The Wildlife Society

by Alexia Constantinou & Sydney Goward

Alexia is an instructor in the Department of Renewable Resources at BCIT, teaching Wildlife Ecology and Management. She also works with the Mesocarnivore Monitoring Team at the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, focusing on fishers. Alexia’s work has mainly focused on the intersection between forest harvesting, wildlife habitat and First Nations-led conservation and stewardship. She graduated from the University of British Columbia with her BSc in Forest Sciences and MSc in Forestry in the Wildlife Coexistence Lab led by Dr. Cole Burton, and co-supervised by Dr. Suzanne Simard. Alexia absolutely loves working with The Wildlife Society and feels strongly about supporting students and early career professionals in their journey. When she’s not teaching or playing with camera traps, you can find her figuring out how to go down rocks and roots quickly (falling) on a bike, with a paddle in hand or on skis.

Sydney is a wildlife researcher and forestry professional, specializing in working with and for Indigenous research & management partners. Her research (as part of her MSc at the University of Victoria) focuses on Dall’s sheep and mammal community ecology in the Northern Richardson Mountains, NWT, as part of a community-based monitoring program led by the Gwich’in Renewable Resources Board. Based in Powell River, BC, she is currently a Practices Forester with BC Timber Sales and is an active hunter, fisher, forager, wildlife photographer, and overall backcountry enthusiast.

e as Wild Sheep Society BC (WSSBC) members are passionate about the conservation of wildlife and their habitat. More and more, we’re evolving as an organization to collaborate and communicate with other groups, outside our dedicated sheep world, who share our vision of healthy wildlife populations for the future. The Wildlife Society (TWS) is one such organization we have a lot in common with. Having an awareness of other organizations and their work, as well as building relationships and collaborating on projects and advocacy initiatives, is a powerful move forward to support the WSSBC mission. WSSBC was pleased to recently be able to support the work of TWS, by sponsoring their 2023 conference and joining in on the conference action with a screening of Transmission.

To better understand how WSSBC and TWS complement each other, I recently reached out to President of the BC Chapter of the Wildlife Society, Alexia Constantinou, who some of you may recognize from her episode on the Hunter Conservationist Podcast (“Of Mice and Moose”, May 15, 2021). Great things are happening where passion meets science in the wildlife field, and I am thrilled to be able to share Alexia & her team’s wealth of knowledge & experience below on exactly that, from the perspective of The Wildlife Society. Our efforts to secure the future of wildlife in our province is going to be decided as we sort out our future together with other organizations, societies, and stakeholders.

– Sydney Goward

Alexia Constantinou:

Many years ago... on an Earth a little different than the one we’re on now... in both “Canada” and the “United States” themes were emerging among hunters and conservationists alike – preservation of public lands and protection of wildlife species both for conservation and sustainable hunting in perpetuity. When faced with decades of colonial over-exploitation of resources, individuals began to step up in the name of conservation.

Our parent society, The Wildlife Society writes that “[Aldo] Leopold and a distinguished group of wildlife conservationists were asked by the American Game Institute (now Wildlife Management Institute) to draft a policy to guide wildlife conservation. The 1930 American Game Policy1 laid out a broad vision, acknowledging that existing conservation programs were inadequate to stem the declines in wildlife... The policy also declared it was time for wildlife management to “be recognized as a distinct profession and developed accordingly.” At the end of 1935, there was an initial meeting to discuss forming a national society of wildlifers, and the Society of Wildlife Specialists was formed, which became the Wildlife Society one year later. From these ideas and initial meetings, The Wildlife Society was officially founded in 1937, with a coalition of American and Canadian biologists. The international entity has grown to include over 11,000 members, dedicated to progressing wildlife stewardship, science, and conservation. Canada has played a pivotal role in this society, and Canadians were present for the very first meeting of the initial Society.

In 2007, the Canadian Section was initiated as its own entity, and in 2018 the BC Chapter of the Wildlife Society was formed. The BCTWS is a diverse and growing group of wildlife professionals and student organizations comprised of hundreds of members. We support five University Student Chapters based at the University of Northern British Columbia, University of British Columbia campuses in the Okanagan and Vancouver, University of Victoria, and Thompson Rivers University. We are a professional society composed of individuals interested in the art and science of applying ecology to the conservation and management of wildlife and habitat in British Columbia. We are dedicated to sound wildlife management and conservation worldwide with a focus on the rich wildlife heritage of British Columbia.

Consistent with the vision of the wildlife society, the goals of the BCTWS are to2:

1. Support a connected, vibrant, and diverse membership of individuals across British Columbia, including professionals, naturalists, students, and First Nations;

2. Serve as the link between the BC membership and the Canadian Section and The Wildlife Society in general in order to bring information to and disseminate the voices of our membership;

3. Support vibrant and active student chapters to build and support future generations of wildlife professionals; and

4. To support policy development and decision making throughout British Columbia that is informed by the best available science.

BCTWS engages decision and policy makers through our conservation affairs committee to promote issues with wildlife, wildlife habitat, and wildlife professionals. A key role is to provide science-supported information to public policy makers, wildlife professionals, other resource managers, and the public concerning these issues.

In 2020, we released our first official position statement (supporting goal #4, regarding knowledge-based policy development) on the application of glyphosate as a silvicultural practice3. In it, we detail that our position is that in the absence of a silvicultural design that accounts for ecological integrity, the routine and widespread use of pesticides, such as glyphosate-based herbicides, is contrary to the sustainable management of forest ecosystems in British Columbia. Clearly, broadscale pesticide use is having negative impacts on wildlife and their habitats. We hope to continue with these policy-based endeavours, with the participation of our membership to urge government to make decisions based on the evidence provided by wildlife professionals for appropriate stewardship.

We also prioritize gathering wildlifers together to deliberate concepts, present cutting-edge work and to create opportunities for student and early career professionals to speak and network (goals #1 and #3). This spring, the BC Chapter and Canadian Section of the Wildlife Society were able to co-host our conference in Victoria, BC, “Our Future Together”. This was our first gathering in person since the 2019 Kelowna conference and we were overjoyed and humbled at the attendance and participation from wildlife professionals all over Canada. Students and professionals of all ages, with all types of career specialties, presented – and we all gained the opportunity to learn new things outside of our usual areas of expertise (or even within them!) and to expand our network of colleagues and friends.

The line-up for the March 30th –April 1st conference included twelve poster presentations, 67 talks, and two informative panels. In the first panel, we heard from Together for Wildlife Policy experts Jen Psyllakis, Andrea Barnett, Hunter Lampreau and Jesse Zeman. The second panel featured our provincial Wildlife Health team Caeley Thacker, Cait Nelson, Shari Willmott and Maeve Winchester. We were also honoured to present Dr. Helen Schwantje with the Ian MacTaggart Award for her lifetime of veterinary and research work.

