................................................................................................... RS-CC - Raffle Area 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm .............................................. Marco Polo Society Reception & Full Curl Spirits Tasting (Invitation Only) ...................................................................... EDGE Nightclub Tasting Sponsored by: Full Curl Spirits 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm .......................................... Exhibitor Move Out 6:00 pm.............................................................................. Cocktails...................................................................................................................................................................... Tuscany Ballroom 7:00 pm - 11:00 pm .......................................... Grand Finale Banquet & Auction....................................................................................... Tuscany Ballroom Sponsored by: Freelance Outdoor Adventures, Leica, Silencer Central & Weatherby Award Presentations: • Special Recognition • Annuli Photo Contest People’s Choice Award • G.C.F. Dalziel Outstanding Guide Award • Frank Golata Outstanding Outfitter Award • Artemis Outstanding Woman Conservationist Award • Chris Klineburger Mountain Hunter Hall of Fame Award Drawings: (Immediately prior to Auction) • $10,000 Auction Credit Drawing • 1 More For 4 Drawing Grand Finale Conservation Auction 10:00 pm - 2:00 am ........................................... Sheep Camp Hospitality ........................................................................................................................ Tuscany Foyer Entertainment by: Tessy Lou Williams

SUNDAY - JAN 21 8:00 am - 12:00 pm ........................................... Exhibitor Move Out

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 139

‘24 JAN. 18-20 RENO, NV

AUCTION PREVIEW Online:

TO DONATE CONTACT: KIM NIETERS | 406.404.8764 | KNIETERS@WILDSHEEPFOUNDATION.ORG

140 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

A1

A2

A2

A1

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: W: highwestoutfitter.com highwestoutfitter.com A2 A2 10 - DAY MULTIPLE SPECIES

SIG SAUER P365 HUNT - 380 COMBINATION ROBINS EGG BLUE FOR 1 HUNTER AND SIG SAUER 1 NON-HUNTER A3

A6

P: 603.418.8102 ($11,300 CREDIT FOR DAILY RATES) E: andy.york@sigsauer.com CAZATUR W: www.sigsauer.com Eduardo de Araoz P: 011.34.91.442.3775 A3 E: spain@cazatur.com 3 DAY FREE RANGE W:- www.cazatur.com

BALKAN CHAMOIS OR A3 EUROPEAN GRAY WOLF 3 - DAYIN FREE RANGE FOR HUNT MACEDONA BALKAN CHAMOIS ORBalkan fee for 1 HUNTER (Trophy EUROPEAN GRAY WOLF chamois or European gray wolf included, HUNT IN MACEDONA FOR hunters choice) (Trophy fee for Balkan 1 HUNTER THE HUNTING CONSORTIUM LTD. chamois or European gray wolf included, Robert Kern hunters choice) P: 540.955.0090 THE HUNTING CONSORTIUM LTD. E: hunt@huntcon.com Robert Kern W:540.955.0090 www.huntingconsortium.com P: E: hunt@huntcon.com A4 W: th www.huntingconsortium.com

A4

8 ANNUAL WILD SHEEP A4 JURASSIC CLASSIC th 8 ANNUAL WILD SHEEP STURGEON FISHING JURASSIC CLASSIC TOURNAMENT • 2 - DAY TRIP STURGEON FISHING (2 available) FOR 2 ANGLERS TOURNAMENT 2 - DAY TRIP JURASSIC CLASSIC •COMMITTEE (2 FOR 2 ANGLERS WSSBC AND GOABC available)

JURASSIC CLASSIC COMMITTEE Trevor Carruthers WSSBC AND GOABC P: 250.919.5386 Trevor Carruthers E: trevor.carruthers@shaw.ca P: 250.919.5386 E: A5trevor.carruthers@shaw.ca

A5

PRIVATE ROCKY MOUNTAIN A5 SHEEP FLIP FLOPMOUNTAIN BACK PRIVATE ROCKY YARD BBQ FOR 25 PEOPLE SHEEP FLIP FLOP BACK (CONTINENTIAL YARD BBQ FOR 25USA) PEOPLE (100% FULLY DONATED) USA) (CONTINENTIAL (100%FLIP THE FULLY FLOP DONATED) GUY Andy FLIP THE Moeckel FLOP GUY P: 415.578.8235 Andy Moeckel E: andrewjamesmoeckel@gmail.com P: 415.578.8235 E: W:andrewjamesmoeckel@gmail.com www.theflipflopguy.com W: www.theflipflopguy.com A6 A6

BROWNING BROWNING X-BOLT X-BOLT MTN MTN PRO TUNGSTEN PRO TUNGSTEN 7 7 PRC PRC (100% (100% FULLY FULLY DONATED) DONATED) BROWNING BROWNING P: P: 801.876.2711 801.876.2711 E: shaundi.campbell@browning.com shaundi.campbell@browning.com E: W: www.browning.com www.browning.com W:

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 141

B1

BC LYNX PELT

B1

B2

(100% FULLY DONATED) BC TRAPPERS ASSOCIATION Glen Cartwright P: 604.351.1338 E: glenshaw@shaw.ca B2

5 - DAY BLACK BEAR HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER ON KUIU ISLAND, ALASKA (100% FULLY DONATED) ADAMS ALASKAN SAFARIS Dale and Lori Adams P: 907.738.3040 E: daleadams458@gmail.com W: www.adamsalaskansafaris.com B3

12 - DAY SPRING KODIAK ISLAND BROWN BEAR HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER

B3

ROHRER BEAR CAMP Sam Rohrer P: 907.486.4074 C: 907.539.1828 E: sam@kodiakbearcamp.com W: kodiakbearcamp.com B4

COLLAPSIBLE DOG CRATE & BOYT HARNESS PACKAGE (100% FULLY DONATED) SUMMIT LIFE MEMBER & WSF BOD GLEN PYNE P: 714.323.1092 E: pawsnclaws@sbcglobal.net

B4

B5

TROPHY ROOM CLEANING (100% FULLY DONATED) HEADHUNTER TROPHY CARE LLC Wade West P: 817.988.2312 E: trophycare@rocketmail.com B6

5 - DAY BAJA BLACKTAIL DEER HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER GO WITH BO BOOKING & GUIDE SERVICE Bo Morgan P: 928.202.7890 E: gowithbo@msn.com W: gowithboonline.com THE CONKLIN FOUNDATION Brad Black

142 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

B5

B6

B7

B8

B7

LIFE-SIZE NORTH AMERICAN SHEEP MOUNT

(100% FULLY DONATED) THE WILDLIFE GALLERY Dan & Charlotte Catlin P: 989.561.5369 E: dan@thewildlifegallery.com W: www.thewildlifegallery.com B8

5 - DAY HUNT FOR NYALA, BLUE WILDEBEEST, ZEBRA, BLESBUCK, WARTHOG & IMPALA FOR 3 HUNTERS

B9

(Trophy fees for 6 mentioned species to be split between 3 hunters) SUPERIOR AFRICAN HUNTING SAFARIS Eli Van Der Walt/Jeffrey Austin P: 830.313.8724 E: rancho1024@yahoo.com W: www.superiorsafaris.com B9

7 - DAY CAPE BUFFALO HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER

($5,000 credit towards trophy fees) (100% FULLY DONATED) IBAMBA SAFARIS Johan & Zelda Pretorius P: +27832261690 E: johan@ibambasafaris.com W: www.ibambasafaris.com B10

7 - DAY SABLE & 2 - DAY TOUR OF KRUGER NATIONAL PARK F0R 1 HUNTER & 1 NON-HUNTER B10 B12

(Trophy fee for 1 Sable is included) THORMAHLEN & COCHRAN SAFARIS Peter Thormahlen P: +27.845.000.370 E: peter@africatrophyhunting.com E: anso@africatrophyhuntig.com W: www.africatrophyhunting.co.za

B11

4 - DAY IBERIAN ROE DEER HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER

B11

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 B12

LIFE-SIZE WILD SHEEP MOUNT WITH HABITAT AND BASE DEWEY WILDLIFE STUDIO Dawayne Dewey P: 307.587.4863 E: info@deweywildlife.com W: www.deweywildlife.com

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 143

C1

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

C1

(100% FULLY DONATED) MAUNA LOA OUTFITTERS Colin Onaka - WSF Life Member Steven Onaka P: 808.960.7373 E: MaunaLoaOutfitters@gmail.com Capt. Mark Bartell of the Ambush P: 808.366.4808 C2

“A LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN - STONE’S SHEEP”

KARL LANSING STUDIO WILDERNESS IMAGES Karl & Louise Lansing P: 250.428.8614 E: klansing@shaw.ca W: www.karllansing.com

C2

C3

C4

C5

C3

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

‘25

C4

WSF - UPGRADED VIP TABLE - 2025 SHEEP SHOW C5

JAN. 16-18

8 - DAY FALL MUSKOX ADVENTURE FOR 1 HUNTER CANADA NORTH OUTFITTING Tony Mudd P: 775.690.6300 E: Tmudd@canadanorthoutfittiing.com W: www.canadanorthoutfitting.com C6

(2 available)

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

144 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

C6

C7

C7

14 - DAY SPANISH IBEX GRAND SLAM HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER

(Trophy fees included for 1 Bronze Medal Gredos Ibex, 1 Bronze Medal Beceite Ibex, 1 Bronze Medal Southeastern Ibex, and Bronze Medal Ronda Ibex and 21% VAT Fee!) IBERHUNTING SPAIN Antonio Teruel Farrugello P: +34 664.283.512 E: iberhunting@iberhunting.com W: www.iberhunting.com C8

7 - DAY WALRUS ARCTIC ADVENTURE HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER

C8 C9

(Tag and license are included) CANADA NORTH OUTFITTING Tony Mudd P: 775.690.6300 E: Tmudd@canadanorthoutfittiing.com W: www.canadanorthoutfitting.com THE CONKLIN FOUNDATION Bradford Black P: 330.802.2711 C9

APHA LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP

C10

C11

(100% FULLY DONATED) ALASKA PROFESSIONAL HUNTERS’ ASSOCIATION Deb Moore P: 907.394.3435 E: deb@alaskaprohunter.org W: www.alaskaprohunter.org C10

LIFE-SIZE WILD SHEEP MOUNT WITH BASE

ZIMMERMAN WILDLIFE Marcus & Ken Zimmerman P: 814.793.2821 E: marcus@zimmermanwildlife.net E: ken@zimmermanwildlife.net W: www.zimmermanwildlife.net C11

5 - DAY AOUDAD SHEEP HUNT ON THE WILLIAMS RANCH IN TEXAS FOR 1 HUNTER ROWDY MCBRIDE HUNTING SERVICES Rowdy McBride P: 432.837.2047 C: 432.553.4724 E: rowdymcbride@sbcglobal.net

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 145

D1

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.

D1

ELIAS PRESERVE) ALASKA OUTFITTERS UNLIMITED Aaron Bloomquist P: 907.982.2471 E: bloomya@hotmail.com W: www.alaskaoutfittersunlimited.com W: www.huntalaska.net

D2

WSF - VIP TABLE FOR 2025 LADIES LUNCHEON IN RENO

D4

D3

THE BEARTOOTH PRO-SKINNING BLADE

D2

(100% FULLY DONATED) MONTANA KNIFE COMPANY Josh Smith & Sloan Brown P: 352.212.9564 E: info@montanaknifecompany.com W: www.montanaknifecompany.com

JAN. 16-18

D4

12 - DAY DALL’S SHEEP/ WOLF/WOLVERINE HUNT IN THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES FOR 1 HUNTER & 1 NON-HUNTER GANA RIVER OUTFITTERS LTD. Harold Grinde P: 403.357.8414 E: ganariver@pentnet.net W: www.ganariver.com D5

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

146 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

‘25

D3

D5

D6

D6

BEAR TRUST INTERNATIONAL - NAPA VALLEY WINE EXPERIENCE – 2 Trips Available for 2025!

Hosted by Marc & Janice Mondavi CHARLES KRUG WINERY W: www.charleskrug.com BEAR TRUST INTERNATIONAL Logan Young P: 406.595.6583 E: logan@beartrust.org W: www.beartrust.org

D7

D7

12 - DAY STONES’ SHEEP HUNT IN NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA

(100% PROCEEDS TO SUPPORT NW BC STONE’S SHEEP INITIATIVES) SPATSIZI RIVER OUTFITTERS Mike Gilson P: 250.847.9692 E: mike_gilson@bcsafaris.com E: admin@spatsizi.com W: www.spatsizi.com D8

D8

D9

6 - DAY MTN LION HUNT IN NEW MEXICO FOR 1 HUNTER (100% FULLY DONATED) FRONTIER OUTFITTING GT Nunn P: 505.350.9775 E: gtnunn@aol.com D9

TWO HORN GOBLETS ORIGINAL ART ANTLERED ART Todd Strupp P: 715.642.3937 E: toddstrupp@gmail.com W: www.antleredmugworks.com D10 Sample of Work D10

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: hunts@ravensthroat.com W: www.ravensthroat.com

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 147

E1

10 - DAY CHIHUAHUA DESERT BIGHORN SHEEP FOR 1 HUNTER AND 1 NON-HUNTER

E1

RANCHO LA GUARIDA Jose Antonio Vallina Laguera P: 011.52.1614.427.0840 E: jav@laguaridaranch.com W: www.laguaridaranch.com E2

SIG SAUER - ROCK GLASSES (SET OF 4) SIG SAUER P: 603.418.8102 E: andy.york@sigsauer.com W: www.sigsauer.com

E2

E3

E3

SHOOTING STICKS

(100% FULLY DONATED) RICK YOUNG OUTDOORS LLC Rick Young P: 503.702.5960 E: rick@rickyoungoutdoors.com W: www.rickyoungoutdoors.com E4

KLYMALOFT SLEEPING PAD XL

E4

(100% FULLY DONATED) KLYMIT P: 888.655.3632 E: marketing@klymit.com W: www.klymit.com

E5

E5

PEAK REFUEL BASECAMP BUCKET 3.0 (100% FULLY DONATED) PEAK REFUEL P: 801.361.5751 E: madyson@peakrefuel.com W: www.peakrefuel.com

E6

E6

SIG SAUER - SIERRA 3000BDX - 10X42 BINOCULARS SIG SAUER P: 603.418.8102 E: andy.york@sigsauer.com W: www.sigsauer.com E7

SPEEDGOAT FIXED BLADE

(100% FULLY DONATED) MONTANA KNIFE COMPANY Josh Smith & Sloan Brown P: 352.212.9564 E: info@montanaknifecompany.com W: www.montanaknifecompany.com 148 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

E7

E8

E8

10 - DAY ALASKA-YUKON MOOSE HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER IN NORTHWEST ALASKA

FREELANCE OUDOOR ADVENTURES Lance Kronberger P: 907.854.2822 E: freelanceOA@mac.com W: www.freelanceoutdooradventures.com E9

BEAR TRUST INTERNATIONAL HAND-CRAFTED WHISKEY GLASS BOX

BEAR TRUST INTERNATIONAL Logan Young P: 406.595.6583 E: loganyung270@gmail.com W: www.beartrust.org E10 E9

E10

SIG SAUER - KILO 3K 6X22MM RANGEFINDER SIG SAUER P: 603.418.8102 E: andy.york@sigsauer.com W: www.sigsauer.com E11

E11

5 - DAY IBERIAN MOUFLON SHEEP & IBERIAN RED DEER OR FALLOW DEER FOR 2 HUNTERS & 2 NONHUNTERS (Trophy fees included

for 2 mouflon and 2 deer) SPANISH MOUNTAIN HUNTS Gonzalo Colomina P: +34.69.028.1553 E: gonzalocolomina@yahoo.es W: www.spanishmountainhunts.com THE CONKLIN FOUNDATION Bradford Black P: 330.802.2711 E12

CUSTOM 7 PRC RIFLE WITH NIGHTFORCE SCOPE

E12

ARROWHEAD RIFLES (100% FULLY DONATED) Luke Horak P: 319.558.8621 E: sales@arrowheadrifles.com W: www.arrowheadrifles.com

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 149

F1

HOWA M1500 CARBON FIBER 6.5 PRC THREADED 5/8X24 W/BIPOD & NIKKO STIRLING 4-16X44 OPTICS (100% FULLY DONATED) LEGACY SPORTS INTERNATIONAL Chad J. Peters P: 775.221.7363 E: cpeters@legacysports.com W: www.legacysports.com

F1

F2

F2

MKC CULLINARY SET - BLACK

(100% FULLY DONATED) MONTANA KNIFE COMPANY Josh Smith & Sloan Brown P: 352.212.9564 E: info@montanaknifecompany.com W: www.montanaknifecompany.com F3

TROPHY CLEANING FOR HOME OR OFFICE

F4

(100% FULLY DONATED) OLD WOLF TAXIDERMY CLEANING & REPAIR Fritz Richards P: 775.303.2969 E: oldwolfcleaning@att.net W: www.oldwolftaxidermycleaning.com F4

3 - DAY WATERFOWL & SAND HILL CRANE 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 F5

10 - DAY SPRING GRIZZLY BEAR & WOLF HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER MIDNIGHT SUN SAFARIS Coke Wallace P: 907.978.0929 E: info@midnightsunsafaris.com W: www.midnightsunsafaris.com

150 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

F5

F3

F6

F7

F6

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 F7

5 - DAY COUES DEER HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER IN ARIZONA LET’ER RIP OUTFITTER & GUIDE SERVICE Bill Babiash P: 520.370.5457 E: badbullz@aol.com W: www.leterripoutfitters.com F8

F8

8 - DAY CENTRAL BARREN GROUND CARIBOU HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER

CANADA NORTH OUTFITTING Tony Mudd P: 775.690.6300 E: Tmudd@canadanorthoutfitting.com W: www.canadanorthoutfitting.com F9

F9

F10

5 - DAY COLUMBIA BLACK TAIL DEER & COASTAL BLACK BEAR HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER (100% FULLY DONATED) SPOON CREEK OUTFITTERS Ken Wilson P: 541.396.2726 E: spooncreek13@gmail.com F10

F11

THE TACTICAL-T-4-16-HD CUSTOM SERIES TACTICAL HEARING Tim Sparks P: 801.822.6888 E: tim@tacticalhearing.com W: www.tacticalhearing.com F11

4 - DAY DUCK, PERIZ & DOVE HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER IN ARGENTINA

(100% FULLY DONATED) ROD & GUN RESOURCES, INC. J.W. Smith P: 800.211.4753 E: venture@rodgunresources.com W: www.rodgunresources.com

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 151

G1

7 - DAYS HUNTING FOR SABLE OR ROAN ANTELOPE FOR 1 HUNTER IN SOUTH AFRICA (3,000 credit towards a Sable

G1

Bull or Roan Antelope) (100% FULLY DONATED) IBAMBA SAFARIS Johan & Zelda Pretorius P: +27832261690 E: johan@ibambasafaris.com W: www.ibambasafaris.com G2

4 - DAY RIO GRANDE WILD TURKEY HUNT FOR 2 HUNTERS - (CROSSBOW/ BOW HUNT ONLY)

(Trophy fees for 2 turkeys are included) LAS HAYAS (100% FULLY DONATED) Luis H. Salinas V P: 844.419.2832 E: luishsalinasv@hotmail.com W: www.puertalashayas.com

G2

G3

G3

3 - DAY SINDH IBEX (up to 39”) HUNT IN PAKISTAN FOR 1 HUNTER - (Trophy Fee up to 39” is Included -$1,000 per inch over 39) CAPRINAE SAFARIS OF TURKEY Mehmet Alkan & Riza Gozluk P: +90.532.583.9108 E: info@caprinae.com W: www.caprinae.com

G4

5 - DAY WATERFOWL

(DUCK AND GROUSE COMBO)

HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER IN ONTARIO (100% FULLY DONATED) KAP RIVER OUTFITTERS Peter & Terry Martin P: 705.335.3163 E: kroceo47@gmail.com

G4

G5

WYO BACKCOUNTRY CUSTOM REPLICA OF YOUR NA WILD SHEEP

WYO BACKCOUNTRY DECOR (100% FULLY DONATED) Josh & Jenny Taylor P: 307.899.4553 or 4645 E: wyobackcountrydecor@gmail.com W: www.wyobackcountrydecor.com G6

FNAWS HORN MUGS ORIGINAL ART

ANTLERED ART Todd Strupp P: 715.642.3937 E: toddstrupp@gmail.com W: www.antleredmugworks.com 152 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

G6 Samples of Work

G5

G7

G7

10 - DAY MOUNTAIN GOAT HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER IN BC TUCHODI RIVER OUTFITTERS Nathan Digby P: 403.809.1246 E: info@tuchodiriveroutfitters.com W: www.tuchodiriveroutfitters.com G8

VORTEX RAZOR HD 13-39X56 ANGLED SPOTTING SCOPE VORTEX OPTICS Sawyer Briel P: 608.662.1067 E: sbriel@vortexoptics.com W: www.vortexoptics.com G9 G8

G10

2 - DAY RIO GRANDE TURKEY HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER AND 1 NON-HUNTER (100% FULLY DONATED) 805 OUTFITTERS Greg McGill P: 805.610.4014 E: 805OUTFITTERSCA@gmail.com G10

“CRITTER OF THE CRAGS” AN ORIGINAL BRONZE #6/36

G9

FRANK ENTSMINGER WILDLIFE BRONZE ARTIST Frank Entsminger P: 907.883.2833 E: bronzeart@aptalaska.net W: www.frankentsminger.com G11

8 - DAY SOUTH AFRICA HUNT FOR 2 HUNTERS

G12

(100% FULLY DONATED) NUMZAAN SAFARIS Jaco Swanepoel P:+27.82.498.7061 E: lenette@numzaan.com W: www.numzaan.com G12

G11

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

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 153

H1

H1

7 - DAY ARCHERY MULE DEER HUNT IN ARIZONA FOR 1 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 H2

7 - DAY FISHING TRIP ON THE AMAZON RIVER BASIN IN BRAZIL FOR 1 ANGLER (peacock, araprima, catfish & many others) (100% FULLY DONATED) ROD & GUN RESOURCES, INC. J.W. Smith P: 800.211.4753 E: venture@rodgunresources.com W: rodgunresources.com

H3

SIG SAUER P229 PRO 9MM

H2

SIG SAUER P: 603.418.8102 E: andy.york@sigsauer.com W: www.sigsauer.com

H4

5 - DAY TROPHY WHITETAIL DEER HUNT IN KANSAS FOR 2 HUNTERS BELL WILDLIFE SPECIALTIES DIRT NAP OUTDOORS, LLC Paul Davis P: 870.243.9491 E: dirtnapoutdoorsllc@gmail.com W: www.dirtmapoutdoorsllc.com Daniel Bell P: 789.589.2321 E: bellwildlife@earthlink.net H5

2 - DAY / 2 - NIGHT FISHING TRIP FOR 2 ANGLERS AND 1 NON-FISHING COMPANION ON THE BRAZOS RIVER, TX (100% FULLY DONATED) FINSTINCTS J.D. Roberts & Kade Wooton P: 817.733.3615 E: fishingwithfinstincts@gmail.com W: www.finstincts.net THE CONKLIN FOUNDATION Bradford Black P: 330.802.2711

154 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

H4

H5

H3

H6

H7

H6

“TUUDI SOARING EAGLE” AN ORIGINAL BRONZE FRANK ENTSMINGER WILDLIFE BRONZE ARTIST Frank Entsminger P: 907.883.2833 E: bronzeart@aptalaska.net W: www.frankentsminger.com H7

REVERSIBLE SHEARED BEAVER MINK (This fur is

non-exchangeable, size medium) WILLIAM FURS Caline Asmar P: 775.828.0995 E: williamsfurs@yahoo.com W: www.williamfurs.com H8

5 - DAY FALLOW & RED STAG HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER AND 1 NON-HUNTER

H8

(Red Stag up to 320 SCI points) FN HUNTING Martin Neuper P: +43.664.133.4870 E: fn-hunting@gmx.at W: www.fnhunting.com H9

7 - DAY SITKA BLACKTAIL DEER HUNT FOR 2 HUNTERS ON KODIAK ISLAND KATMAI GUIDE SERVICE Joe & Joey Klutsch P: 907.246.3030 E: joeklutsch@gmail.com W: www.katmaiguideservice.com H10 H9

H10

NATURAL BROWN BEAVER THROW PILLOWS (SET OF THREE) & LARGE SHEARED BEAVER BLANKET WILLIAM FURS Caline Asmar P: 775.828.0995 E: williamsfurs@yahoo.com W: www.williamfurs.com H11

H11

GARMIN GPSMAP 64SX

(100% FULLY DONATED) SUMMIT LIFE MEMBER LOUIS RUPP

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 155

I1

SWAROVSKI NL PURE 10X32 BINOCULARS

I1

I3

SWAROVSKI OPTIK NORTH AMERICA (100% FULLY DONATED) Dean J. Capuano - Comm. Manager P: 800.426.3089 Ext. 2957 E: dean.capuano@swarovskioptik.us W: www.swarovskioptik.com

I2

I2

1965 ORIGINAL 53x48 OIL ON CANVAS BY MICHAEL COLEMAN (100% FULLY DONATED) JAMES & JULIE ABBOTT P: 307.679.6549 E: jabbotta@yahoo.com I3

SPRUCE STOVE PACKAGE

(Includes: Nested Stove pipe, damper, coal grate, warming tray, stainless water tank, 12 inch legs, and mesh spark arrestor) (100% FULLY DONATED) COLORADO CYLINDER STOVESTM Wes Beaver P: 970.986.0047 E: wes@coloradocylinderstoves.com W: www.coloradocylinderstoves.com

I4

I4

5 - DAY BULL TAHR HUNT FOR 2 HUNTERS

SOUTHERN MOUNTAIN ADVENTURES Croc Adams P: 00.64.344.35113 E: croc.adams@hotmail.com W: southernmountainadventures.com I5

4 - DAY GOULDS TURKEY HUNT IN SONORA, MEXICO FOR 1 HUNTER AND 1 NON-HUNTER (100% FULLY DONTED) AMIGOS GUIDES & OUTFITTERS Nayo Balderrama P: 011.52.1.662.256.2166 E: amigosoutfitters@hotmail.com W: www.amigosoutfitters.com I6

VACATION PASSPORT - CHOOSE YOUR DESTINATION (2 ADULTS)

HGA RESERVATIONS Matt Ashley P: 406.351.2335 E: matt@hgafundraising.com W: https://www.hgavacations.com/ caribbean-all-inclusive 156 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

I6

I5

I7

I7 I8

1 IN 7 CHANCES TO WIN BIGGER THAN BIG! 10-DAY DESERT SHEEP HUNT IN SONORA MEXICO WITH SIERRA EL ALAMO! FRIENDS OF WSF P: 406.404.8764 E: knieters@wildsheepfoundation.org W: www.wildsheepfoundation.org I8

PRO-MASTER SC423K SCOUT TRIPOD

(100% FULLY DONATED) SUMMIT LIFE MEMBER LOUIS RUPP

I9

ZEBRA RUG FROM ZIMBABWE (100% FULLY DONATED) PRAIRIE MOUNTAIN WILDLIFE STUDIOS Chris Cammack P: 605.515.0769 E: prairiemountain@goldenwest.net SAMPLE RUG

I9

I10

I10

6 - DAY RED BROCKET DEER HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER IN CAMPECHE MEXICO (100% FULLY DONATED) MEXICO HUNTING SPECIALISTS Mario Canales P: 52.552.299.9935 E: mexicohuntings@gmail.com THE CONKLIN FOUNDATION Bradford Black P: 330.802.2711

I11

“GOING HOME HEAVY” METAL SCULPTURE SAMPLE OF WORK

I11

I12

METAL MONKEY DESIGN CO Jennifer Phillips P: 780.914.0312 E: metalmonkeydesignco@gmail.com W: www.metalmonkeydesignco.com I12

LIFE-SIZE WILD SHEEP MOUNT W/HABITAT

(100% FULLY DONATED) CEDAR MOUNTAIN TAXIDERMY Donny & Rachel Paul P: 307.250.8918 E: cedarmountaintaxidermy@gmail.com

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 157

J1

EAGLE RARE 10 YEAR OLD WHISKEY

J1

J2

(100% FULLY DONATED) JULIE & BRANDON CHAPMAN P: 812.610.0097 e: jhelmchapman@yahoo.com J2

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 J3

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

J3

J4

4 - DAY 2 IBERIAN MOUFLON SHEEP HUNT FOR 2 HUNTERS IN SPAIN

(Trophy Fee included for 2 Iberian mouflon) GIUSEPPE CARRIZOSA - SPAIN Giuseppe Carrizosa P: +34.68.693.5651 E: giuseppecarrizosa@gmail.com W: www.giuseppecarrizosa.com J5

9 - DAY ALASKAN ADVENTURE FOR 1 ANGLER IN LAKE CLARK NATIONAL PARK AT STONEWOOD LODGE CAVNER & JULIAN Preston & Stacie Cavner P: 907.717.4427 E: cavneralaska@gmail.com W: www.huntingadventure.com

158 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

J5

J4

J6

J6

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 J7

BLANTON’S GOLD LABEL (100% FULLY DONATED) JULIE & BRANDON CHAPMAN P: 812.610.0097 E: jhelmchapman@yahoo.com J7

J8

J11

J8

STAGG JR. BARREL 130 PROOF WHISKEY

(100% FULLY DONATED) JULIE & BRANDON CHAPMAN P: 812.610.0097 E: jhelmchapman@yahoo.com J9

SWAROVSKI CL POCKET 10x25 GREEN WILD NATURE BINOCULARS

SWAROVSKI OPTIK NORTH AMERICA (100% FULLY DONATED) Dean J. Capuano - Comm. Manager P: 800.426.3089 Ext. 2957 E: dean.capuano@swarovskioptik.us W: www.swarovskioptik.com

J9

J10

2 - DAY RIO GRANDE TURKEY HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER IN KANSAS J10

THE ORIGINAL KANSAS TROPHY WHITETAILS Stan Christiansen P: 314.851.7911 E: stanc942@gmail.com W: www.kansas-trophy-whitetails.com J11

RMP LITE TI RIFLE (100% FULLY DONATED) RMP RIFLES Dustin Crandall P: 970.317.0157 E: dustin@rmprifles.com W: www.rmprifles.com

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 159

K1

“TEXAS BIGHORN SOCIETY LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP

K1

K3

(100% FULLY DONATED) TEXAS BIGHORN SOCIETY P: 806.754.7783 E: info@teaxasbighornsociety.org W: www.texasbighornsociety.org K2

RAMSHORN SOCIETY LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP TO WYOMING WSF (100% FULLY DONATED) WYOMING WSF P: 307.213.0998 E: info@qhomingwildsheep.org W: www.wyomingwildsheep.org

K2

K3

3 - DAY IBERIAN MOUFLON SHEEP HUNT FOR 2 HUNTERS AND 2 NONHUNTER IN SPAIN

K4

(Trophy fee for 2 Iberian mouflon sheep is included) THE IBERIAN HUNTING EXPERIENCE Fernando Diaz P: 972.994.6924 E: contact@theiberianhuntingexperience.com W: www.theiberianhuntingexperience.com K4

6 - DAY BLACK BEAR HUNT IN BRITISH COLUMBIA FOR 1 HUNTER ARCADIA OUTFITTING, LTD. Ben Stourac P: 403.763.8553 E: info@arcadiaoutfitting.com W: www.arcadiaoutfitting.com K5