There were also many talks at the conference that focused on and highlighted the importance of building real, long-lasting relationships and centering Indigenous voices in our collective pursuit of conservation and stewardship. Much like the WSSBC, we view it as a priority of BCTWS to continue to further our relationships with First Nations partners, and to see wildlife professionals across the country engaging in meaningful ways. A special note needs to be made here about the involvement and support of students in the wildlife profession in BC – over half of our attendees were students from BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Newfoundland & Labrador. There was a mixture of undergraduate, Masters and PhD students, and it’s safe to say that the calibre of work was of the highest quality, regardless of experience level. The momentum we felt from seeing so many students, early-career professionals, as well as respected government biologists, consultants and senior professionals and academics in one location was huge! We even heard updates from several of the students featured in Wild Sheep Forever’s Winter 2023 issue4 (check out the Grad Student Spotlight Article on pages 14-21 if you haven’t already).

It was a pleasure to be able to show Transmission at our conference, and to have both Chris Barker and Sydney Goward representing the Wild Sheep Society of BC – we hope for more opportunities to support each other in future. We see ahead of us a positive and bright future, advocating for evidence-based habitat and wildlife conservation and stewardship, providing forums for experts of all levels and regions to present their work and receive effective feedback, and supporting students and early career professionals shaping the wildlife profession.

If you have any questions about the BC Chapter of the Wildlife Society and our events, please feel free to reach out to current President, Alexia Constantinou at: tws.bc.chapter@gmail.com

REFERENCES:

1. 1930. Leopold, Aldo. A Proposed American Game Policy to be Discussed at the Seventeenth Annual American Game Conference, New York City, December 1-2, 1930. Available here: https://adirondack.pastperfectonline.com/library/32FB4248B423-49BD-8C06-265783029360

2. 2018. BCTWS. BCTWS Goals: Program Framework for the British Columbia Chapter of The Wildlife Society. Available here: https://www.bctws.ca/uploads/8/4/9/1/84917238/bctws_program_framework_draft_mar2018.pdf

3. 2020. The Wildlife Society. RE: BCTWS Position Statement on aerial application of glyphosate as a silvicultural treatment in British Columbia. Available here: https://www.bctws.ca/uploads/1/2/1/6/121665989/bctws_glyphosate_16july2020_final.pdf

4. 2023. Wild Sheep Society BC, Wild Sheep Forever. 2022 Grad Student Spotlight: leading the way in wildlife research and management. Pages 14-21. Available here: https://issuu.com/wildsheepsocietybc/docs/wild_sheep_society_bc_-_winter_2023 t’s hard to know where to begin with this story except from the very beginning. Several years ago, I was introduced to a fellow hunter named Nathan Koenig, who resided in Northern Alberta. Nathan and I frequently texted back and forth and connected on a few social media platforms for just over two years, discussing our mutual passion for hunting. I could tell that we instantly clicked and that he was someone I could trust in the backcountry.

One day, Nathan mentioned that one of his bucket list hunts

by Brandon Roth

was a Mountain Goat in BC. Without hesitation, I offered him the opportunity to join me in BC for a Goat hunt. In 2022, Nathan and I went through the application process in BC to host a non-resident and see if we could bring him to BC to fulfill this goal.

Although I had never harvested a Mountain Goat myself, I simply loved being in the mountains, witnessing wildlife, and enjoying the entire backcountry experience. Bringing Nathan along to help him achieve success on his first Goat hunt was an easy decision for me. After Nathan’s application was approved, we immediately started planning our hunt, gathering our gear and preparing all the necessary equipment.

A few months later, Nathan landed in BC, and we were finally able to meet in person. After a quick introduction, we loaded up his gear into the truck and set off. We drove for over 8 hours, had a sleepless night, and the next day, we gathered all our equipment and loaded it into the boat for a 14km boat ride to the base of the mountains where our expedition would continue.

Upon reaching the trailhead, we tied off the boat and began hiking up the mountain. For the next 6 hours, we climbed, crawled, and hiked our way up the steep slope. We encountered more deadfall than we anticipated, which added an interesting twist to our morning ascent.

After 6 hours of effort, we emerged from the alpine and slowly ascended over the ridge. It was then that Nathan spotted a goat approximately 1200 yards away. We both focused our gaze on the goat, observing that it was bedded on a small finger ridge. To close the distance, we decided to drop down into a drainage out of sight and then reemerge on the other side of a small finger ridge that separated the goat and ourselves.

Once we climbed back up the ridge, we settled in to try and relocate the goat again. After a short time I was able to spot it, bedded in patch of shade, and now approximately 550 yards away, with another grassy bowl between us. We patiently watched the goat for about 30 minutes until it finally stood up and began walking towards us, side-hilling through the bowl. As the goat fed and approached, we determined that it was a billy worth taking. We allowed the billy to come within range and positioned ourselves for the shot. At a final range of 240 yards, Nathan took a couple of beautiful shots. We witnessed the billy walk about 30 yards before toppling over. We were elated beyond belief. It was the first goat that Nathan and I had ever laid hands on, marking our first successful goat hunt and the first goat Nathan had ever seen. Excitedly, we discarded our gear and made our way to the fallen goat. Touching it with our hands, our excitement reached its peak. Harvesting a beautiful BC billy on the first day felt surreal, especially considering that Nathan and I had met in person just the day before. I am immensely grateful to have been a part of this entire experience, helping Nathan achieve one of his goals and spending time in the mountains, where I love to be.

by Ross Griffith

he brush-beating hike up from the river had me locked in on the present moment. My 2022 hunting season had begun with a great hunt: backpacking into BC’s Northern Rocky Mountains, solo, after Stone’s sheep. The 25°C, late August heat spell had me shedding layers and questioning water sources already. After a long day-and-a-half hike of elevation gain through buckbrush, mossy bogs, and slippery creek crossings, I was into sheep country once again. What a great feeling. I was greeted with picturesque views of grassy basins backed by rugged, ominous shale mountains.

The first evening in the alpine had me stretched out in the moss, glassing distant peaks as the sun sank below the horizon. A flash of off-grey movement on the skyline had my attention. Through my binos I made out a ewe, followed by her lamb, feeding out into view. It felt good to spot sheep this early in the hunt. I had not seen a Stone’s sheep for the past twelve months, so it was helpful to get an idea of what exactly to look for. I pulled out my spotting scope. With light fading, 60x power zoom was enough to watch the ewe and her heir vanish over the same hill they appeared from. It seemed odd to me that they spent such little time feeding on my side of the mountain. With the last half hour of light, I pondered their disappearance. Nonetheless, I was content to glass until dark and get some sleep. It had been a long day of bashing through buck-brush.

Peering through the beginning of the northern night, I saw another flash of grey. Exchanging my binos for my spotter, I dialed in on where the ewe and her lamb had been, just minutes before. What I witnessed then was a sight that I dream about, from winter through spring. Six rams strutted over the skyline of that high rolling mountaintop, one by one. Straining my eyes through the oncoming darkness, I figured two of the rams looked mature. They would be worth getting a closer look at, come daylight.