“BILLY THE KID” 12X18 FRAMED PHOTO

(100% FULLY DONATED) MOUNTAIN GIRL PHOTOGRAPHY Tessa Fowler P: 307.250.9424 E: wyomingmountaingirl@hotmail.com W: www.mountaingirlphotography@ shootproof.com K6

“BEARTOOTH BILLY” 24X30 METAL PHOTO

(100% FULLY DONATED) MOUNTAIN GIRL PHOTOGRAPHY Tessa Fowler P: 307.250.9424 E: wyomingmountaingirl@hotmail.com W: www.mountaingirlphotography@ shootproof.com 160 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

K5

K6

K7

K8

K7

“OLE CHIP HORN (B/W)” 16X20 METAL PHOTO

(100% FULLY DONATED) MOUNTAIN GIRL PHOTOGRAPHY Tessa Fowler P: 307.250.9424 E: wyomingmountaingirl@hotmail.com W: www.mountaingirlphotography@ shootproof.com K9

K8

“BIGHORN LAMB” 12X18 FRAMED PHOTO

(100% FULLY DONATED) MOUNTAIN GIRL PHOTOGRAPHY Tessa Fowler P: 307.250.9424 E: wyomingmountaingirl@hotmail.com W: www.mountaingirlphotography@ shootproof.com K10

K9

“HALF RAM” 24X30 METAL PHOTO

(100% FULLY DONATED) MOUNTAIN GIRL PHOTOGRAPHY Tessa Fowler P: 307.250.9424 E: wyomingmountaingirl@hotmail.com W: www.mountaingirlphotography@ shootproof.com K10

“SKYLINE NANNY” 20X24 METAL PHOTO

(100% FULLY DONATED) MOUNTAIN GIRL PHOTOGRAPHY Tessa Fowler P: 307.250.9424 E: wyomingmountaingirl@hotmail.com W: www.mountaingirlphotography@ shootproof.com K11

K11

4 - DAY YUCATAN ENSI WHITETAIL DEER HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER AND 1 NON-HUNTER

(100% FULLY DONATED) RANCHO SANTA ELENA P: 55.999.947.7550 E: calipan2103@hotmail.com THE CONKLIN FOUNDATION BRADFORD BLACK P: 330.802.2711 E: doc3girls@aol.com

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 161

L1

PRE 64 WINCHESTER MODEL 7O FEATHER WEIGHT IN 270 WITHN 3x9x36 SWAROVSKI RIFLE SCOPE

L1

LIFE MEMBER: CLEVE HOLLOWAY L2

AZYRE - WILDLY HIGHPERFORMANCE GEAR FOUNDED BY AVID HUNTER AND OUTDOORSWOMAN

L2

(100% FULLY DONATED) AZYRE Cari Goss E: contact@azyregear.com W: www.azyregear.com L3

4 - DAY/3 - NIGHT EL CARMEN ISLAND FISHING VACATION FOR 4 ANGLERS

MEXICO HUNTS/SERGIO JIMENEZ Sergio Jimenez P: 011.52.81.8863.1563 E: sjimenez@vitro.com W: www.mexicohunts.com

L3

L4

L4

GOABC LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP

(100% FULLY DONATED) THE GUIDE OUTFITTERS ASSOCIATION OF BC Jennifer Johnson P: 604.541.6332 E: programs@goabc.org W: www.goabc.org

L5

L5

FNAWS OF WILD SHEEP #320 - DELUXE FRAME W/4 FNAWS STAMPS (100% FULLY DONATED) CHARLES D’LOU WILDLIFE GALLERY Diane Hazen P: 307.331.1530 E: charlesdlou@bresnan.net L6

4 - NIGHT ALL-INCLUSIVE CARIBBEAN TRIP FOR 2 ADULTS HGA RESERVATIONS Matt Ashley P: 406.351.2335 E: matt@hgafundraising.com W: https://www.hgavacations.com/ caribbean-all-inclusive

162 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

L6

L7

L7

5 - DAY NEW ZEALAND HUNT FOR 2 HUNTERS FOR 2X RED STAG, TAHR & CHAMOIS (TROPHY FEES FOR 2 RED STAG UP TO 400” & a $1000.00 credit towards a TAHR or CHAMOIS INCLUDED) FOUR SEASONS SAFARIS NEW ZEALAND Shane Johnston C: 011.64.274.399129 USA Cell- Jan/Feb: 214.535.9265 E: info@fourseasons.co.nz W: www.fourseasons.co.nz L8

6 - NIGHT/5-DAY HALIBUT & SALMON FISHING TRIP FOR 2 ANGLERS IN KENAI, ALASKA

L8 L9

L10

SALMON CATCHER LODGE Justin & Gloria Hilgendorff P: 518.965.5264 E: salmoncatcherlodge2001@gmail.com W: www.salmoncatcherlodge.com L9

BONFIRE - SOLO STOVE (100% FULLY DONATED) SUMMIT LIFE MEMBER LOUIS RUPP L10

GUNWERKS CLYMR RIFLE SYSTEM IN 7 PRC AND TRAINING SCHOOL L11

(100% FULLY DONATED) GUNWERKS Mitch Libby P: 307.290.7289 E: m.libby@gunwerks.com W: www.gunwerks.com L11

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

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 163

M1

4 - DAY HUNT FOR 2 HUNTERS IN SPAIN INCLUDING 2 MOUFLON SHEEP, OR 2 RED STAG OR 2 ROE DEER (Hunter’s choice)

M1

(Trophy fees included for 2 Mouflon Sheep or 2 Red Stag or 2 Roe deer) ESPACAZA JOSE MALLO- SPAIN Jose Mallo P: 34.91.575.76.29 E: jose@espacaza.com W: www.espacaza.com M2

VORTEX RAZOR HD LHT 4.5-22X50 FFP RIFLE SCOPE & GLASS PACK PRO VORTEX OPTICS Sawyer Briel P: 608.662.1067 E: sbriel@vortexoptics.com W: www.vortexoptics.com

M2

M3

M3

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 M4

5 - DAY BULL ELK HUNT IN NEW MEXICO FOR 1 HUNTER AND 1 NONHUNTER (Proceeds of This Hunt

M4

Will Go To Benefit the Ranchitos De Los Ninos Childrens Home in New Mexico) FOUR DAUGHTERS RANCH Mike Mechenbier P: 505.301.4404 E: 4dcattle@sundancemech.com W: www.elranchitonm.org

M5

4 - DAY MULE DEER HUNT FOR 2 HUNTERS

SHOSHONE LODGE OUTIFTTERS & TRAILS WEST OUTFITTERS Josh Martoglio P: 307.899.4673 E: shoshonelodgeoutfitters@gmail.com W: www.shoshonelodgeoutfitters.com M6

ITHACA CLASSIC DOUBLES EXHIBITION GRADE 2BBL SET 28 GAUGE SIDE BY SIDE SHOTGUN

(100% FULLY DONATED) TERRY RATHERT P: 713.504.1789 E: flyfish2@sbcglobal.net 164 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

M6

M5

M7

M7

JUNIPER CHANDELIER

WYO BACKCOUNTRY DECOR Josh & Jenny Taylor P: 307.899.4553 or 4645 E: wyobackcountrydecor@gmail.com W: www.wyobackcountrydecor.com M8

ORIGINAL WILDLIFE ART BRONZE & PAINTING COMBO “MOUNTAIN LION” (100% FULLY DONATED) CRAIG PHILLIPS ORIGINALS Craig Phillips P: 406.827.3702 W: www.phillipsbronze.com M9

M8 M10

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 M10

EXQUISITE 40CT TRIANGLE SHAPED TANZANITE - 18K ROSE GOLD & DIAMOND HANDMADE PENDANT

M9

(Accompanied by a GIA Certificate & 3rd party appraisel) BRILLIANT STARS P: 516.365.9000 E: nicole@brilliantstars.com W: www.brilliantstars.com THE CONKLIN FOUNDATION Bradford Black P: 330.802.2711 M11

M11

5 - DAY NEW ZEALAND RED STAG HUNT FOR 2 HUNTERS & 2 NON-HUNTERS (Trophy fee for 1 Red Stag Scoring up to 430” SCI included) SPEY CREEK TROPHY HUNTING Wyatt McBride P: 830.444.2128 E: hunt@sctrophyhunting.com W: www.sctrophyhunting.com

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 165

N1

5 - DAY GULF COAST MEXICAN WHITETAIL DEER AND WHITE LIPPED PECCARY HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER

N1

(100% FULLY DONATED) BELLREGUART DE SOCHIAPA Rafael Ros P: 52.934.119.0482 E: rrost@prodigy.net.mx THE CONKLIN FOUNDATION Bradford Black P: 330.802.2711

N2

5 - DAY PYRENEAN CHAMOIS HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER AND 1 NON-HUNTER (Trophy included for 1 Pyrenean chamois up to 84 CIC score) TROPHY HUNTING SPAIN Bruno Rosich P: +34.655.901.611 E: info@trophyhuntingspain.com W: www.trophyhuntingspain.com

N2

N3

“THE GATHERING ON LOOKOUT RIDGE” ORIGINAL OIL PAINTING 24”X36

(100% FULLY DONATED) BEAR CREEK FRAMES Mark Reynolds P: 530.616.0230 E: mvreynoldsfineart@gmail.com W: www.mvreynolds.com

N3

N4

KENETREK BRIDGER LOW HIKER (100% FULLY DONATED) KENETREK Jim & Christine Winjum P: 406.556.5780 E: jim.w@kenetrek.com W: www.kenetrek.com N5

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 166 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

N5

N4

N6

N7

N6

4 - DAY FREE RANGE CUSTOMIZED HUNT IBERIAN RED DEER OR ROE DEER FOR 1 HUNTER & 1 NON-HUNTER (Trophy fee for Iberian mouflon sheep or Aoudad is included)

EUROHUNTS SPAIN & ALVARO VILLEGAS Alvaro Villegas P: +34.670.90.86.55 E: info@eurohunts.es W: www.eurohunts.es N7

3 - DAY/4 - NIGHT FALLOW BUCK HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER AND 1 NON-HUNTER N8

(Includes trophy fee for 180-200 CIC) (100% FULLY DONATED) WILD INSTINCT HUNGARY Georg Versch P: 49(0) 171.936.9605 E: wild@instinct-hungary.com W: www.wild-instinct-hungary.com N8

12 - DAY MOUNTAIN GOAT OR CARIBOU HUNT IN BRITISH COLUMBIA FOR 1 HUNTER

N9

N10

(100% FULLY DONATED FOR WSF THINHORN INITIATIVE) GOLDEN BEAR OUTFITTING Blake Williams P: 250.794.8350 E: gbowilliams@gmail.com W: www.goldenbearoutfitting.com N9

STONE GLACIER GEAR PACKAGE (Chilkoot 0 sleeping bag, Zenith Fleece Hoody, Sky Archer 6400 Pack) (100% FULLY DONATED) STONE GLACIER P: 406.404.0641 E: info@stoneglacier.com W: www.stoneglacier.com

N10

STONE GLACIER GEAR PACKAGE (Chilkoot 0 Sleeping Bag,

Zenith Fleece Hoody, Terminus 7000 Pack) (100% FULLY DONATED) STONE GLACIER P: 406.404.0641 E: info@stoneglacier.com W: www.stoneglacier.com

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 167

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5 - DAY ELK OR MULE DEER HUNT FOR 2 HUNTERS IN COLORADO (mule deer based on

O1

O2

points or purchase land voucher not included)

HIGH MOUNTAIN HUNTS, LLC Nicholas Maragas P: 33.413.8534 E: nick@highmountainhuntsllc.com W: www.highmountainhuntsllc.com THE CONKLIN FOUNDATION Brad Black P: 330.802.2711 O2

ORIGINAL SHEEP PAINTING BY ONA GOLTER 35”x 46” FRAMED ONA GOLTER FINE ART Ona Golter P: 307.259.4683 E: wyofineart@gmail.com W: ona-golter.pixels.com O3

STEYR CL11 CARBON FIREARM 300 WIN MAG

O3

O4

(100% FULLY DONATED) STEYR ARMS USA P: 205.807.8208 E: j.barton@steyr-arms.com W: www.steyr-arms.us.com O4

(2 available for auction)

3 - DAY IBERIAN MOUFLON HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER (Trophy fee for 1 Iberian mouflon included) FERNANDO SAIZ - SPAIN Fernando Saiz P: 34.629017589 E: info@fernandosaizspain.com W: www.fernandosaizspain.com THE CONKLIN FOUNDATION Bradford Black P: 330.802.2711 O5

KENETREK MOUNTAIN EXTREME 400 WOMEN’S BOOTS (100% FULLY DONATED) KENETREK Jim & Christine Winjum P: 406.556.5780 E: jim.w@kenetrek.com W: www.kenetrek.com O6

E.H. TAYLOR SMALL BATCH

(100% FULLY DONATED) JULIE & BRANDON CHAPMAN P: 812.610.0097 E: jhelmchapman@yahoo.co 168 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

O5

O6

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O7

5 - DAY COLUMBIA BLACKTAIL DEER AND BLACK BEAR COMBO HUNT IN OREGON FOR 1 HUNTER (100% FULLY DONATED) EDEN RIDGE OUTFITTERS John McCollum P: 541.572.2305 or 541.290.2671 E: edenridgehunts@aol.com W: www.edenridgeoutfitters.com O8

O8 10

11

LEGACY SPORTS & WSF YOUTH HUNTIN’ BUDDY PACKAGE PUMA PUMP ACTION IN 12GA (28”), 20GA (28”) AND 20GA (26”)

(100% FULLY DONATED FOR WSF S.H.E.E.P. YOUTH PROGRAM) LEGACY SPORTS INTERNATIONAL Chad J. Peters P: 775.221.7363 E: cpeters@legacysports.com W: www.legacysports.com O9

“MOUNTAIN MAN” – CERTIFIED FREDRICK REMINGTON REPRODUCTION

FRATERNITY OF THE DESERT BIGHORN Ron Luri & Paul Dixon Contact: Brett Jefferson P: 702.461.2996 W: fraternityofthedesertbighorn.com O10

STEYR MONOBLOC GRADE 6 (EXHIBITION GRADE) FIREARM

O9

(100% FULLY DONATED) STEYR ARMS USA P: 205.807.8208 E: j.barton@steyr-arms.com W: www.steyr-arms.us.com O11

BEST OF THE WEST SIGNATURE SHOOTING SYSTEM – 6.5PRC W/ HUSKEMAW 5-20 TACTICAL HUNTER SCOPE (100% FULLY DONATED) BEST OF THE WEST P: 866-754-7618 E: info@bestofthewestarms.com W: BestoftheWestArms.com

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 169

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P1

P2

P3

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NATURAL ETHIOPIAN OPAL AND DIAMOND PENDANT P2

NATURAL RED TOURMALINE AND DIAMOND PENDANT P3

NATURAL YELLOW AND BLUE SAPPHIRE RING SET WITH DIAMONDS P4

NATURAL TANZANITE AND DIAMOND EARRINGS P5

NATURAL CELYON BLUE SAPPHIRE AND DIAMOND BRACELET P6

16 CARAT NATURAL DIAMOND TENNIS NECKLACE P7

NATURAL FANCY YELLOW DIAMOND NECKLACE P8

NATURAL RARE FANCY COLOR DIAMOND BRACELET P9

TANZANITE & DIAMOND PENDANT P10

NATURAL EMERALD AND DIAMOND RING P5 P11

NATURAL BLUE ZIRCON AND DIAMOND RING

Tony Hernandez P: 435.658.3877 E: baranofjewelers@msn.com W: www.Baranofjewelers.com 170 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

P6

P9

P7

P10

P11 P8

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 171

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VOLQUARTSEN BLACK MAMBA 6” PISTOL

Q1

Q3

Q2

Q2

VORTEX SPARC SOLAR RED DOT SIGHT Q3

VORTEX DIAMONDBACK HD 10X42 BINOCULARS Q4

Q4

SSP EYEWEAR MUSAF KIT Q5

SKB RS300 TARGET 12 GAUGE 30" SHOTGUN Q6

TIPPMAN ARMS M4-22 REDLINE Q7

UMAREX LEGENDS COWBOY LEVER ACTION AIR RIFLE - BB GUN Q8

BETTINSOLI OMEGA STEEL 20 GAUGE SHOTGUN These special auction items will sell to support the Shooting, Hunting & Ethics Education Program (S.H.E.E.P.) This Wild Sheep Foundation youth program has the goal of exciting and inspiring the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts and wildlife conservationists.