I spent two days patterning the rams’ habits, from a few kilometres away. The long days of late-summer at high latitude had the sheep feeding out of sight in early dawn, and coming over the mountain to feed well after sunset. Their habits reflected early season mule deer back home; cagey, and nearly nocturnal. This warm weather was uncomfortable, but I’ve had enough experience in the high country to be grateful. Back in 2019, hunting sheep during this same august time frame, a buddy and I were pelted by nearly two feet of wet snow. This brought on severely uncomfortable conditions, with days of near zero visibility spent in tents too light for the weather.

I was up early on day 4 of the hunt. I watched the band of rams feed over the skyline, just as the predawn light trickled in from the east. I still had not managed a definitive look at these sheep. The only times I had even seen these mountain coloured ghosts was through hazy twilight, in the lens of my zoomed-in spotting scope. My breakfast of dry trail mix was tough to swallow; I crammed it down my gullet. Ram or no ram, it would be a long day either way. Stuffing my pack with my sleeping bag and two days worth of food, I abandoned my tent for the high country, determined to close the distance on these sheep. Hot temperatures with great visibility are unusual in those mountains, and I was set on taking full advantage of the conditions. I figured that the sheep would bed down for the day: high up on the windy, lonesome ridges, or down in the shade of a rugged hanging valley. The latter of my two suspicions would soon be confirmed. At 7:30 that morning, with the sun already high in the sky, I reached the bluff that the sheep had disappeared over. The mountain was gentle and rolling on top, especially when compared to the nearby sky-scraping peaks. Knife-like ridges shot off in different directions down below me, making up for the gentle nature of the summit. Sharp and slippery shale lay on the surface, with dismal sheep-grazed lichens struggling to push through. The shale was a monotonous grey in color, covering the mountaintop which extended about two square kilometres. It was tricky country to hunt, between the crunch of rock underfoot, and subtle breaks in the terrain deep enough to hide rams. A brisk wind blowing in my face made my confidence rise, hoping it would dull the sheep’s sense of smell.

The next several hours found me pussyfooting my way around the edge of the mountain, peering over steep ridges and down into hanging basins, dotted with small snow patches from the previous winter. I had nearly circumnavigated the whole mountain, and short of bumping a few ewes, lambs, and ptarmigan, my day was uneventful up to this point. It was chalking up to be another great hike through the mountains, with rams getting the best of me once again. Around 3pm I began to formulate a plan for the night, ideally I would find somewhere to set up and glass. About this time, I was gazing down into a narrow hanging valley, interspersed with grassy knolls and goaty rimrock. Hearing some rocks roll, I tried to pinpoint the source of the noise. I chalked it up to the constant eroding of the mountains. A few minutes passed when I heard rocks rolling again. Now I began to scrutinize this valley, through the crisp lenses of my binos. I finally spotted a young ram! This sheep was nowhere near legal, but he sure made my excitement soar. I knew that he was part of the band with the two potentially legal rams. I strained my eyes for a couple more minutes. A few other sheep began to materialize out of the mountainside, as if they had just appeared out of an invisible portal. A more perfect camouflage for the shale slopes does not exist. I spotted one of the older rams, the lesser of the two. He was out about 500 yards at a steep downward angle. I eyed him through the spotter, but I was intent on finding the bigger and more mature ram; he had to be around. I heard rocks tumbling yet again. I realized that the noise was closer than the main band of rams, and it had been all along. I caught movement with my naked eye, and out came the spotter. There he was! The ram I had been after for the past three days, the ram I had dreamed about all year long. Pawing out his afternoon bed, he soon lay broadside, 274 yards away, on a perch high up in the rimrock, completely unaware of my presence. I studied him intently through my spotting scope, taking a few pictures and a short video. I figured him to be 8 years old. He had scarred up horns that dropped heavy down to his jawline, with lamb tips curling up to easily clear his nose on both sides. This is what I was after, a true mountain monarch. The great ram soon stood to adjust his bed. When he rose, my 30-06 roared, dropping the sheep steps from where he had just lay.

I have been fortunate enough to harvest my fair share of animals, but I was speechless. The complex emotions of a hunter after taking his prey cannot properly be described. I killed an awesome ram in great mountains, and felt very fortunate to have done so. The excitement of taking such a great animal did not fade, as I butchered and caped the ram, even as realization set in that the packout back to the river would take multiple long days. I spent a day ferrying camp across the mountain to get all my gear in one place. My tent and food stash were a few kilometres, and several hundred feet in elevation difference from where I had killed my sheep. I decided to pack out a different drainage than I had hiked in. This way I would shave off several kilometres from my route into sheep country, and I would not have to pack over any significant mountains. I had no idea that the most tense moments were yet to come.

I had a bad feeling about the trek out, and I began to wonder, for I had not travelled this “shortcut” drainage before. Images of impassable cliffs and nasty waterfalls wandered into my mind, as I trekked down with the heavily loaded pack. Prior to the trip, I had intently studied maps of the area, yet for some reason I had never chosen to hike this certain valley. I pushed this worrying to the back of my mind, although it continued to linger in my gut. My descent started through the alpine and thick subalpine, and on down to some steep grassy bluffs. I could see down into a creek bottom about a kilometre away, this was my target. I figured that once I hit the creek, I could walk down it until I reached the river. The bluffs I was traversing were steep enough that I could not tell whether it was a sheer drop off or a mild scramble below, until I was right up to the edge. With a loaded pack weighing in excess of 120lbs, this was a challenge. I finally made it down to the creek bed after a great drop in elevation, with many hours of picking my way down steep slopes. I sat on my butt and tried to slide the last 30 feet into the mellow creek bottom. I had done this a few times throughout the hunt, and many times before, as the loose shale does not create much resistance. Sliding has also kept me from summer-saulting down sketchier areas. As I began to slide, I realized that what looked like loose shale, felt like broken glass dried into bumpy concrete, cutting away at my ass cheek. The curse words I let out would have burned the ears off whatever game was living in this forsaken valley. My slide soon became uncontrollable and I stopped abruptly in ankle deep, numbing water. My right ass cheek and elbow were pretty bruised and cut up, but I was grateful that it was not serious. Best case scenario, my ride to civilization was only a few hours away, as long as the creek was good walking...

As I sat there drinking my fill of ice-cold stream water, I watched the creek wander slowly around a bend. Up ahead, steep rock walls began to narrow on both sides. I thought of how much it would suck if there was a waterfall up ahead. I shook my head, shouldered my pack and trucked on. All I could do was chuckle, when not a minute ahead was a thirty foot, showstopper of a waterfall. My amusement turned to colourful language. After much debate, I found a spot where I could skirt around the falls on a shale slide, avoiding the sheer drop. Unfortunately, the pitch was too steep to traverse with my pack on. I was forced to rappel my pack down the steep shale chute, something I was not equipped to do. Forty feet of commercial-fishing twine burned through my hands and promptly snapped, well before my pack reached the bottom. When I got to where the pack lay, I was thankful that my meat and sheep horns were still in place and undamaged. A few straps on my pack were busted, and I would later find some of my hunting gear was broken. Nonetheless, the important things were ok, and after readjusting some gear I carried on. The next few hours were tough going.