Specifically, funding from this item will be used to take another youth out on their first hunting experience.

172 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

Q5

Q6

Q7

Q8

Q9

Q10

Q9

LASER CUT STEEL WALL HANGING

(100% FULLY DONATED) SCOTT KELLY P: 602.725.3025 E: azsheepguy@gmail.com Q10

DECORATIVE STEEL TWOMAN SAW WALL HANGING (100% FULLY DONATED) SCOTT KELLY P: 602.725.3025 E: azsheepguy@gmail.com

Q11

Q12 Q11

STEEL OUTDOOR FIREPIT (100% FULLY DONATED) SCOTT KELLY P: 602.725.3025 E: azsheepguy@gmail.com Q12

ELK ANNTLER SOFA TABLE

Q13

Q14

Q15

(100% FULLY DONATED) CHARLIE KELLY P: 602.725.3025 E: azsheepguy@gmail.com Women Hunt® Logo Q13

RUGER NO 1B SPORTER 270 WINCHESTER LIPSEY'S LLC Chad Bell P: 225.906.5070 E: bell@lipseys.com W: www.lipseys.com Q14

RUGER NO 1B SPORTER 300 WINCHESTER MAGNUM LIPSEY'S LLC Chad Bell P: 225.906.5070 E: bell@lipseys.com W: www.lipseys.com Q15

RUGER NO 1B SPORTER 7MM REMINGTON MAGNUM LIPSEY’S LLC Chad Bell P: 225.906.5070 E: bell@lipseys.com W: www.lipseys.com

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 173

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*Proceeds from these donations will go to the WSF Women Hunt® Program.

The Women Hunt® Program engages and helps more women cross barriers on their journey into fields and the mountains and helps to develop them into tomorrow's conservationists.

R1

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

R2

R2

WEATHERBY LEFT-HANDED BACKCOUNTRY 2.0 IN 6.5 CREEDMOOR WITH LEICA AMPLUS 6 3-18X44i SCOPE R3

8 - DAY BULL ELK HUNT IN WYOMING FOR 1 HUNTER

(100% FULLY DONATED) HIDDEN CREEK OUTFITTERS, LLC Cayla Norris P: 307.899.5159 E: cayla@hiddencreekoutfitters.com W: www.hiddencreekoutfitters.com

174 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

R3

R4

R4

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 R5

R5

R6

7 - DAY SITKA BLACKTAIL DEER AND SEA DUCK HUNT FOR 4 HUNTERS ON KODIAK ISLAND DEREK BLAKE ENCHANTRESS EXPEDITIONS Derek Blake P: 907.830.8528 E: akderek@gmail.com R6

7 - DAY SOUTH AFRICAN SAFARI FOR 4 HUNTERS FOR 1 RHINO DART, KUDU, ROAN AND 1 ELAND HUNT FOR 4 HUNTERS

R7

(Total of 4 trophies is included and to be shared by 4 hunters) GAME TRACKERS AFRICA ROCKWOOD CONSERVATION Jaco, Piet, and Magdel Oosthuizen P: +27.832.962.523 E: piet@gametrackersafrica.com W: www.gametrackersafrica.com R7

R8

WEATHERBY RIGHTHANDED VANGAUARD CAMILLA WILDERNESS IN 6.5 CREEDMOOR WITH LEICA AMPLUS 6 3-18X44I SCOPE IN BOYT HARD CASE R8

7 - DAY LADIES SOUTH AFRICA HUNT, FOR 4 HUNTERS ($500 credit per

hunter toward trophy fees) (100% FULLY DONATED) NUMZAAN SAFARIS Jaco Swanepoel P:+27.82.498.7061 E: lenette@numzaan.com W: www.numzaan.com

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 175

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MENS BOMBER JACKET W/ SHEEP WOOL COLLAR AND CUFFS (XLRG) MADE IN KABUL, AFGHANISTAN

S1

S2

JIM TRAVIS P: 520.241.0641 E: jtravis17@hotmail.com S2

8 - DAY/7 - NIGHTS FISHING ADVENTURE IN BELIZE FOR 2 ANGLERS

SAFARI UNLIMITED LLC Drake Dawson P: 573.544.2041 E: safariunlimitedllc@gmail.com W: www.safariunlimitedworldwide.com S3

8 - DAY TROPHY CAPE BUFFALO BULL HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER UP TO 46 INCHES

S3

WINTERSHOEK SAFARIS Strauss Jordaan P: 27.53.204.0042 E: info@wintershoeksafaris.com W: www.wintershoeksafaris.com

S4

S4

KENETREK MOUNTAIN EXTREME 400 MEN’S BOOT (100% FULLY DONATED) KENETREK Jim & Christine Winjum P: 406.556.5780 E: jim.w@kenetrek.com W: www.kenetrek.com S5

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 S6

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 176 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

S5

S6

S7

S8

S7

BC GRAY WOLF PELT

(100% FULLY DONATED) BC TRAPPERS ASSOCIATION Glen Cartwright P: 604.351.1338 E: glenshaw@shaw.ca

S8

sample of work

S9

HURON 2.5 - 10X40 SFP HUNTERS HOLD SCOPE

(100% FULLY DONATED) TRIJICON Cassandra Varner P: 248.960.7700 ext.1174 E: cvarner@trijicon.com W: www.trijicon.com S9

ORIGINAL OIL PAINTING Joshua Spies E: spies@joshuaspies.com S10

4 - DAY GATOR AND HOG HUNT IN FLORIDA FOR 1 HUNTER AND 1 NONHUNTER WITH WWO S10

WOUNDED WARRIOR OUTDOORS Matt Amos P: 316-841-1872 E: matt@woundedwarrioroutdoors.com W: woundedwarrioroutdoors.com S11

3 - DAY BECEITE IBEX HUNT FOR 1 OR 2 HUNTERS

S11

S12

(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 S12

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

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 177

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ONE OF A KIND LOST WAX ORIGINAL BRONZE OF THE BUYER’S CHOICE

T1

T2

(100% FULLY DONATED) JUSTIN YOUNG FINE ARTS Justin Young P: 719.336.2556 E: jyoungfineart@hotmail.com W: www.justiniyoung.com T2

5 - DAY CAPE BUFFALO PLAINS GAME HUNT AT MUTANDA GAME RESERVE FOR 1 HUNTER & 1 NONHUNTER (Trophy fee for 1 buffalo & daily ratesfor hunter & non-hunter included) VIDALE SAFARIS Federico Vidale P: +260.97.776.8592 E: ficovidale@gmail.com W: www.ficovidale THE CONKLIN FOUNDATION Bradford Black P: 330.802.2711

T3

T4

T3

ALASKA DOWN SLEEPING BAG 0 F

CANIS VENTURES, INC. John Michael Rusch P: 479.287.4990 E: johnmichael@canisathlete.com W: www.canisathlete.com THE CONKLIN FOUNDATION Brad Black

T5

T6

T7

T8

T9

T10

T4-10

METAL ART SIGNS

THE WET NOSE Scott Newton P: 775.843.5460 E: newtonscotttt@gmail.com T11

CUSTOM BUILT 264 WINCHESTER MAG BY MASTER BUILDER JOHN VEST

DICK GUNLOGSON - WSF LIFE MEMBER & PAST BOD P: 907.495.6434

178 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

T11

T12

T13

T12

ORIGINAL CHARCOAL DRAWING Joshua Spies E: spies@joshuaspies.com T13

3,400 CREDIT FOR TWO PEOPLE FOR A RAFTING TRIP IN IDAHO (Credit can be $

T14

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

T14

8 - DAY WEEMSI DESERT BIGHORN SHEEP HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER

GO WITH BO BOOKING & GUIDE SERVICE Bo Morgan P: 928.202.7890 E: gowithbo@msn.com W: gowithboonline.com THE CONKLIN FOUNDATION Brad Black T15 T15

T16

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 T16

18K WHITE GOLD PINK TOURMALINE WITH SOUTH SEA PEARL & .22K DIAMOND NECKLACE M.J.MILLER & COMPANY Michael J. Miller P: 847.381.7900 THE CONKLIN FOUNDATION Bradford Black P: 330.802.2711

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 179

2024 SHEEP SHOW PERMITS

* A 5% buyer’s premium will be added to the final bid price of this special permit/tag (unless prohibited by statute.)

Proceeds will be dedicated to WSF Conservation Initiatives. If the winner of this item refuses to pay the premiums required, the item shall be offered to the next highest bidder for the price he/she bid. * STATE OF WASHINGTON

CALIFORNIA BIGHORN

STATE OF WASHINGTON DPT 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

* NEW FOR 2024 SHEEP

SHOW® OREGON - CA BIGHORN SHEEP PERMIT

THE CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF WARM SPRINGS RESERVATION Austin Smith Jr. P: 541.553.2046 E: austin.smithjr2@ctwsbnr.org W: https://warmsprings-nsn.gov/program/ wildlife-department/

* NAVAJO NATION DESERT

BIGHORN - 2 AVAILABLE FOR 2024 SHEEP SHOW®

NAVAJO NATION DEPARTMENT OF FISH & WILDLIFE Jeff Cole P: 928.871.6595 E: jcole@nndfw.org

* BRITISH COLUMBIA

MOUNTAIN SHEEP SPECIAL HUNTING PERMIT

FISH & WILDLIFE BRANCH, MINISTRY OF FORESTS AND THE HABITAT CONSERVATION TRUST FOUNDATION Michael Burwash P: 250.312.7305 Alicia Bates P: 250.739.8683

180 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

WYOMING ROCKY MOUNTAIN BIGHORN SHEEP LICENSE WYOMING GAME & FISH DEPARTMENT Daryl Lutz - WGFD P: 307.332.2688 E: daryl.lutz@wyo.gov Kurt Eisenach - WY-WSF P: 307.751.6251 E: keyes555@msn.com

ALTAI ARGALI CONSERVATOIN PERMIT IN MONGOLIA MONGOLIAN WILDLIFE ALLIANCE MONGOLIAN OUTFITTERS CONSORTIUM ARGALI WILDLIFE RESEARCH CENTER

Kh.Zorigt - mmshunter@gmail.com T.Battulga - battulga@lookmongolia.com R.Adiya - mountain_hunting@yahoo.com S.Amgalanbaatar - amgalanbaatarsukh@gmail.com

* 2024 OREGON SPECIAL

PRONGHORN ANTELOPE AUCTION TAG

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FISH & WILDLIFE Don Whittaker 503.947.6325 don.whittaker@state.or.us

* NEBRASKA GAME

AND PARKS 2022 ELK

NEBRASKA GAME & PARKS COMMISSION Todd Nordeen P: 308.763.2940

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 181

WYOMING GOVERNOR’S SHIRAS MOOSE LICENSE

(2 available) 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 DESERT

BIGHORN SHEEP

NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF GAME & FISH - WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT DIVISION Caitlin Ruhl • P: 505.476.8063 C: 505.414.5029 Nicole Tatman • P:505.476.8035 C:505.469.3966

* NEW MEXICO BIG GAME

ENHANCEMENT PACKAGE

NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF GAME & FISH - WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT DIVISION Nicole Tatman • P:505.476.8035 C:505.469.3966 Caitlin Ruhl • P: 505.476.8063 C: 505.414.5029

ALASKA CHUGACH DALL’S SHEEP PERMIT - BACK FOR 2024 SHEEP SHOW®!!

ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF FISH & GAME Tom Lohuis P: 907.267.2412 E: thomas.lohuis@alaska.gov

182 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

ARIZONA DESERT BIGHORN SHEEP

ARIZONA GAME & FISH DEPARTMENT Callie Cavalcant - Terrestrial Wildlife Branch P: 623.236.7355 E: chartson@azgfd.gov

* TAOS PUEBLO ROCKY

MOUNTAIN BIGHORN SHEEP PERMIT

TAOS PUEBLO DIVISION OF NATURAL RESOURCES Michael A. Martinez - Hunt Manager P: 575.779.4105 E: hunting@taospueblo.com

STATE OF NEVADA NELSON DESERT BIGHORN SHEEP TAG

STATE OF NEVADA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE P: 775.688.1556 - Mike Cox

COLORADO ROCKY MOUNTAIN BIGHORN SHEEP LICENSE

ROCKY MOUNTAIN BIGHORN SOCIETY Terry Meyers, Executive Director - RMBS E: meyers.terry@gmail.com P: 970.640.6892

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 183

* NEW MEXICO ROCKY

MOUNTAIN BIGHORN SHEEP PERMIT

NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF GAME & FISH WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT DIVISION Caitlin Ruhl • P: 505.476.8063 C: 505.414.5029 Nicole Tatman • P:505.476.8035 C:505.469.3966

* 2024 OREGON

BIGHORN SHEEP TAG

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FISH & WILDLIFE Don Whittaker P: 503.947.6325 E: don.whittaker@state.or.us

* 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

ARIZONA GAME & FISH COMMISSIONER’S SPECIAL PRONGHORN TAG ARIZONA GAME & FISH DPT. Callie (Hartson) Cavalcant P: 623. 236.7355 • W: www.azgfd.gov ARIZONA ANTELOPE FOUNDATION E: info@azantelope.org W: www.azantelope.org

184 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

COLORADO ROCKY MOUNTAIN GOAT LICENSE ROCKY MOUNTAIN GOAT ALLIANCE Carla Rhyant E: info@goatalliance.org

STATE OF MONTANA BIGHORN SHEEP LICENSE

MONTANA FISH WILDLIFE & PARKS Emily Cooper P: 406.444.2663 E: Emily.Cooper@mt.gov

* IDAHO BIGHORN SHEEP IDAHO DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME Jon Rachel - Wildlife Bureau Chief P: 208.334.2920

* TEXAS - DESERT BIGHORN

SHEEP PERMIT

TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE P: 512.389.4800 Froylan Hernandez - DBS Program Leader P: 432.837.0666 ext. 227 E: Froylan.Hernandez@tpwd.texas.gov Mark Garrett - Trans-Pecos WMA Project Leader P: 432.837.3251 ext. 229 E: Mark.Garrett@tpwd.texas.gov

STATE OF NEVADA PRONGHORN TAG

STATE OF NEVADA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE Cody Schroeder P: 775.688.1659

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 185

CURRENT AS OF PRESS TIME

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL:1.307.527.6261 NEED NOT BE PRESENT TO WIN DRAWING DATE JAN 20, 2024 • RENO, NV

1 for

40 • 3 for $100 • 12 for $300 • 25 for $500 65 for • $1,000

$

13 - DAY STONE’S SHEEP HUNT IN BC FOR 1 HUNTER

10 - DAY BIGHORN SHEEP HUNT 2024 SHEEP SHOW RAFFLE

TERMINUS MOUNTAIN OUTFITTERS Craig & Alana Kiselbach • P: 250.442.8195 E: terminusmtn@gmail.com • W: www.terminusmountain.com

CARTER OUTFITTING LTD. • Scott Carter • P: 780.977.8188 E: carteroutfitting@gmail.com • W: www.carteroutfitting.com

10 - DAY CHIHUAHUA DESERT BIGHORN SHEEP HUNT RANCHO LA GUARIDA Jose Antonio Vallina Laguera • P: 011.52.1614.427.0840 E: jav@laguaridaranch.com • W: www.laguaridaranch.com

186 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

12 - DAY BACKPACK DALL’S SHEEP HUNT IN THE NWT GANA RIVER OUTFITTERS LTD. • Harold Grinde • P: 403.357.8414 E: ganariver@pentnet.net • W: www.ganariver.com

10 - DAY BROWN BEAR HUNT ON THE AK PENNINUSULA ALASKA HUNTING EXPEDITIONS, LLC

Jim Kedrowski • P: 907.373.4773 E: jimkedrow@mtaonline.net

7 - DAY LATE SEASON MOUNTAIN GOAT HUNT IN ALASKA ULTIMA THULE OUTFITTERS Paul & Donna Claus E: uto@starband.net W: www.ultimathulelodge.com

5 - DAY BLACK BEAR HUNT IN ONTARIO FOR 1 HUNTER KAP RIVER OUTFITTERS Peter & Terry Martin • P: 705.335.3163 E: kroceo47@gmail.com

6 - DAY NEVADA MOUNTAIN LION HUNT CANYONS WEST GUIDE SERVICE Dave Gowan • P: 775.934.2557 E: dave@canyonswest.com W: www.canyonswest.com

ULTIMATE FLORIDA EXPERIENCE FOR TWO PEOPLE

(2 alligators, peacock bass, snook, redfish, tarpon, sea trout cobia & much more!)