The canyon walls on either side of the creek were hardly climbable for a mountain goat, and to backtrack out would take several days. I lost count of how many waterfalls and bluffs I heaved my pack down. I’d flip it down a cliff as gently as I could, tip-toe my way down, assess the pack damage, and carry on.

I quit stumbling down the creek about a half hour after dark, when I came to an impassable falls, probably a sixty foot drop. The saving grace was that the canyon walls on one side of the creek had finally mellowed out, and I was able to crawl up out of the creek. The darkness left me wondering about what obstacles lay between me, and the river. I shucked off my soaked gear, shovelled down some cheezies and dried food, and slept in my surprisingly dry sleeping bag. After a night’s sleep, I forced on my saturated leather boots, shouldered my pack, and kept heading downstream. Fortunately, I was now able to hike the steep spruce forests parallel to the mountain stream. Both my load securing hip and shoulder buckles were busted off, along with several of the bag straps securing my gear to my pack frame. The swaying, heavy load was tough to handle, but I made it back to the river before noon. What a great feeling to take that pack off.

Taking some time to reflect on my adventure, I began to assess my gear. After a few miserable sets of waterfalls, my hip and chest buckles had broken, with the metal pack stays sticking out through the frame. My brand new tripod was smashed, my swarovski spotter waterlogged. My rifle scope had a good dent. The scrapes and bruises I had suffered were leaking fluid and had turned many colours of the rainbow. My pants were ripped and looked like a pair of buttless chaps.

I couldn’t have cared less about the equipment. I had a great big smile on my face. Thankfully, I was able to get out of there without real harm to myself, or my sheep. I have hiked out a solo sheep before, and hauled moose quarters farther than I probably should have, but this hunt was different. This hunt was a great adventure, and a tough reminder that those mountains will kick your ass.

by Rebecca Peters

omen Shaping Conservation had an incredible day attending the Women Want to Shoot event on May 6th at the Mission District Rod and Gun Club! Events like these provide valuable opportunities for women to learn about shooting sports and firearms education in a supportive and empowering environment. The presence of prizes and a fantastic lunch added to the overall experience, making it even more enjoyable and memorable. Such events not only provide valuable handson learning opportunities but also create a sense of camaraderie and community among the participants. Witnessing the joy and excitement on the faces of women experiencing shooting for the first time can be truly rewarding. Empowering women and individuals in general can have a profound impact. By providing a safe and educational environment, events like this enable participants to explore new interests, build confidence and develop new skills. When people feel empowered and supported, it often opens up doors to experiences and connections they may not have had before.

The Canadian Coalition for Firearms Rights (CCFR) & Mission Gun Club should be commended for their efforts in organizing such a successful event for over 90 women. With the guidance, inspiration and education provided by dedicated volunteers, participants had the chance to explore various shooting disciplines, including pistols, rifles, shotguns and even archery. This diverse range of activities helps introduce women to different aspects of shooting sports and fosters their interest and skill development.

The Wild Sheep Society of BC

(WSSBC) was able to make a generous donation of $20,000 to the CCFR and financial contributions like these can support the continued efforts of organizations like the CCFR promoting firearms education, safety and advocacy. Overall, the day was fantastic, filled with learning, camaraderie and generosity. These kinds of events contribute to fostering a positive environment within the conservation and hunting community, empowering women and promoting their active participation in these traditionally male-dominated areas. This brings up a very interesting point though... family plays a key role in conservation efforts, and involving all members, regardless of their specific roles can have a significant impact in the hunting and conservation space, and this includes firearms education. By involving all members of the family, including children, it can instill a sense of environmental responsibility and appreciation for nature from an early age. Largely, recognizing the role of family in conservation and hunting underscores the idea that sustainability is not just an individual endeavor, but a collective responsibility that can be embraced and practiced by all members of a household.

by Kirstie Rensmaag

hile I was growing up, if you had asked me if I wanted to be a hunter, I would have looked at you like you were crazy. I always imagined it as a time for men to gather, get dirty and smelly, and end the day drinking beer around the campfire. While I may not be far off, the one thing I did have wrong was that it was just for men – because now you can find me hanging around this same campfire, dirty and stinky after a day out in the bush, sharing stories of past hunts and the ones that got away. You’ll also find my kids there, bellies full of roasted marshmallows and eyes wide with wonder as they listen to these tales, some a bit more exaggerated than others as the night goes on, but many more with a piece of advice or a lesson to be learned.

I didn’t grow up in the hunting community and, I’ll admit, I was hesitant to become a part of it. Despite dreaming of being a cowgirl with horses to ride and a farm to explore, I was raised in classic suburbia and never even camped until I was a teen. I had an uncle who was a hunter, and I can remember being intrigued by the bear rug in his basement – but also running past it quickly in case it somehow came to life and nipped at my ankles. At family dinners, I recall hearing my mom say, “You never know what kind of meat Uncle Rob has brought!” My parents’ hesitations towards something other than your grocery store staples left an impression on me, and I wasn’t as open minded as I am today. I never ended up eating any of my uncle’s meals (sorry, Uncle Rob!), and it wasn’t until I had a few family dinners at my future in-law’s house that I realized how delicious game meat was – boy, had I been missing out!

Sadly, it still took me awhile to classify myself as a hunter. When my husband and I started dating and I realized just how important hunting was to him and his family, I figured out real quick that I needed to either get involved or move along – and lucky for him, I decided to get involved. I kept quiet about it in the beginning as none of my girlfriends were interested in hunting or fishing, but I slowly started to bring that part of his world into my own. I realized that hunting isn’t about showing off and shooting the biggest animal to hang on your wall - it’s about community, conservation, and providing for your loved ones. You get to see nature in its purest form; it’s not often that you can sit and hear the flap of a bird’s wings as it flies above you, something I’m lucky to have experienced several times now.

Although it took several years to get to this point, I am more vocal about hunting and am happy to share whenever I can. I will be the first to tell you how lucky we are that our meat is the freshest and most organic meat you can get, and I will challenge you by asking if you know where your food comes from. It took me forever to harvest my own animal, but I am proud to tell you I took my first three animals while on a hunt in South Africa last year. You really can taste a difference when you are eating meat that you personally have harvested, and the sense of accomplishment that stems from that is a feeling like no other.

I think it’s important that we keep the hunting community alive and thriving, so my husband and I are making it a point to raise our two kids in this outdoor space as well. I want them to be able to share this part of their lives with their friends and eventually their own families, without the shame or hesitations I had growing up. Our oldest, Connor, turns 13 this summer and has several hunting trips under his belt. I don’t think it was surprising to anyone that he lives and breathes hunting and fishing – he was counting down the days until his tenth birthday, when he could finally get his own hunting license. Our youngest, Brooklyn, turned 11 earlier this year and was also excited to get her hunting license. She loves to take the quad for a rip and while she may not live and breathe hunting like her brother, it’s still something she is excited about. In fact, she recently did a presentation for her class on the basics of hunting and why it’s important to her.

While both kids have grown up in this outdoor-loving family, there have been more questions as to whether Brooklyn would want to hunt when compared to Connor – there still seems to be that stereotype that hunting is for the boys and that girls would rather be at home. I don’t think anyone ever asked Connor if he wanted to hunt – it was just a given that he’d be out there with dad and grandpa. With Brooklyn, there was some surprise that she wanted to be right out there with them; however, if you spend just a little bit of time with her, you’ll see it runs in her blood just as much as it does in Connor’s.

I am happy to see that the hunting population is changing – there are more women and families each year heading out into the bush, and I hope it just continues to increase. Part of this increase is in part to programs like The Wild Sheep Foundation’s Women Hunt – while still in its infancy, it has started to open the doors for women who are interested in hunting but have no idea where to start. The women who take these programs can go home and share their knowledge with their friends and families, broadening the impact and keeping the conversations going. I am proud to be a hunter, to be raising my daughter as a hunter, and I look forward to seeing even further change as my kids grow up and have families of their own.

I asked Brooklyn her thoughts about hunting and what it means to be part of a hunting family, and while she’s still young and hasn’t harvested her own animal, yet, she still has some things she’d like other girls to know. hey are without question the most complex piece of “equipment” you own and arguably the most important if you’re an avid mountain hunter. Each foot has 26 bones, 33 joints and over one hundred ligaments, tendons, and muscles. To put that in perspective, your two feet house 25% of all the bones in your body. Your feet are integral to absorbing the impact of walking, hiking, running and jumping and essential to the stability in your ankles, knees and hips. They allow us to transfer power from the rest of the body into the ground so we can propel ourselves across the landscape and up and over mountains.

What does it mean to be a hunter?

To me, hunting means you get to spend more time with your family and friends. You get to have new experiences and you get to learn more about a culture or place. Providing [meat] is one of the reasons why I hunt – it feeds people, and it is fresh organic meat. Hunting can be just a hobby, but it can also be a large part of your life.

Does someone inspire you?

Dad and Connor, because they hunt a lot and have fun stories and experiences.

Do you think more girls should learn to hunt?

Yes, girls should know that not everyone will do things for them. They should learn to do things for themselves so they can go out on their own or with friends.

Do you like going on hunting trips? What’s your favourite part?

Yes! My favourite part would be sitting around the campfire at night and roasting smores.

Would you raise your family as a hunting family?

Yes. There is a lot to learn so it could be hard to teach them, but if I have my dad help then I will teach my kids the same things I am taught.

Do you have any advice for girls who want to start hunting?

Have fun and don’t get worked up about an animal that you were trying to shoot but missed, because there is always another chance. Always follow the rules and be safe!

If you’ve ever had problems with your feet, ankles, or lower legs you know just how debilitating an injury or even something as simple as a blister can be. Outside of acute trauma like a fracture or severe ankle sprain, the overwhelming majority of foot and ankle injuries are cumulative (build up over time) and in most cases preventable.

With some knowledge and a commitment to some pre-habilitation, mountain hunters can ensure their feet, ankles and lower legs are functioning at an optimal level well in advance of the hunting season. And if you’re in the market for new boots this year, selecting a boot prior to taking the time to make sure your feet are in the best “shape” possible is like putting new tires on a truck that needs its suspension and chassis overhauled. Specific to the mountain hunter, before we make any decisions on boots, insoles or orthotics it is essential to make sure our feet, ankles and lower legs are able to do the basic, fundamental jobs Nature designed them to do.

Upright, bipedal movement is one of the defining characteristics of the human species and as was popularized in the book Born to Run our feet have changed little since we first started moving around on two legs millions of years ago. Numerous preeminent evolutionary biologists believe our feet and our ability to travel overland for extreme distances allowed us to evolve into the preeminent hunter, scavenger and forager on the planet. Our first forays into hunting were likely

by Adam Janke

“persistence hunts” where we literally ran our prey to exhaustion, and this was made possible in part due to the inherent “springiness” or elasticity in our feet and lower legs, making us incredibly efficient at covering ground. This is a key point that forms the basis for how best to “bulletproof” your feet. For decades, the conventional theories on foot and lower limb biomechanics focused on “supporting” and “aligning” the feet. Yet, many people were still getting injured despite the proliferation of orthotics and supportive shoes. We had to be missing something.

As I mentioned in the introduction, our feet are incredibly complex structures with many moving pieces and parts. If we take into consideration this anatomy and our history as very capable overland hunters well before the invention of shoes, does it make sense to focus solely on “supporting” our feet with stiff boots, and insoles or orthotics? Humans simply would not have evolved to have feet as complex and capable as we do if their only job was to “support” us. If that were the case we’d have hooves not feet.

This is not to suggest that orthotics or insoles don’t serve a purpose, for many people they do but if you truly want to prepare your feet, ankles and lower limbs to handle the demands of countless miles in the roughest terrain on the planet you cannot and should not rely on insoles or orthotics and stiff, supportive boots alone. Remember, all those bones, joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments are there to serve a purpose, primarily to act as a mobile, elastic suspension system to help us travel over a constantly changing surface beneath us. Again to use the car analogy, new tires (boots/insoles/ orthotics) can only do so much when the suspension (feet/ankles/lower leg muscles) needs some maintenance. Working on improving how your feet, ankles, and lower legs work will not only make you a stronger, more durable mountain hunter but will help with stability in your knees, hips and back as well. It will also ensure you end up choosing the best boot for your individual foot shape and most importantly foot function. So let’s look at the most common deficiencies I find in my active or athletic patients and what we can do about them.

As much as the “born to run/hunt” argument resonates with me, the reality is most of us now spend the bulk of our weight-bearing time walking and standing on hard, flat surfaces so we live in a vastly different environment than our persistence hunting ancestors did. Even if you spend a good amount of time hiking or trail running the proportional amount of time on flat surfaces as opposed to natural, uneven surfaces is still significantly higher. The problem with this constant exposure to flat surfaces is we end up overtraining (or overusing) certain muscles and muscle groups and undertraining (or underutilizing) other muscles and muscle groups. The best way to think about this is walking and training on predominantly flat surfaces is like going to the gym every day and doing the exact same exercise…for thousands and thousands of repetitions (fact: the average North American takes 10,000 steps per day). The constant overuse of the same muscles day in and day out leads to range-of-motion problems in the joints themselves and then these joint restrictions feed back into the muscle imbalances and the cycle just keeps repeating itself. The bottom line is most people have lost the inherent mobility and elasticity their feet and lower limbs should have.