BIENVENUE OUTDOORS Camille Bienvenue • P: 941.806.8062 E: bienvenueoutdoors@outlook.com • W: www.bienvenueoutdoors.com Only persons physically located in the state of NV may purchase raffle tickets.

5 - DAY ALASKAN CARIBOU HUNT ALASKA HUNTING EXPEDITIONS, LLC

Jim Kedrowski • P: 907.373.4773 E: jimkedrow@mtaonline.net

8 - DAY FALL MUSKOX ADVENTURE FOR 1 HUNTER CANADA NORTH OUTFITTING Shane Black • P: 250.961.7100 E: sblack@canadanorthoutfitting.com W: www.canadanorthoutfitting.com

5 - DAY TROPHY WHITETAIL DEER HUNT IN KANSAS 1 HUNTER ARCHERY ONLY BELL WILDLIFE SPECIALTIES & DIRT NAP OUTDOORS, LLC Daniel Bell • P: 789.589.2321 E: bellwildlife@earthlink.net WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 187

CURRENT AS OF PRESS TIME

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL:1.307.527.6261 NEED NOT BE PRESENT TO WIN DRAWING DATE JAN 20, 2024 • RENO, NV

1 for

40 • 3 for $100 • 12 for $300 • 25 for $500 65 for • $1,000

$

WOMEN HUNT® • Weatherby Rifle Vanguard® Camilla™ Wilderness 6.5 Creedmoor • Leica Scope Amplus 6 3-18x44i Ballistic Reticle • Boyt Harness Single Gun Hard Case

WOMEN HUNT® • Sig Sauer P365 Rose XL Comp 9mm Pistol • Gun Tote'n Mama Concealed Carry Ostrich Pattern Town Tote

WOMEN HUNT® • Beretta A400 Xcel Sporting 12 Gauge Shotgun • Beretta Uniform Pro Soft Gun Case • Beretta Uniform Pro W 20.20 Micro Vest

BOSWELL’S CUSTOM RIFLE w/SCOPE

WALL OF GUNS • MKV HUNTER BRNZ 6.5 WBY RPM

(CALIBER OF CHOICE!)

• MKV HUNTER BRNZ 7MM REM 26”

(Some calibers/scope limitations apply) BOSWELL'S CUSTOM RIFLES Steve Boswell P: 301.739.3632

• MKV WEATHERMARK 6.5 WBY RPM • MKV WEATHERMARK 6.5-300 WBY • VGD CAMILLA WILDERNESS 243 WIN

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

• 223 REM,VGD, BADLANDS • 270 WIN,VGD, BADLANDS • ORION 12GA 28 IN • ORION I OVER/UNDER 20GA 28IN • ELEMENT SYNTHETIC 12GA 28IN

LOUIS VUITTON GRACEFUL MM & ZIPPY WALLET Larry & Gay Johns Only persons physically located in the state of NV may purchase raffle tickets.

188 WILD S HEEP ~ WINTER 2023/24 ®

in collaboration with

CULINARY CORNER THURSDAY • FRIDAY • SATURDAY

HALL 3 • RENO-SPARKS CONVENTION CENTER SCHEDULE ANNOUNCEMENTS COMING SOON!

Direct from south Texas, Chef Joshua Schwencke joins the ranks of Wild Sheep Foundation to offer a wide array of culinary instruction at the 2024 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.

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 189

JERRY HERROD

WIN YOUR FIRST SHEEP HUNT

3

1st Drawn - Need not be present to win 2nd Drawn - MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN 3rd Drawn - MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN

SHEEP HUNTS TO WIN! FOR WSF MEMBERS WHO HAVE NOT TAKEN A WILD SHEEP RAM* DRAWINGS: FRIDAY JANUARY 19, 2024 SIGNUP DEADLINE: NOON, JAN. 19 <1 BEER RECEPTION • MT. ROSE BALLROOM RENO-SPARKS CONVENTION CENTER SHEEP SHOW® - BE THERE!

SIGN UP HERE

RULES AND REGULATIONS www.wildsheepfoundation.org/memberships/less-1-club

SHEEP SHOW® BEER RECEPTION SPONSORS Kevin & Tuesdy Small

Jeff & Jann Demaske

NEW WEST

DISTRIBUTING

30 KEGS OF BEER

Brett & Maureen Jefferson 406.404.8750

www.wildsheepfoundation.org

Prize Packages are approximate &have not been confirmed as of 9/5/23

190 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

12 - DAY HORSEBACK DALL SHEEP HUNT, 1 WOLVERINE AND 5 WOLVES FOR 1 HUNTER KUSAWA LAKE/NORTHCURL OUTFITTERS Mac & Leona Watson P: 780.646.2161 E: hunt@northcurl.com W: www.northcurl.com

12 - DAY DALL'S SHEEP HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER

RAVEN'S THROAT OUTFITTERS Griz & Ginger Turner P: 867.332.7286 E: hunts@ravensthroat.com W: www.ravensthroat.com

DALL'S SHEEP HUNT FOR 1 HUNTER

WINNERS CHOICE OF AN AMMO OUTFITTER IN NWT! Hunt date determined by outfitter availability and winner’s choice.

• Arctic Red River • Canol Outfitters • Gana River • MacKenzie Mtn. • Nahanni Butte • NWT Outfitters • South Nahanni Butte • Raven’s Throat

in addition to the hunt, each of the 3 winners will also receive the following!

• OPTICS PACKAGE - Leupold • BEARTOOTH BACKPACK - Stone Glacier • HEAD TO TOE CLOTHING SYSTEM - SITKA • PEDESTAL MOUNT - Dewey Wildlife Studio • PEDESTAL MOUNT - Wildlife Revolutions • PEDESTAL MOUNT - Brush Country Studios • PRECISION L1 RIFLE PROGRAM - SAAM • MOUNTAIN EXTREME BOOTS - Kenetrek • REPLICA OF THEIR RAM (1ST DRAWN) - WYOMING BACKCOUNTRY DECOR

• 100-LITER DUFFEL - YETI • SPEEDGOAT KNIFE - Montana Knife Co. • ELITE MEMBERSHIP - ONXHUNT

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 191

WIN YOUR FIRST INTERNATIONAL

SHEEP OR GOAT HUNT

HUNTS TO WIN! FOR WSF MEMBERS WHO HAVE NOT TAKEN AN INTERNATIONAL WILD SHEEP RAM OR GOAT UNDER FREE RANGE/FAIR CHASE CONDITIONS

1st Drawn - Need not be present to win 2nd Drawn - MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN 3rd Drawn - MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN

DRAWINGS: FRIDAY JANUARY 19, 2024 SIGNUP DEADLINE: NOON, JAN. 19 <1 BEER RECEPTION • MT. ROSE BALLROOM RENO-SPARKS CONVENTION CENTER SHEEP SHOW® - BE THERE!

SIGN UP HERE

RULES AND REGULATIONS www.wildsheepfoundation.org/memberships/less-1-club

SHEEP SHOW® BEER RECEPTION SPONSORS Kevin & Tuesdy Small

Jeff & Jann Demaske

NEW WEST

DISTRIBUTING

30 KEGS OF BEER

Brett & Maureen Jefferson 406.404.8750

www.wildsheepfoundation.org

Prize Packages are approximate &have not been confirmed as of 9/5/23 192 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

PYRENEAN CHAMOIS HUNT

THE IBERIAN HUNTING EXPERIENCE Fernando Diaz P: 972.994.6924 E: contact@theiberianhuntingexperience.com W: www.theiberianhuntingexperience.com

IBERIAN MOUFLON HUNT

HEREDEROS HUNTING Rafa Navazo P: 34.629.033.762 E: rafa@herederoshunting.com W: www.herederoshunting.com

CANTABRIAN CHAMOIS HUNT

ATP HUNT Andres Torrico Pena P: 0034.600.440.962 E: atp@atphunt.com W: www.atphunt.com

in addition to the hunt, each of the 3 winners will also receive the following!

• OPTICS PACKAGE - Leupold • SKY 5900 BACKPACK - Stone Glacier • $1,000 GIFT CERTIFICATE - Kryptek • PEDESTAL MOUNT - Dakota Taxidermy • SHOULDER MOUNT X2 - Life Like Taxidermy • BEARTOOTH BOOTS - Schnee • 100-LITER DUFFEL - YETI • SPEEDGOAT KNIFE - Montana Knife Co. • ELITE MEMBERSHIP - ONXHUNT

LIFE LIKE TAXIDERMY MADERA, CA

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 193

GUN RAFFLE $25

25 EACH OR 100 FOR 5

$ $

WINE PULL $ 25 eryone Wins Ev

50/50 - $25

4 Bottles Worth Over $100

‘70s FLASHBACK LADIES ONLY • Lunch • Auctions • Raffles Friday, January 19 • 11:30 to 1:30 • Capri Ballroom at the Peppermill 194 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

Annuli

36th ANNUAL DUNCAN GILCHRIST PHOTO CONTEST PHOTOS JUDGED AT THE 2023 SHEEP SHOW

People’s Choice winner receives a pair of Leica 10x42 Trinovid HD binoculars

UPLOAD YOUR SUBMISSIONS HERE

2023 People’s Choice winner

JERRY HERROD

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 195

‘24

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QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? CONTACT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING COMMITTEE MEMBERS BELOW

Paul Cavin - 775.842.0261 - paul@paulcavindesign.com Terry Melby - 775.771.7653 196 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

Marty Harsin - 775.233.2247 - martin@origin8architecture.com Wild Sheep Foundation - 405.404.8769 - info@wildsheepfoundation.org

LIMITED TO 2,500 TICKETS

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Complete frame to chassis rebuild w/matching, original serial numbers PURCHASE AT WWW.WILDSHEEPRAFFLE.ORG State gaming laws prohibit residents of Kansas, Hawaii, New Jersey, Utah, and Washington from participating in online drawings.

Debit cards (or cash/checks) for Montana residents. Canadian residents are eligible to participate in this drawing.

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 197

JANUARY 20, 2024

Tuscany Ballroom • Peppermill Resort Spa & Casino

A 7 - DAY DESERT SHEEP HUNT WITH LA PALMOSA & A CUSTOM PEDESTAL MOUNT FROM THE WILDLIFE GALLERY!!!

PROUDLY SPONSORED BY:

KEVIN & LAURI GILBERT

AK

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2024 AOUDAD HUNT with Craig Boddington

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WSF LIFE MEMBERS & SUMMIT LIFE MEMBERS ONLY • 198 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

EST.

HAT & WEATHERBY RAFFLES + Patron Sponsor prize drawings

JOIN/UPGRADE TODAY!

Wednesday - Jan 17 Jimmy Herman & Chris Henessee 9pm - 11pm

‘24 JAN. 18-20 RENO, NV

Wednesday - Jan 17 “Icons of the North” Campfire Stories 7:30pm - 8:15pm

SATURDAY - Jan 20 Tessy Lou Williams 10pm - 2am

Entertainment ‘24 JAN. 18-20

SCAN ME!

10am - 4pm • Saturday, January 20th, 2024 • Reno/Sparks Convention Center

FREE FAMILY FUN FOR ALL AGES Archery, Wildlife Conservation, Climbing Wall, BB Gun Ranges, and so much more!

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 199

JOIN AS A LIFE MEMBER OR UPGRADE TO A SUMMIT LIFE MEMBER July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024

AND YOU WILL RECEIVE $345 OFF A SUPPRESSOR* FROM SILENCER CENTRAL PLUS AN ELITE MEMBERSHIP FROM ONXHUNT! *SUPRESSOR MUST BE $849 OR MORE (.223 OR LARGER) - NFA, state and federal rules apply. mrichards@wildsheepfoundation.org 406.404.8750 200 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

JOIN TODAY

ROOM A6 - RENO-SPARKS CONVENTION CENTER

FULL CURL CINEMA JAN

GORDON EASTMAN FILM

WILD & WOOL

10:30 am - 11:00 am

12:30 pm - 1:00 pm 1:00 pm - 1:30 pm - Q&A with Dr. Peregrine Wolff

HIGH COUNTRY OF THE NORTH

& Kevin Hurley

ADVENTURE WILD FILM

11:00 am - 12:30 pm

HUNTERVATIONIST - NWT DALL’S HUNT PART I & PART II

HOME FOR THE WILD

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

VAIL BIGHORN SHEEP INITIATIVE

1:00 pm - 1:15 pm 1:15 pm - 1:45 pm - Q&A Vail Bighorn Initiative

JAN

RICHES OF THE RUBY RANGE - ADVENTURE WILD FILM (Super 8) 9:30 am - 10:00 am

WEATHERBY THE CHASE

LIONHEART - ROBBIE KRÖGER

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm 3:00 pm - 3:30 pm - Q&A with Adam &

Brenda Weatherby

WEATHERBY

<1iCLUB MID ASIAN IBEX HUNT

4:00 pm - 4:15 pm 4:15 pm - 4:30 pm - Q&A with Luke Thorkildsen JAN

10:30 am - 11:00 am 11:00 am - 11:30 am - Q&A with Robbie Kröger & Gray N. Thornton

BEYOND BONDS - A WOMEN HUNT STORY ®

WITH JANA WALLER BAIR & ROBBIE KRÖGER

12:30 pm - 1:00 pm 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm - Q&A with Jana Waller Bair,

Robbie Kröger, Renée Thornton, Rebecca Peters, and Brandi Love

SELECTIVE

TRANSMISSION

10:30 am - 11:30 am 11:30 am - 12:00 pm - Q&A with Jason Matzinger & Keith Balfourd

3:00 pm - 4:00 pm 4:00 pm - 4:30 pm - Q&A Jesse Bone,

Tash Baycroft, Kyle Stelter

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 201

Thank you

Emilio Rangel W. , Emilio Espino, Rafael Villarreal and to all of the guides and staff at La Palmosa for the

hunt adventure of a lifetime! Thank you as well to WSF and the Life Member Breakfast Committee for making this Dream Hunt a reality!

- Brett & Maureen Jefferson

202 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

Ultima Thule A distant and unknown region, the extreme limit of the travel and discovery.

WSF Golata Award Winners Paul and Donna Claus of Ultima Thule Outfitters commissioned artist Tim Shinabarger to create this incredible 8-foot bronze for the entrance to their stunning Alaska Lodge. Now you have a chance to own one as well. Of the limited edition of eight bronzes, six are available for sale at $95,000 (retail) each. Tim has generously partnered with the Wild Sheep Foundation and for each bronze sold by WSF, he will direct $25,000 to the WSLF Endowment Fund—with the tax deduction to the buyer.

22-inch table top version

For more details and a chance to meet artist Tim Shinabarger, plan on attending the 2024 Sheep Show where the Number 2 Ultima Thule bronze will be on display.

SCAN FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT TIM SHINABARGER’S ULTIMA THULE BRONZE

Artist Tim Shinabarger drew inspiration in Alaska’s Wrangell Mountains.

PAIGE CULVER Development Program Manager Phone: (406) 404-8758 www.wildsheepfoundation.org WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 203

SHEEP SHORTS

Photo: Duncan Gilcrest

by Cari Goss

UNEXPECTED BLESSINGS: A NORTHWEST TERRITORIES DALL’S SHEEP HUNT

M

y journey into the heart of the wilderness for my 2023 Dall’s sheep hunt was unlike any I had embarked upon before.

As a seasoned hunter with a deep love for wild sheep, my goal had been to achieve the coveted status of completing four FNAWS. Each sheep hunt brought its own set of challenges, but this time was different. My husband, my trusted companion on these treks, had his own sheep hunt to pursue, leaving me to confront the rugged terrain and formidable obstacles without him. The weight of gear and provisions for a week in the wilderness, coupled with the responsibility of my rifle, felt heavier than ever. And then, there was the intricate web of logistics, involving airports and remote destinations, which now rested solely on my shoulders. Nervousness began to creep in, but I decided to place my trust in a higher power, knowing that with faith, all things were possible. For three months, I had rigorously trained, both with weights and cardio, preparing my body for the arduous journey ahead. I meticulously weighed, organized, and packed my gear, mindful of every ounce. The journey to the

204 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

base camp of Canol Outfitters in the Northwest Territories was a two-day odyssey involving multiple flights and connections, but the familiar faces and welcoming embrace of the Canol Outfitters team filled me with renewed determination.

This time, I was on a quest for an elusive, old Dall’s ram—a symbol of my dedication to conservation and my unwavering commitment to the wild sheep I so deeply admired. As my story unfolds, it becomes clear that my hunt for a Dall’s ram is about more than just the pursuit of a trophy; it’s a testament to my love for the wilderness and my reverence for the delicate balance of nature.

Upon arrival at base camp, I started preparing for the next morning when I would get dropped off in the Mackenzie Mountains in search of a big beautiful ram. My guide Kelly and I were dropped off at the bottom of a river valley to begin the journey. It was a long gorgeous valley with extremely steep mountains on each side.

Immediately, we set our gear down and glassed for the next few hours.

We located a couple of small young rams up high. However, we were looking for something older. A 10-year-old ram or older and in its prime. As an avid wild sheep lover and hunter, hunting means more than just the harvest. We want to keep the animals thriving for all the years to come. Harvesting the oldest and most mature animals allows herds to grow and produces a bigger class of the rams. My husband Leo and I have participated in many opportunities to relocate sheep to new areas in the mountains to help promote the species. We have both turned down middle-aged, legal animals in hopes of them spreading their genes and get bigger the next year.

Since we didn’t see the sheep we wanted, Kelly and I put our gear on our backs and headed through the thick vegetation down the valley to look in another area. We scouted

and hiked all day, then due to the thickness of the brush and trees, we decided to set camp for the night and found a small open spot next to the river.

Early the next morning we decided to lighten our packs and hike up over to another draw about four miles away in hopes of seeing more rams. We glassed for hours but ended up only seeing around four more young rams and headed back to camp. We spent two more days hiking up mountains and drainages and saw around 14 rams that were still not old enough. We decided to move further up the valley and look somewhere else. We camped on a small mountain looking into a drainage that appeared promising for a big old ram. Instead, we ended up seeing only two small beautiful

caribou that came within 200 yards from us, so our search continued.

The smoke from nearby fires started rolling in that night. The next few days were tough as it was hard to see far distances through the smoke. This required us to hike in closer than usual to check areas out. Hiking every day for many miles took its toll on my legs and feet. I ended up straining the outside of my calf muscle which turned my walking into limping.

Good thing I don’t leave home without my lightweight walking sticks! Since I could use a little rest for my injured leg and we weren’t seeing anything we decided to move to another part of my sheep unit.

When we relocated to the new area, my outfitter provided an additional guide, Brad. If I harvested a ram,

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 205

I made a difficult decision at that moment, one that echoed my commitment to wildlife conservation. he could help Kelly and I pack it out. I had hunted with Brad back in 2019 when I harvested my last ram, a beautiful 39-inch ram. I was very happy to see my old friend again.

While we set up camp we talked about where we were going to hunt the next day. The next morning, we went over to a small valley and located a band of rams far below us.

We immediately dropped down and grabbed our long-range optics to get a better look. Unfortunately, they all ended up being too young as well.

This was becoming a pattern!

That night we decided we would pack up the next day and relocate down the valley to yet another area for more mountains to look at.

Around three miles into the next day’s hike we spotted two rams and decided to do a stalk in case one of them was the ram we’d been searching for. We got into close range and got a better look, one of the rams was certainly big enough, but by counting the rings on his horns he ended up not being old enough. We quietly backed out, moved on, and found a little open meadow to set up camp before dark.

The next day was more hiking and glassing, but we just could not see the right one. I knew my last day to hunt was coming up, but we just kept trying every day in hopes of seeing one. The last day came and we ended up on a band of six rams.

One of them looked like it could be the one! We kept our distance due to the steep terrain of the mountain range but could not get close enough to judge him. We backed off and headed back to the tents to regroup and make an early morning plan since it was getting dark that day.

The last day came and we headed 206 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

back up the mountain hoping the band of rams had changed position so we could make our move to get closer. It was a long, difficult hike, basically crawling not to be seen.

Eventually, we got within 300 yards.

We watched them for around an hour, and all three of us got a great look at the rams. The biggest one ended up only being a nine-year-old.

I made a difficult decision at that moment, one that echoed my commitment to wildlife conservation. I chose to let the ram go, allowing him to continue contributing to the future of his species. The guides, Kelly and Brad, were visibly moved and grateful for this choice, as we shared a deep appreciation for doing what was right to sustain the sheep populations in the mountains. We had invested considerable effort, endured physical challenges, and harbored dreams of harvesting a majestic old ram. However, this hunt’s conclusion was not one of

triumph, but rather a testament to the values we held dear.

As I reflect on this journey, I am filled with gratitude for the outfitters, guides, and fellow hunters who share my respect for wildlife and conservation. I’ve been very blessed with the opportunity to harvest some beautiful animals. I’ve certainly harvested younger animals in the past and may again in the future. That said, as I’ve grown older and continued to educate myself and expand my commitment to conservation I’m looking at things with different perspectives. I gave it my best effort to look for the old majestic ram. Hopefully passing up the nine-year-old ram will help expand the herd for the future. There is a profound sense of fulfillment in knowing that, even though I did not harvest an animal, I left the wilderness with a richer appreciation for its beauty and the incredible people who share my values. WS

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WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 207

ADVENTURE PROFILES magnificent animal and sorrow that the hunt was over! It is difficult to put into words the feeling of approaching a 180-class desert bighorn. Many thanks to the Artee family for the efforts in establishing this wonderful area and the opportunity to support their efforts.

Brian Winot

Bob Mays

SPECIES: Bighorn Sheep OUTFITTER: Carter Outfitting/Big Knife Outfitters GUIDE: Nick Smith LOCATION: Willmore Wilderness Area

SPECIES: Desert Sheep OUTFITTER: Alcampo Hunting Adventures GUIDE: Jorge Artee LOCATION: Sonora I booked this for December hunt as a retirement present to myself after talking with Jacobo Artee at the 2022 Wild Sheep Convention in Reno. I had taken a desert ram on a DIY Nevada hunt in 1989. I had dreamed of being able to take a large Sonoran desert bighorn. I made it clear with Jacobo that I wanted a larger ram and was willing to pass smaller rams. December arrived and I was off to Mexico. I passed on 170-class rams the first three days. On day four, we put a stalk on a “shooter ram” only to have him sense we were close and spook.

Jacobo and Jorge had been after this ram the last couple of years—nicknamed “The Runner”, as he was a loner and very wary. Everyone thought he was gone for sure. Fortunately for me, Jacobo was able to spot him about two miles away ascending a ridge. The ram settled into a draw that the brothers said they knew well. At about 3:30 that afternoon, Jorge and I were 170 yards from “The Runner” when he finally cleared the brush giving me a shot. I touched the trigger of my .300 Jarrett and the ram was down.

Happiness and sadness were experienced at the same time. Elated to get such a 208 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

John Sarvis

SPECIES: Bighorn Sheep OUTFITTER: Self-guided LOCATION: Wyoming After applying for 25 years, I finally drew a bighorn sheep tag for Wyoming.

At 76 years old, I wasn’t sure if I could even sheep hunt anymore, plus my archery skills have deteriorated. I hunted alone and got really lucky. I shot a bighorn sheep late in the afternoon on opening day after more than 5,000 feet in elevation gains and descents. Made a double lung shot at 17 yards...it went 110 yards and was dead in less than 10 seconds. I finally made it back to camp with the sheep at 1:30 AM the next morning. The meat is some of the best

Most outfitters will tell you that the hardest part of a mountain hunt is keeping the hunter from giving up mentally. These guys have figured out that the best way to do that is through hunter comfort. You won’t find more comfortable sheep camps! You may give up some “mountain” time for horseback time, but coming back to the comfort of a wall tent with a woodstove and real food instead of freeze dried, makes the hard days that much easier! The common themes of our hunt were smoke on the mountains (lost one full day hunting due to smoke), and lambs and ewes (saw 150+ in the four days we hunted).

Including being pinned down when 25 of them came over the mountain as we stalked the band of rams we spotted.

Thankfully the weather was beautiful as we waited the 1 1/2 hours until the last ewe was out of sight before stalking to 300 yards and harvesting this beautiful nine-year-old ram. In this day and age of trying to find young people willing to work even the easiest of jobs, I would be remiss for not mentioning the hard work and dedication shown by my guide, Nick Smith, and the 15-year-old wrangler, Dax. Third bighorn hunt was a charm!

Looking forward to trying to complete my FNAWS in Mexico this January!

Photo: Tim Shinabarger

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 209

Ammon Ammon

Eric Johnson

Michael Ambrose

The hunt started with a flight from Scoop Lake to the Moodie Camp, which is based on the lake of the same name. On the third hunting day after a four-hour horseback ride, we spotted two nice mature billies. The bigger of the two was farther away. I decided to choose the bigger one, which was laying on a rock ledge. At a distance of 840 yards, I made a clear shot with my .338 LAPUA Mag. and hit him perfectly. I am very proud he made it in the top ten for the SCI record book.

Adventure!!! Travel chaos getting there and travel nightmares getting home, but it was worth it. I worked very hard on my overland sheep hunt and was rewarded with this 10-year-old ram, plus an old caribou, and a 60-inch moose.

I acquired this hunt with a winning bid for the Stone’s Sheep Conservation Tag donated by Profit Muskwa to the WSF/ Iowa Chapter in January 2021. I arrived in Fort Nelson with no luggage, rifle, ammo or boots. On top of that, I received news that I’d need to get a prescription filled right away to prevent my immune system from trying to reject my lungs from a recent transplant. It took some effort, but I was able to find a doctor that would fill my prescription in Canada. Not an easy task!

After Pat arrived he called a friend, who called a friend, and located someone who had a rifle he was willing to loan me. We picked up a beautiful Kimber in 280ai with a Leupold scope sighted and ready to go, along with a set of boots. My faith in humanity restored, we returned to the hotel with plans to fly out the next morning to Muskwa where we met with with guide Gary van Hee. The first three days of my hunt showed me new and beautiful country; unfortunately it was void of wildlife save for a few young rams and marmots. On day five, we loaded up spike camp and headed out. Gary decided to stop where we had seen the young rams and marmots earlier in the hunt.

Just over a mile into the bowl we spotted two rams at 1,000 yards and decided to take a closer look. We determined there was a 9- or 10-year-old ram in the pair and Gary wanted to close the gap. There was no cover and they had the elevation advantage, but divine intervention allowed us to close the distance to 350 yards. The scope was dialed, the shot was off, and the ram was down. I owed my 3/4 FNAWS to many others and a chain of mishaps and last-minute alternative solutions, which made this magical experience and memory I will always cherish.

SPECIES: Rocky Mountain goat OUTFITTER: HuntGeo GUIDE: Riley LOCATION: British Columbia

SPECIES: Dall’s Sheep OUTFITTER: Arctic Red River GUIDE: Alan Klassen LOCATION: Northwest Territories

Brian Rimsza Zach Higgins

SPECIES: Dall’s Sheep OUTFITTER: Alaska Guide Service GUIDE: George Bock LOCATION: Alaska This was my second trip to the Alaska Range to hunt with Alaska Guide Service. My first hunt ended without filling my tag after I had passed up a legal ram on opening day. This year my hunt started in the same drainage my last hunt ended. My guide got us into 60 yards on this beautiful ram and I was able to fill my tag by 8:00 AM on my first hunting day.

210 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

SPECIES: Stone’s Sheep OUTFITTER:Yukon Stone Outfitters GUIDE: Shae Gallant LOCATION:Yukon This was a roller coaster of a hunt.

I initially hunted for 16 days, trying to kill a Stone’s sheep. The day before the season we found 16 rams, including three legal rams. Opening day, they were gone. We spent the rest of the hunt looking for them with no luck. A week after returning home, I received a phone call from Aaron Florian inviting me to return for another eight days. I jumped at the chance, and on day five, I killed this beautiful ram, which completed my FNAWS.

SPECIES: Stone’s Sheep OUTFITTER: Profit Muskwa GUIDE: Pat Garrett / Gary van Hee LOCATION: British Columbia

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WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 211

Kevin Gilbert

Michael Ewell

Becky Layne

We spotted rams when we arrived in basecamp. The next morning we moved to a camp closer to the rams. On day two of the hunt we climbed a mountain to get within range of the rams. Five smaller rams came out first and then went back out of sight. Then, a legal ram came out and I got him at 340 yards. My Fourth North American Wild Sheep—FNAWS Ram! A dream hunt 20 years in the making!

An amazing trip! From riding horses to climbing peaks, I couldn’t have asked for anything else. An amazing stalk into some steep, gnarly, finger cliffs that resulted in a 200-yard shot on a beautiful ram! Catching the sunset on the saddle after climbing out of the cliffs is a moment I will never forget! There is too many great memories to write them all here.

Steve Skold

Shad Hulse

This New Year’s hunt with my wife was a one-day affair that I really didn’t think was going to happen. A typical climb up the mountain at sunrise and the ibex we were watching moved off into an inaccessible area. The animals knew the game and started running as they came to us. Of course, there was a bigger one in the group of 45.

Shad connected with his Stone’s ram on the ninth day of his hunt near Kinaskan Lake in British Columbia during the 2023 season.

My Yukon adventure started off on July 20, 2023, when I landed in Dawson City, Yukon. I was headed to my destination of Midnight Sun Outfitting (MSO).

Beginning July 22nd, I was participating in a four-day yoga/ wellness retreat hosted by MSO. Our beautiful Yogi Emma was a delightful free spirit. We rode horses, hiked, fished and ate to our heart’s content. I had a few days to chill before my hunt started on August 1.

According to my journal entry on 8/1—“Everything hurts and I’m dying.”

Let’s just say I’ve not been on a horse in a minute or two, but I called my mom, and she gave me quite the pep talk as only moms can do.

The days went by quickly, on day six we saw a beautiful blonde grizzly that we tried to get a bead on, but it snuck away.

It’s crazy how quiet those big buggers are.

Two days later I harvested a beautiful caribou on the eigth day of the hunt. He is more than I could have hoped for, and yes, I cried.

I had the pleasure of hunting with Jessie Young and Arlis Hanson. I couldn’t have dreamed up a better team! Of course, it goes without saying that the food that Julia whipped up was fantastic and the accommodations were comfy cozy with all the amenities. Oh, and the scenery and views were pretty ok too! If you have an opportunity to visit MSO don’t hesitate!