This brings us to the elephant in the room, and the whole idea of collapsing arches or “over-pronation”. I get a lot of people that come through my practice that have been diagnosed as having “flat feet” or told they were “over-pronators” and although these can be legitimate issues, the bulk of these people are actually “collapsing” their arches because of bigger problems in the ankle and lower leg muscles NOT because they have unstable or “weak” arches. I also get a ton of patients that come into my practice that have been trying to “strengthen” their arches, especially after the barefoot running craze hit, but aren’t seeing the results they’d like in terms of injury prevention or performance, let alone in the shape or posture of their arches.

The reality is focusing on the arches of the feet alone, whether through devices like insoles or orthotics or through strengthening exercises without working on some key areas in the ankles and lower legs FIRST is like trying to dam a river at its floodplain versus going back upstream and building a smaller dam at its headwaters. I have had countless patients come in with chronic Achilles problems, calf muscle strains/ cramping, and arch pain that have tried both orthotics and foot strengthening exercises with little to no effect, and within weeks of focusing on what I’ll describe below see significant improvements. I would like to be crystal clear here, I am not saying that orthotics or insoles or foot strengthening exercises are not beneficial. What I am saying is that before we focus on the position of the feet/arches we must rule out the deficiencies I’ve listed below. If you’re a healthcare practitioner and would like to challenge me on this, I’ve read every possible research paper out there regarding the medical significance of “pronation” or “arch collapse” and I welcome any discussion on this matter. Feel free to contact me personally at the email provided on the subscription page. Without question, the two most common problems or deficiencies I find in patients are reduced ankle range of motion (in a specific motion called dorsiflexion – more on this in a bit) and muscle imbalances between the very strong, powerful calf muscles (gastrocnemius and soleus – see calf muscle image below) and the outer lower-leg muscles (the peroneals – see peroneal image) that act as stabilizers when we’re moving across uneven terrain. These peroneal muscles in particular are truly essential muscles for the mountain or wilderness hunter.

Let’s tackle the reduced ankle range of motion issue first as it is virtually a given each and every one of you needs to work on this or at a minimum will benefit from improvements in this specific range of motion (ROM). Most people are too focused on the side-to-side range of motion in their ankles, usually due to a history of ankle sprains or at least the fear of spraining an ankle. The reality is the primary deficiency occurs in the ability (ROM) of the ankle to allow the foot to move back toward the shin. This is called dorsiflexion. It is integral to moving forward or in the case of mountains, upwards. Dorsiflexion allows us to plant our foot on the ground and then move the rest of the body over top of the foot (see Dorsiflexion In Action image above). If we do not have adequate dorsiflexion, one of two things occurs: our heel pops up off the ground earlier than it should (a key factor behind many people’s heel blisters) or we are driven into a collapsed position in the arches as a compensation for the lack of movement in the ankle.

This is simple physics. If a certain segment of the moving system is not doing its job (in this case allowing proper movement to occur at the ankle), then the movement or motion needs to be found somewhere else. And for the vast majority of “pronators” this is what’s happening as the arches and the inner ankle represent the path of least resistance for the forces that should be dealt with by ankle dorsiflexion. This reduced ankle ROM can sometimes be truly anatomical (meaning your bones are just built that way) but for the majority of people, this restriction is due to the constant overuse of those big, strong calf muscles from all your time spent on hard flat surfaces.

So again, before we make decisions on insoles, orthotics or boots it is essential we do everything possible to improve this ankle dorsiflexion.

Imbalances between the calf muscles and the outer lower-leg muscles are next in line. And this is where things get interesting. Many patients ask, did the ankle restriction cause the imbalances or did the muscle imbalances cause the ankle restriction? We have no data or research to confirm this (because no one has tried to study it) but my belief is the environmental effects of the predominantly flat surfaces we find ourselves walking and standing on the bulk of the year produces the muscle imbalances which in turn result in the reduced ROM in the ankle (and many other joints in the body FYI). I have seen these imbalances in patients as young as 10 and as old as 70 and they are considerably more prominent in people that rarely spend time on trails or natural surfaces.

Our constant interaction with flat surfaces means our calf muscles (gastrocnemius and soleus) are severely overused and the lateral stabilizers (peroneals) are rarely used. This does not mean they are weak, however, just that these outer stabilizer muscles have gone “dormant”. Even when we do walk on natural, uneven terrain those outer stabilizers (peroneals) have a hard time “waking up” because they’ve been underutilized for so long that the brain and the body in a way forget how to use them. And these peroneal muscles are absolutely essential to proper foot and ankle function. They both stabilize the outer ankle (prevent an outer ankle sprain) but also stabilize the front half of the foot as we’re pushing off against the ground. In fact, once the heel is off the ground the longer of these two peroneal muscles, peroneus longus, does the bulk of the stabilization of the foot and lower leg. So when we’re climbing up a steep incline or slide, it’s these muscles that keep our feet strong against the ground and allow us to transfer power back into the slope. If they’re not “firing” (aka awake) then all our other muscles have to work harder (again physics) and we fatigue faster. So we need to “wake them up” and there are some simple techniques to do so.

Dealing with these two very common issues will help with a host of very common injuries or symptoms such as Achilles or calf muscle strains, heel blisters, arch pain, shin pain and even some issues in the knees like IT band syndrome or kneecap (patella) irritation. The beauty of all this is the techniques to improve ankle ROM and address the imbalances in the lower leg muscles are simple and highly effective. The only BUT is for the techniques below to work you MUST do them consistently. I tell most of my patients these should be done DAILY. Remember, the average person takes 10,000 steps per day and for most of us that’s on flat surfaces the majority of the time. If you’re active you’ll be well over this daily average and each of those steps has the potential to create these joint restrictions and muscle imbalances so we need to work on it each and every day. The best analogy I can use here is it’s like brushing your teeth. It just becomes part of your day.

Techniques for Bulletproofing Your Feet:

The order of the exercises listed below is very important. Before trying to mobilize the ankle joint, we need to get the lower leg muscles working together. As noted above, most people will be very overtrained (aka tight) in the calf muscles and undertrained

(aka dormant) in the stabilizers on the outside of the lower leg so before we try to “fix” the ankle ROM we need to get these muscles working on somewhat of an equal platform. If the muscles are working together, the ankle ROM will clean up much faster. As world-renowned physical therapist Gray Cook says, “You need to move well before you can move more”. Lastly, if you’ve had ankle or foot surgery and have any “hardware” in your feet, ankles or lower legs these techniques MAY NOT apply. We can’t change plates, pins and screws but we can change how your muscles and other soft tissues interact with the affected joint post-surgically. If this is you, your best bet is to find a sportsoriented physical therapist and have them assess your situation and build a program for you.

1. Use “The Stick” or a similar device to perform what’s called SelfMyofascial Release (SMR or SMFR for short). Self-Myofascial Release refers to someone performing softtissue therapy on themselves, with the aim being to relax contracted muscles, improve blood and lymphatic circulation, and stimulate the neuromuscular stretch reflex in the muscles and fascia (connective tissue) that permeates the entire body. Although the science behind this type of technique is inconclusive, I have seen amazing results clinically. And for the lower legs in particular The Stick (or a similar device) is more effective than a standard foam roller.

2. Non-weight bearing (NWB) ankle mobility drills are the true key to bulletproof feet. These are without question the most common exercises I give my patients and are incredibly effective when preceded by the SMR work. The key with these mobility drills is to do them slowly and really push TRY to achieve maximum range of motion in each position. Most people will (and should) experience some burning in the muscles when they start doing these and if you are experiencing cramping in the feet or lower legs then focus on working through a smaller range of motion to start and work up to bigger and bigger movements. I cannot emphasize the importance of doing these slowly!

Ankle Pumps – Move your foot up and down as if pushing down or letting up on a gas pedal in a car.

Ankle Inversion/Eversion – Move your foot side to side, be sure not to move your knee while performing the exercise.

Ankle Circles – Make circles with your foot. Go clockwise then repeat counterclockwise.

Toe Curls – Moving only your toes, curl and uncurl each digit as far as possible within your pain-free range. Option: Pick up marbles with toes 1 at a time for 5 minutes.

3. Last but not least, in order to truly maintain the mobility and muscle balance we’re aiming for it is imperative to do whatever you can to minimize your exposure to flat, linear surfaces. This is not easy but with some creativity, it’s not impossible or impractical. If you walk your dog around your neighbourhood, walk on the grass instead of the sidewalk. If you run, run trails not roads. Anywhere possible, get off the flat surfaces that surround us. The more you reduce the time you spend on these surfaces the more mobile and functional your feet, ankles and lower legs will remain.

In Summary:

With a relatively small time commitment and some simple techniques, we can improve mobility, stability and power in the feet and ankles. Doing this will increase your strength, endurance, and durability and improve your ability to cover ground, climb mountains and come back down heavy. We were born to hunt and by focusing on the right techniques you’ll be able to hunt harder, higher and deeper than ever before.

Thank you to our Monarchs for elevating us to new heights!

Monarch Platinum:

(30) Don Lynum

Adam Foss

Monarch Gold:

(1) David Heitsman

Frank Miles

Monarch Silver: (4) David Hale

Terry Earl

Omer Hrbinic

Nolan Wannop

John Davies

Tom Foss (29) Erik Skaaning

Daryll Hosker (94) Cameron Foss

Monarch:

Gray Thornton

Chase Oswald

Malcolm Bachand

Ricky Roman

Jeff Glaicar

Chad Rattenbury

Trevor Querel

Casey Cawston

Barry “Bear” Brandow

Kyle Southgate

Darryn Epp

Lawrence van der Peet

Rodney Zeeman

Kelly Cioffi

Nathan French

Justin Leung

Mike Kirk

Sabrina Larsen

Glen Watkins

Nolan Osborne

Russ Burmatoff

Don Willimont

Michael Surbey

Bill Pastorek (24) Mike Southin

Kyle Stelter

Steven Rochon (37) Peter Gutsche

Adam Janke

Kevin Hurley

Benjamin Matthew

Jesse Wuerch

Bill Jacobsen

Rob Englot

Chris Barker

Greg Rensmaag

Waylon Vipond (11) Ken Kitzman

Brad Moore (16) Colin Peters

Josh Hamilton (23) Foster Thorpe-Doubble

Fred Vitali (27) Carlos Dionisio

Neil Armsworthy (35) Stefan Bachmann

Sean Davidson

David Pearse

David Heathfield

Jeff Agostinho

Magnus Mussfield

Glen Cartwright

Caelin Folsom

Steve Hamilton

Devon Stuart

Mark Gushattey

Kyle Noble

Rod Deighton

Frank Briglio

Clint Gill

Mike Tomlinson

Rhett Pedersen

Jonathan Proctor

Darcy East

Tyler Sawicki

Arnold Zwiers

Alex Kairouz

Ben Stourac

Andrea Mussfeld

Justin Bunce

Amanda Wannop

Brian Scott

Lorne Wood

Nicholas Stelter

Chuck Peeling

Don Stevenson

Ryan Jones

Marty Thomas

Chris Post

Denis Cabana

Brogan Vipond

Amberlee Ficoceillo

Ken Jyrkkanen

Kyle Burritt

Joe Eppele

Dale Hislop

Leighton Garfield

J. Alex Brucker

Thomas Madsen

Micah Pyde

Dean Ficoceillo

Wyatt Teskey

Anthony Klubi

Michel Beaulieu

Jamie Bowe

Matthew Peschke

Chad St. Amand

Liezel Armsworthy

Norm Earthy

Garland McAnerian

by Greg Rensmaag

f you would have asked me, only a few short years ago, about going hunting in South Africa, I would have told you that it is not in the realm of financial possibilities for a guy like myself. If you would have asked me about my thoughts on hunting in general in South Africa, only a few short months ago, I would have given you an uneducated misguided perception of what I thought hunting in South Africa would be like.

In March 2021, my wife and I purchased a 10-day hunt in South Africa through an auction at the Wild Sheep Society of BC’s Salute to Conservation event, which is typically held in Kamloops, but this particular year had to be online. A little over a year passed, we packed our bags to head on a trip of a lifetime with Bosveld Jacobs Safaris. The trip began like any other trip that takes you halfway across the world, long flights, uneventful layovers, and airport misfortunes. Once we landed in Johannesburg, our experience started a little rocky. The baggage carousel was vacant of our luggage and several other individuals’ luggage who had the same layover we did. This also happens to be the same moment we realized we had made an excellent choice on traveling to South Africa when we called the owner of Bosveld Jacobs, Riaan Jacobs, and he took over the missing luggage situation for us. Riaan managed everything from top to bottom with the missing luggage, including all the correspondence with the airline, getting the luggage the nearly three hundred kilometres from the airport to the lodge and this also meant the luggage went through his personal residence on its way to us.

On the first morning we were met at our AfricaSky accommodations by our Professional Hunter (equivalent to a guide), Drian. After a quick detour to Safari Outdoors in Pretoria to pick up the missing essentials, we began our drive to camp near Vaalwater. The drive is where the educational portion of the trip began for us. There is something to be said about listening to the local knowledge that was shared with us by Drian. He answered every question we could throw at him during our 3-hour drive to camp, from local politics to hunting to conservation to the economy. We were like tired children on a road trip with our endless rambling questions. The first thing that stood out on our drive was fences, every piece of property appeared to be fenced. From the smallest yard to the largest farm, it was high fenced. In the cities the fences were mostly constructed with a concrete/ block wall at the bottom and a barbed wire/electric fence on the top to keep individuals out. The rural areas had fences 8’ or higher constructed of metal posts and barbed wire/electric fence to keep things in check on both sides of the fence. This is where our conversation turned to high fence hunting.