SPECIES: Bighorn Sheep OUTFITTER: Savage Encounters GUIDE: Logan Hunt and Matt LOCATION: Alberta

SPECIES: Sindh Ibex OUTFITTER: Zoon Safari GUIDE: Ali Shah LOCATION: Pakistan

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SPECIES: Dall’s Sheep OUTFITTER: Ruby Range Outfitters GUIDE: Dustin Elliott LOCATION:Yukon Territory

SPECIES: Stone’s Sheep OUTFITTER: Kinaskan Lake Outfitters GUIDE: Rob Williams LOCATION: British Columbia

SPECIES: Mountain Caribou OUTFITTER: Midnight Sun Outfitting GUIDE: Jessie Young LOCATION:Yukon, Canada

Todd Anderson

SPECIES: Stone’s Sheep OUTFITTER: Stone and Folding Outfitters GUIDE: Ben Hauser LOCATION: British Columbia, Canada After three days of seeing this ram in a high bowl come out to feed, we decided he needed a better look. My guide, Ben said, “At 2,000 yards he looks good, but until we get off this opposite mountain face glassing point, and climb closer we won’t know his age and if he’s legal.” (eight years). The decision was to climb above the ram and get a better look. We chose a narrow, willow-choked ravine that could get us above him and keep the wind and thermals from alerting him.

Four-and-a-half hours later, we made it above the willows and grass to a rocky slope that we laterally cut across 400 yards to a point of vantage above were we hoped to get a look at the ram. We lucked out as there was a small spring about three quarters of the way up the ravine where we could drink all our water and refill our jugs.

The ram came out for a moment at 500 yards walking towards us, but we couldn’t get an age because he tucked into a ravine out of site at about 300 yards.

It was now 6:30 PM. We made a plan that if he didn’t come out by dark we were going to sleep on the mountain.

We had water, puffy, rain gear and a few snacks.

Ben then took a peek over the edge and said, “He’s right below us.” He put the glass on him and immediately said, “He’s legal, scoot up here.”

I slid up above Ben, got up to my knees, set my bipod on the vertical part of the cliff and had the crosshairs on the ram’s shoulder at 178 yards. I asked Ben, “Is it okay to shoot?” As he said yes, I sent the .308 round into his shoulder. As he rolled down the grassy mountainside and I saw his horns, all I could do is

think WOW that just happened.

We reached the ram at 7:00 PM. I stared at him in awe. He was a 35-inch ram, very even with mass carried all the way out. Also, 11 years old. Then we realized it was time to work. We took photos, then Ben and James (wrangler) skinned him out as I deboned the meat.

At 9:00 PM we were packed up and ready to go downhill in the dark to the riverbed then up though the willows on the other side to the horses. Threeand-a-half hours later, those horses were a welcome sight. With full packs in the dark, it was exciting—we climbed on and another hour or so to camp, crossing rivers five times.

At 1:30 we reached camp, boiled some water for our Mountain House meal, and we each drank a 1-ounce bottle of bourbon I had packed. As we reminisced about the day, we were all glad he was legal and didn’t have to sleep on the mountain to find out.

The next day we climbed out of our tents feeling good about a sheep in camp to prep for the next day ride out.

I felt relaxed and kind of bummed the adventure was on the backside now. It was a seven-hour horse ride out the next day. I sucked in as much of the scenery as I could, taking pictures constantly.

This was number three for me and only the Dall’s is left. I feel blessed to have been able to hunt this old monarch where he lived. I could not have done it without the help of Ben, James, and Stone and Folding Outfitters.

I almost forgot to mention “Elvis” my sure-footed horse.

Craig Mitton

SPECIES: California Bighorn Sheep GUIDE: Self-Guided LOCATION: Utah Craig hunted 22 days and saw sheep every day—over 40 rams, 100 ewes, and 50 lambs in all! He was thankful to be able to harvest the ram with his bow.

Denise Hoffman

SPECIES: Dall’s Sheep OUTFITTER: Canol Outfitters GUIDE: Harrison Hooke LOCATION: Northwest Territories We found this old ram on day five of the hunt. He was heavily broomed and had a black scar on his nose. After our initial pursuit, we lost sight of the ram but knew the general area in which he bedded down. My guide, Harrison, and I peeked into the mountainside’s small bedding areas, one by one. Eventually we found him pacing at 30 yards. We waited for him to settle down and were able to take him at 32 yards. Turns out the black scar was actually a third horn growing from his nose skin. The ram completes my FNAWS.

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OFFICIALLY KICKED OUT! The following <1 Club® or <1iClub® members have LOST their membership status by taking their first wild sheep rams! Congratulations!

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Rich Mancuso Rocky Mountain Bighorn/Colorado ar.com

ftwoutfitters.com sitkage m .co ek tr After co 17m yearskeapplying for this tag, the day finally came, ne mysteryranch.

and I was successful for the 2023 bighorn sheep draw in my home state of Colorado. The excitement that day was surreal, and the hunt was on! I spent the following months doing everything I possibly could to prepare for this once-in-a-lifetime hunt. Countless days were spent scouting, dialing in my rifle, and hiking many miles. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect hunt and was fortunate enough to harvest this beautiful ram on opening morning. I couldn’t have done this without the support of my family and friends. I’d like to thank my father, Jeffrey Mancuso, and friends Brian Smith, Larry Smith, and Frank DeLuca for all their help making this hunt a huge success—and thank you Hensley for being the most supportive wife to me and my passion for hunting. A very special hunt that I will never forget!

Way to go Rich, you are out of the club!

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Joshua Huisman Stone’s/British Columbia

After dealing with days of poor weather, we had a brief window to capitalize on a late afternoon hunt when the sun came out and burned off the fog. After a couple hours of glassing a steep grassy drainage, magically, a beautiful eight-year-old ram appeared out of nowhere.

Camouflaged into the rocks, he was right in front of our eyes the whole time. We made a stalk to within 500 yards where we got a better look and decided he was the ram I was looking for. Fast forward five minutes and I was holding my first ram in my hands—all the preparation and hard work finally paid off. It was such a rewarding and unforgettable experience. This ram will forever be special, and I got to do it all with my childhood friend Chase Bauer, who I consider to be a brother. We were lucky enough with the small breaks in weather to take two beautiful rams this trip. Stone’s sheep hunting is the toughest hunt I’ve taken part in, and it gives me nothing but appreciation for Stone’s sheep to spend time in the beautiful, tough, and rugged country that they call home.

I was truly fascinated by the depth of the valley bottoms and thick brush, all the way up to the rocky peaks and plateaus that these rams spend they’re lives on.

Way to go Joshua, you are Kicked Out!

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LAST SHEEP CAMP

A.C. Charles Smid (1950 - 2023)

WSF Summit Life and Chadwick Ram Society Member Charles Smid passed away Sunday October 1, 2023, doing what he loved—fly fishing the Kluatantan River in British Columbia. He was found riverside with his Spey rod in one hand and his walking staff in the other after a successful day catching and releasing 17 steelhead. Knowing Charles, he likely passed peacefully making “one last cast.”

Charles was born the second of five children to Arthur C. and Mary Ellen Smid in Naperville, Illinois on January 25, 1950. Growing up in suburban Chicago, Charles was enchanted by stories of his grandparents who homesteaded in Whitefish, MT. Visions of his grandpa roaming Montana on horseback while warding off rattlesnakes with a sidearm inspired Charles as he explored the streams and parks of his childhood surroundings.

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A passionate conservationist, hunter, angler, and outdoorsman, Charles was an active and respected Regular Member of the Boone and Crockett Club, and in 1999, founded Bear Trust International, a nonprofit foundation dedicated to the conservation and sustainable use of bears worldwide which his served as Chairman of the Board.

Charles majored in economics at the University of Montana in Missoula and developed a talent for entrepreneurship that would fuel his professional career.

After college, married and with three small children, Charles moved his family to San Francisco to pursue a career in restaurant management. A natural leader, he quickly advanced to regional manager of a restaurant chain. Striking out on his own, in 1978 he moved to Eugene, Oregon and purchased a restaurant franchise.

Charles grew his company over the next decade, establishing 15 locations throughout Idaho and Oregon.

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Impeccably dressed in the corporate style of the day, pressed suits with suspenders, he cut the figure of the young 80’s entrepreneur. He was admitted to YPO, a professional organization for successful young corporate presidents and CEOs. He would stay connected to YPO for many years, as a group facilitator, and chair of their hunting and fishing network.

In the 2000s Charles’ life transitioned again when he met his kindred spirit, Melissa, and remarried for the final time. Melissa and Charles began splitting their time between Paradise Valley, AZ, and Moose, WY. Charles was an avid golfer who worked energetically to improve his game. He was a regular at his local courses in Wyoming and Arizona and knew everyone by name.

Over the last 20 years of his life, Charles pursued his passion

for fishing and hunting with his characteristic discipline. He spent regular time each year fly fishing for tarpon in the Florida Keys and for steelhead in British Columbia. With expeditions to the Yukon and the Mexican desert, he progressed to the pinnacle of big game hunting, achieving a FNAWS for harvesting all four wild sheep species in North America. “Chateau Moose,” Melissa and Charles’ house at the foot of the Tetons in Moose, WY, is a showcase of Charles’ record-setting sheep and other big game mounts. Charles developed long-lasting friendships with guides from the Florida Keys to the Yukon, who loved him for the joy and focus he brought to the hunt.

Charles was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, friend, and mentor. He made friends easily and often and cultivated close relationships over decades. He was

a large personality and a natural storyteller who could put people at ease. To his family and close friends, he was a loving, supportive, and stalwart presence in their lives, a reliable friend, and a generous mentor.

Charles is survived by his wife, Melissa Smid, his three children, Molly Culligan (Matt Dye), Arthur Smid, and Gretchen Smid (Chris Broekhoff), his brothers David Smid and Jonathan Smid, his sister Patricia Malloy, and four grandchildren.

Charles is predeceased by his parents, Arthur C. and Mary Ellen, his sister Mary Beth, and his granddaughter Ellymae Crum. WS Those wishing to honor Charles Smid’s memory may donate to Bear Trust International: https://www.beartrust.org/support

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WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 219

John Herman Houzenga, Jr.

Arizona lost one of its bighorn sheep legends on August 31, 2023.

John Houzenga Jr. was not only a husband and father but also a devoted advocate for bighorn sheep conservation for over 45 years. John, along with a group of fellow sheep enthusiasts, founded the Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society in 1967. Throughout his life, John served as the President of ADBSS from 1969-1970 and worked tirelessly on numerous water catchment projects across Arizona.

John Houzenga Jr. passed away at the age of 95 and is survived by his wife Audrey, daughters Linda and Debbie (Bill), cousin Jay McCurry,

Louise Shockey

On September 21, 2023, Louise Shockey, (b. 1957) returned to the place she came from...Heaven.

Most people knew our beautiful Louise from a friendly chat at a trade show, a chance meeting at Thrifty’s or from the yoga or dance classes

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eight grandchildren, and seven greatgrandchildren.

Born in Chicago, Illinois, on January 2, 1928, John moved to Phoenix with his family at the age of nine and developed a deep love for the land. He had a successful career spanning 42 years at Salt River Project, where he worked in the meter reading and customer service departments.

John’s passion for the outdoors, big game hunting, fishing, camping, Dutch oven cooking, and collecting fossils and natural gems was wellknown. He actively participated in over 100 bighorn sheep hunts during his lifetime and enjoyed the camaraderie shared with fellow hunters around the campfire.

Throughout his many years in the field, John explored various regions of Arizona and possessed an uncanny ability to remember every landmark, road, fence, gate, and the special places where bighorn sheep thrived.

His favorite sheep area was the Black Mountains, located in the northwest corner of Arizona.

One of the highlights of John’s life

was his involvement in building the Silver Creek Catchment in March 2016. Located in the Black Mountains northwest of Kingman, this catchment was dedicated and named the Houzenga/Silver Creek Catchment #676 in recognition of John’s lifelong dedication to bighorn sheep.

A close friend of John’s from ADBSS fondly recalls a passage written by John himself, which encapsulates the legacy of his life and his deep love for the resource that many fellow sheep hunters and conservationists share:

she taught for 30 years, but those meetings were enough for those who met her, to recognize that she had a unique way of making everyone around her feel good...simply through her presence.

She “saw” everyone.

But only those close to her, family and friends truly understood what a remarkable woman she was. At once supportive but also, fiercely independent, and talented.

Although she was an international model, movie actress, performer with Les Ballet Jazz and Les Ballet Russ, television host and accomplished singer, Louise’s greatest goal in life, was to be the best friend to her one true love, best mother to her two children and best “Nana” to her four grandchildren.

She accomplished her goal.

Those close to her, her husband of

39 years, Jim and their two children, Branlin and Eva and their four children, Leni Bow, Flynn, Boone and Wilder, had time to prepare for this eventuality, but also know they can never really prepare for the days and years ahead without their soulmate, their mother and their precious Nana Weezy.

Louise’s family finds solace in having had this angel on earth a part of their life for so long; they have been truly blessed.

The world was never meant for one as beautiful as Louise Shockey.

In lieu of flowers, the family would ask you to consider making a donation to the Cowichan District Hospital Foundation, a cause that Louise was passionate about and supported for many years. WS https://donate.cdhfoundation.ca/ ZWRijIau7

The Desert Bighorns and their mountains Have been mighty good to me!

My wish for the rest of my life Is to give back all I can, for all the Joys they’ve given to me!

— John Houzenga John Houzenga’s contributions to bighorn sheep conservation in Arizona will forever be remembered and cherished by the community. His passion, dedication, and love for the outdoors have left an indelible mark on the landscape and the hearts of those who shared his passion. WS

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Miles O. Moretti

Our beloved husband, father, and grandfather Miles O. Moretti, age 70, passed away on September 17, 2023, surrounded by his loving family in St. George, Utah, following his brief but courageous battle with cancer.

Miles was born on May 10, 1953, in Evanston, Wyoming, the sixth of

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seven children to Oliver Moretti and Phyllis Syme. He graduated in the class of 1971 from Mountain View High School in Mountain View, Wyoming. Miles married the love of his life, Julie Ann Wilson, on May 26, 1973, and they welcomed their twin daughters Ashley and Erin in 1981.

After earning his Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Management from Utah State University in 1976 and a Master of Science Degree in Range and Wildlife Services from Brigham Young University in 1979, Miles began a long and highly successful career in wildlife conservation. He joined the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources in May of 1978 and served as a field wildlife biologist through December 1991 when he was promoted to regional supervisor.

He rose to become the agency’s deputy director in December 2000.

He retired from state government in October 2006 after nearly 30 years and immediately took the helm of the Mule Deer Foundation as their president and chief executive officer.

In his more than 14 years with MDF, Miles led the organization through significant growth helping to build the Western Hunting & Conservation Expo (WHCE) as one of the premier outdoor events in the West and serving in national leadership positions within the hunting conservation community.

He was a Life Member of MDF, a professional member of the Boone and Crockett Club, and a board member of the National Deer Alliance and the CWD Alliance.

Miles was selected to serve on the Wildlife Hunting Heritage Council and the Hunting & Shooting Sports Conservation Council—federal advisory councils appointed by the Secretary of the Interior and Secretary of Agriculture. He was a longtime board member of the Intermountain West Joint Venture,

serving a term as their Chairman of the Board. In perhaps one of his greatest legacies, Miles was instrumental in the development and implementation of a Department of the Interior Secretary’s order on big game migration corridors, hosting then-Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke at the WHCE to sign the order in 2018. In February, Miles was one of the featured speakers at the WHCE during the five-year celebration of the success of S.O. 3362.

Outside of his professional career, Miles was a devoted husband and father and loved nothing more than spending time with his family.

During his time as a field biologist, he regularly took his daughters with him, teaching them a love for the outdoors and passing on a strong work ethic. When facing any challenge, he told his daughters to “cowboy up” and emphasized that if they were going to do something, they better do it right. In retirement, Miles and Julie moved to St. George where they loved spending time daily on the pickle ball court and going on hiking adventures. They were active grandparents helping at cheer events, attending plays, going to amusement parks, and supporting their daughters as new grandchildren joined the family.

Miles did something most people never dare to do—living his dream and working for his passions of fishing, hunting, and conservation.

He worked every day doing what he loved.

Memorial services were held at Lindquist Bountiful Mortuary, on September 23, 2023.

Donations can be sent to the Miles Moretti Memorial Fund at the Mule Deer Foundation—1785 East 1450 South, Suite 210, Clearfield, UT 84015 or through the MDF website at www. muledeer.org—to support mule deer conservation and research projects.

WS

See you at the Sheep Show® January 2024

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Timothy Brady

Timothy Brady of Anchorage, a longtime community leader, public servant, and business executive in Alaska, passed away at home after a long illness on October 14, 2023. Tim was born in Anchorage, Territory of Alaska on April 12, 1958.

His spirit defines what we think and know about Alaska and its people. He embraced the Alaskan lifestyle from a young age and travelled its wildlands in pursuit of fish and game.

f which he lived by roughout the world. rever his travels

and long-lasting. As rother, Mike, left omplishments when the Alaskan of the Associated He continued his

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ILD HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

Tim expanded his adventures through flight and flew for 45 years in his floatplane throughout Alaska, taking family and friends to the Deshka River, Judd Lake, and wherever the fish were running.

“Family first” wasn’t just a phrase to Tim—it was a deep-seated belief which he lived by every day. He was an avid traveler and enjoyed taking his family with him as he ventured throughout the world.

Tim also took the opportunity to hunt and fish in exotic places with friends and family. Wherever his travels took him, he always appreciated returning to his home in Alaska.

Tim’s commitment to family, community, public service, and his state will be remembered and long-lasting. As President of Ken Brady Construction Company, a company his father started, Tim and his brother, Mike, left their footprint throughout the state. His construction industry colleagues recognized his accomplishments when they honored him with the prestigious “Hard Hat Award” for his significant contributions to the Alaskan construction industry in 1992. In 1995, they elected him as President of the Alaska Chapter of the Associated General Contractors, where he was nationally recognized as Chapter President of the year. He continued his commitment to the organization as a Life Board Member.

Tim’s service to his fellow Alaskans reaches well beyond the business world. Tim served admirably on the Board of Regents for the University of Alaska from 2005 through 2015.

Additionally, his service to the Great Alaska Council of the Boy Scouts of America has been widely recognized. Due to the efforts of Tim and his colleagues, multiple Boy Scout properties throughout Alaska were dramatically improved, enabling thousands of young Alaskans to enjoy an enhanced outdoor experience.

Tim was ultimately honored with the Silver Beaver Award for his service to the organization.

Tim’s endeavors were all aimed at benefitting the community through service to the public.

However, his ultimate passion was providing advice and support for young athletes. He was happiest when coaching his “football boys” or advising his daughter from the sidelines of her flag football games.

He was influential in building sports facilities in Anchorage, including The Dome, the first, all-weather lighted football field and sports facility in Alaska, as well as the development of the University of Alaska Sports Center (Alaska Airlines Center), a multi-purpose arena on the UAA campus.

On the national level, Tim was a Member of the Boone and Crockett Club for several decades. He rose through the ranks and became the Club’s President and was recently named an Honorary Life Member.

The Boone and Crockett Club was organized by Theodore Roosevelt over 135 years ago, with the mission to promote and sustain conservation and management of wildlife and maintain the highest ethical standards of fair chase and sportsmanship in North America.

The organization benefitted from Tim’s dedication to the outdoors, leadership, and business experience in the administration of the organization by building its financial stability.

Under Tim’s leadership, the Club achieved significant policy accomplishments at the national level while advocating in Washington D.C. The Brady family appreciates your thoughts and look forward to a remembrance in the summer of 2024. WS

WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 225

Join Today!

Quarter Century Celebration! Join our team at Bear Trust International in celebrating our 25th Anniversary of Youth Education and Bear Conservation! After an incredible 25 years of bear projects and striving to educate the next generation our core values still remain the same.

OUR VALUES

Bear Trust has an effective, common-sense conservation policy based on four basic values: 1. Conservation should be based on sound science and make economic sense; the result of conservation action should help ensure the long-term sustainability of bear populations and economies.

2. Conservation should care for both public and private lands.

3. Nations, communities and people have a shared responsibility to conserve bear populations and their habitats for present and future generations.

4. Hunting is part of the world’s natural heritage and should be used as one of many tools for effective wildlife management.

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Minister’s Special Licence Auction

47TH SHEEP SHOW® | JANUARY 17-20, 2024, RENO, NV

PHOTO: LC OUTFITTING LTD.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WSF SHEEP SHOW® wildsheepfoundation.org Alberta has a long reputation for maintaining the healthiest and most robust Rocky Mountain Bighorn sheep populations in the world. Our genetics are second to none, which is why Alberta, in the name of conservation, has shared over 700 of its own sheep with 11 states and one province over the past few decades.

Holding the world record for 89 years, then breaking its own record again in 2000 and yet again in 2015, it still boasts nine of the top 25 bighorn sheep in the world (over one-third).

For more information visit:

apos.ab.ca/MSL

Still capable of producing 200-inch-plus rams, this highly coveted Alberta’s Minister’s Special Licence just got even better! With encouragement from the Alberta Chapter of the Wild Sheep Foundation and help from the Alberta Professional Outfitters Society (APOS), the rules surrounding this permit are NOW OPEN to YEAR-ROUND HUNTING!!!

This premier tag allows the buyer an unprecedented opportunity to hunt at the best possible times, extending their chances for a full 365 days of UNPARALLELED possibilities. Don’t miss your chance to bid on this world-class hunt with its new and improved conditions!

Funds derived from the sale of this licence will be used to support Alberta’s understanding of its wildlife resources, building up foundational management data through various wildlife inventory efforts.

For more information:  comehuntalberta | apos.ab.ca | Tel: 780-414-0249 *This licence does not authorize hunting in any location where hunting is prohibited as outlined in the Wildlife Regulation and the Alberta Guide to Hunting Regulations.

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WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 227

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Photo: Tim Shinabarger WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 229

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178 WILD S HEEP® ~ FALL 2019 232 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

LET THE WILD SHEEP WORLD KNOW ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS OR SERVICE IN WILD SHEEP® MAGAZINE! Photo: Tim Shinabarger

Advertiser’s Index 1MF4 B.Fiedeldey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Marco Polo Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

2% For Conservation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Mackenzie Mtn. Outfitters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230

7D Ranch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232

Mervyn’s Yukon Outfitting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231

Alberta Professional Outfitters Society. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227

Mexico Hunts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238

Alcampo Hunting Adventures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225

Mule Shoe Outfitters, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232

Americana Expeditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229

Mystery Ranch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12, 13

Amigos Guides & Outfitters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218

Peppermill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223

BC Trophy Mountain Outfitters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219

Primero Conservation Adventures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222

Bear Trust International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226

Rancho La Guarida. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221

Bergara. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Race To The Summit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Best of the West/Huskemaw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Raven’s Throat Outfitters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231

Big Game Big Country . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232

Revic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Boswell’s Custom Rifles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Boyt Harness Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Rowdy McBride Hunting Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232

Browning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

RPS Bancard, LLC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217

Canada North Outfitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211

Ruby Range Outfitters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231

Canmore Archery Bighorns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229

Schnee’s. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207

Cervantes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Scoop Lake Outfitters, LTD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230

Chadwick Ram Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16, 17

Shikar Safaris. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Challenge Coins. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

Shoshone Lodge Outfitters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232

Conklin Foundation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Sig Sauer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Dallas Safari Club (DSC). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

Sitka Gear. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Front Cover

Dewey Wildlife Studios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Soldier Mountain Arms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209

Epic Optics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234, 235

South Nahanni Outfitters, LTD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231

Federal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

Stifel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

Frank Simpson Outfitting, LTD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229

St. James Sporting Properties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Fraternity of the Desert Bighorn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

Stone Glacier. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Full Curl Spirits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

Stone & Folding Mountain Outfitters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230

Gana River Outfitters, LTD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231

Swarovski . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Global Rescue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

The Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

GOABC. org. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

The Hunting Consortium. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Go with Bo & Guide Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224

Vortex Optics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

Guinn Outfitters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230

Weatherby. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Gundahoo River Outfitters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230

Wild Hunting in Turkey & Asia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215

Hilleberg Tents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239

Wild Instinct. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Hornady . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Back Cover

Wildlife Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Huntin’ Fool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Willow Creek Outfitters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230

Jack Atcheson & Sons, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

WSF Alaska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111, 115, 117

Kenetrek Boots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

WSF Eastern Chapter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107, 116

Kuiu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8, 9

WSF Idaho. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Legacy Society. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

WSF Sheep Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130

Leica. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

WSF Wyoming. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Leupold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240

Wyoming Backcountry Decor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226

Lost Creek Outfitters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232

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ON THE ADVENTURE TRAIL

by Ken Nowicki

BACKTRACKS

Follow me Boys, Follow me, Pick em up, and put em down and follow me.* *A Father’s song

“M

en,” I chirped and slid into

my regular stool at Ruby’s Café. “I have a story for you.”

“Hmmm, what?” snorted Packtrain McNammee. He had his nose burrowed into the Kootenay Tattler.

“Jest a sec, I’m checking my horoscope.”

Lead-On Highfee was stretching his neck looking at something out the window and he ignored me until I was close to pulling on his shirt.

“Guys,” I pleaded, “I got a story for you.”

“Sure kid,” said Lead-on. He seemed like he was in a trance, staring at a stink-bug working slowly up the window pane.

I would have to compete with that stink-bug to get his attention.

“I’m trying to figure out if that little booger is inside or out. They look the same from both directions. Borrow me those readers Packtrain.”

“Shore, the Tattler says we got a real infestation this year. They’s the Leptoglossis, worse than ticks on a mule’s behind.”

I was getting desperate and fidgeting. I wanted to tell my story. “I got me a ram,” I said.

No reactions so I said it louder. “I said I got a ram!!”

Packtrain spun on his stool and never spilled a drop of coffee. He looked at me balefully, and said, “Yeah?”

See, we were down at Ruby’s Café and the old outfitters hang out and wait for me to drop in and buy them

236 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

pie or lunch or breakfast. I figure it can be worth the price, especially if I get a good tip on hunting sheep.

But they are never very interested in anything I have to say. But Packtrain asked, “What’s this about a ram— when and where?” (The latter was a question they will never answer for me.)

“Like, like on the long weekend,” I choked. “Up in the high cirque on Pack Peak on the east side of Coal Creek. You can see it from that new wellsite on Carpenter Ridge.”

“I used to ride up to the top of it.

Named it myself,” Packtrain smiled. “I guided plenty of rams in that basin.”

Now that was a fib I knew for sure.

There was never outfitting on Coal Creek after the 1960s and Packtrain was not that old. Still, I had my story to tell and started, “There’s cliffs you can see up high. To get there you have to work up through the timber and high step through the old burn where those pickup sticks are scattered everywhere. You can stay on the left side and if you watch the wind and stay low in the creek and you can slip right up into the ram pasture.”

“That’s right Boy. The important thing is to wait until afternoon when the thermals are steady. On a hot day the rams like to bed up in the shade on the right side of that cirque.

They can’t smell you coming but they can see you. You have to snake through some of the boulder fields and Krumholtz but it can be done.”

I guess they had been up there

because Lead-On chimed in, “It’s a classic spot under those cliffs for a down draft. The cliffs in the shade are cool and never get warmed up by the sun.”

“And remember, Boy, when you look up to the south and into the sun, you got to mind the shine.”

“If I told you once, I told you a dozen times,” Lead-On emphasized.

“Get yourself a head net or a mask.

It’s the most important piece of equipment a sheep hunter should have­­—any hunter for that matter.”

“I know, I know,” I nodded and held forth myself. “It’s near 300 yards to the cliffs from the creek but you can sneak a peek over the lip and get a good rest too.”

“The hard part is picking out the best head when sheep are bedded,” said Packtrain. “You got to stick your scope over the edge. You got to watch the shine off the scope and your gun barrel too.”

“You get your pack and your gun set up. Ease them into a bush or beside a rock. Then you move real slow and slide into the glass and mark the best trophy. How many rams was bedded in the shale under those cliffs?”

“There were only three rams,” I said. “I guess it was a cinch to pick the best one. He was a cooker and the other two were just sickle heads.”

“Color, Boy,” said Packtrain. “The October rams are magnificent with dark chocolate capes. That’s the first thing to look for in a band of rams.

The oldest is often the darkest.”

“You got to be spot on for size. Coal Creek is a full-curl zone and it takes a fine eye to judge a head from below.”

I soak up the tips these crusty old mountain men give me, and they have nearly 100 years combined guiding experience, but they are stingy with advice on where to look for the rams they chased in any area they once guided. What they prefer to wax on about is how to hunt and all sorts of

other trivia, like the types of stink bugs around here.

Truth be told, I knew about Coal Creek from eavesdropping on them one day at the café many years ago.

I heard them mention hunting rams in there and I sidled in and started buying coffee and pie every chance I could. I figured it was worth the price if I could get a useful tip on how or where to hunt rams.

But both Lead-On and Packtrain like to soak up information about sheep and I got questions. What size (16 ¼ on the base), what distance the shot (325), how many (2) what time (5 p.m.), what conditions (clear and windy) what gun (.270), and sundry other questions followed. How many loads to pack it out (2). See any bears, (a griz on the guts the next day and a hair-razing encounter in the night.)

That’s what you expect from these old pro’s. They dissect every detail, and they don’t miss a trick.

“Where’s the pictures, Boy? We want to see this ram.”

I pulled out my phone and they groaned. They hate looking at the cell-phone shots and with the calloused skin and dirt on their fingers they can’t swipe shots. Packtrain in particular, has rough hands from working with rope and horses every day on his stump ranch just north of town.

I opened my pictures and there was a fine shot with my son Glen and I beaming.

“Wait a minute,” snorted Lead-On. “That’s Glen there. Did he shoot it?”

“Err, yes,” I stammered. “It’s his ram.”

“I knew it,” roared Packtrain.

“There’s no way you could ever get up Pack Peak in your condition.” Now they were gurning and grinning.

“Look at Glen. He’s got to be 6 foot 3 or 4. You look like a little fat bug beside him.” They roared.

I bit my tongue, but Glen is the Little John in our family. He’s a strapping fellow now. “I taught him everything he knows,” I beamed. He’s been following me up mountains since he was a sprite. He ran up that mountain lickety split in three hours.

He came down in the dark blowing WINTER 2023/24 ~ WILD S HEEP® 237

out grizzly and reached the truck at midnight. He used the light on his phone to navigate.”

I continued, “Phones have a good camera and a flashlight. You can’t get cell service up there, but if he had, I’d have come help pack that sheep.”

This brought the thousand yard stare and both of them rolled their eyes. Lead-On said, “You can’t take credit for Glen’s sheep. And you couldn’t get up there if there was a rope-tow.”

“But I taught him everything he knows,” I said. “And I’m real proud of him too.”

They were still giving me the stinkeye so I said, “And I’ve learned a whole bunch of that from you guys.”

Now that cracked a smile, “Why shore, Boy, I bet you did. Now why don’t you buy a nice steak for us tonight and be sure to bring Glen.

Then we can get the real story.” WS

238 WILD S HEEP® ~ WINTER 2023/24

Editor’s Note:

Nowicki reports a particularly bad infestation of stink bugs where he lives near Cranbrook, BC. Local bush apes and outfitters attribute it to the El Nino and predictions are for an open winter which will ensure good survival rates for older age-class bighorn rams. Apparently Leptoglossis is an indicator species of note and biologists use them to predict snowpack and cold conditions in the coming winter.

Nowicki has two sons—Blake and Glen, who have a combined total of seven fine rams between them.

He is preparing a seminar for the 2024 Sheep Show® entitled, “Family Follies for Following Rams”.

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