Unknown to myself at the time, the majority of South Africa is private property. This means we were going to be hunting private property and the animals within those fences. You could tell Drian noticed a look of disappointment on my face when I realized we were hunting behind a fence, but the timing on the drive could not have been better. Drian slowed down on the highway and pointed off in the distance at a mountain top and said, “do you see that point way over there?’

I followed his finger, “yes, yes I do.” Then pointing several kilometres closer to us, “do you see this point there? Between those mountains, this is one of many properties we will be hunting.”

I was surprised by the shear size of the land that we will be hunting, just on one property. You could not traverse the entire property by foot in day. From my point of view from the truck window, the mountainous area appeared to be larger than any area on crown land that I would hunt on a weeklong hunting trip.

The fences are to keep the animals in and the poachers out. The management of wildlife in South Africa is ultimately left up to the citizens. Every animal has a price tag above its head. Every animal shot puts money directly into conservation and ensures healthy animal populations. It might seem counterintuitive that killing an animal means more animals and healthier wildlife populations, so I will break it down for you.

Safari companies’ approach landowners with prices they are willing to pay per animal, for each specific species. The landowner then agrees to the price and sets quotas for them. Now with financials being involved it is in the professional hunters and the landowner’s best interest to maintain healthy herds. The higher quality of animals being harvested, the happier the clients, which in turn means higher pricing. It is in the professional hunter’s best interest to only kill old mature males that are past their breeding prime. It is in the landowner’s best interest to make sure the professional hunters are adhering to their set quotas and that only mature animals are being harvested, as they want to continue to be profitable in the future on their animal’s strong genetics and healthy herds. Landowners will also maintain waterholes and set up feeding stations in the winter to ensure the animals remain healthy.

With every animal having a monetary value, fences are not the only means of protecting the landowners’ assets that we witnessed. Every property we entered had one of the following: A gate controlled by a fob, a gate controlled by a keypad, or a gate controlled by the landowner who you needed to call to be buzzed in. One of the landowners with high valued animals had even placed a staffed security gate at the start of the road his property, amongst many others, was on. The guards remained in place 24 hours a day to check in every vehicle entering and exiting the road, keeping a tally on the occupants of each vehicle, and ensuring you are leaving the area with the same number of occupants. This is done so the landowner can narrow down the suspects easily in the event poaching occurs on their property.

Once we arrived at the lodge, we were welcomed by the cook, David. He had prepared a delicious take on Shepherd’s Pie made with kudu and seated us poolside on the deck overlooking a waterhole that was frequented by kudu, blesbok and wildebeest during our stay. We moved what little items we purchased earlier in the day into our chalet and then headed out for the afternoon.

At the truck we were introduced to our cinematographer for the trip, who happens to be a professional hunter, Jurie, and the tracker/driver Joshua, who enjoyed hitting the odd aardvark hole in the road, ha-ha. We then proceeded to the shooting range. The range served a couple purposes; one, to make sure you are comfortable with the firearm you plan to use and hone in your abilities, and two, the professional hunter is assessing your capabilities so they know which animals you can pursue or need to pass on. After all parties were satisfied, we hit the road.

Within approximately 15 minutes of leaving the shooting range we came across a herd of blue wildebeest. The stalk was short through open bush. The cows kept a watchful eye, stirring with worry, they never fled but never remained still. A mature bull stepped in to the open, to simply persist with the task at hand, breeding his cows. Being preoccupied, the bull left himself exposed and presented a broadside shot at 75 yards. I was able to capitalize on the bull’s mistake and took the shot. A short stalk later, followed by a few photos, a test of the team’s backs, and assurances by Drian that the rest of the trip was not going to be this easy, the wildebeest was loaded into the truck, and we headed back to camp.

Driving out at dusk, we quickly realized the conservation model in

South Africa is working. Every corner in the road hid another herd of animals. Several giraffes, wildebeest, blesboks, zebras, eland, and impala later, my wife and I were left speechless after witnessing the abundance of wildlife. It would seem the campfire is a universal staple in hunting camps. Every evening at camp began with a fire, appetizers, and beverages. The comradery built around the campfire is second to none. Stories of the day, stories of the past and game plans for the future are shared in detail and jokes are told. There is nowhere else I would rather finish the day, than around a campfire with good people.

Dinner was next and the details of every meal were announced by David, a delicious feast of gemsbok tenderloins were on the menu. Now this is where my thoughts started to process things, we are in camp for ten days, planning on shooting six animals (we ended up taking nine), not allowed to take meat home, and there are not enough people working at the lodge to consume everything. So, the question needed to be asked. What happens with the rest of the meat? Everything is utilized and consumed. The meat is donated to local orphanages and the community, nothing is wasted. Unbeknownst to me at the time, we could have booked a trip to an orphanage to give them the meat from our animals before we left. I would highly recommend doing it if the company you choose to hunt with will do so.

Every day after, started the same. Wake up at 5:00am, walk over to the lodge, have a coffee, and enjoy a hot meal. We would grab our gear, head over to the vehicles and typically be on the road by 6:00am. This would ensure we were in the area we planned on hunting that day by sunrise. There is something to be said about the sunrise in South Africa, the shear beauty hits different and cannot be forgotten.

After the first day, I would have to admit I was a bit skeptical about the hunt. I had my reservations that this would be a ‘give me’ hunt and little to no effort would be needed. Everything

I thought I knew about the landscape came from pictures and video back home that only painted one picture, open grasslands with little to no effort needed to hunt. I was wrong, and man oh man was I happy to be wrong. The terrain was made up of grassland valley bottoms, dense bush and mountains made of loose boulders with slippery grass between, falling and scraping shins on sandstone boulders was something we all took part in.

Before the afternoon sun took hold of the landscape, the animals would be in abundance on the valley bottoms. Once you began to stalk an animal in the grass, you quickly became small and exposed. Smaller animals that lay hidden in the shoulder high ancient grass would blow your stalk, more often than not, and your prey of choice would be gone. When you were busted by one animal, all the animals in the valley would herd up quickly and then stampede down the valley to better cover.

Once the afternoon heat began to roll in, we would begin to search out the ideal shady area to rest, the animals would do the same. Lunches would typically be made up of game meat cooked in a braai basket over the campfire, as I’m told, there is no other acceptable way to cook meat in South Africa. With full belly’s the most important decision we would make every day is, where is the ideal location to hang our hammocks for our afternoon naps while we waited on the heat to dissipate.

Direct sunlight would move behind the mountains and the valley bottoms would begin to come alive. The animals moved stealthily out of their resting areas, down from the mountains and out of the bushes to seemingly appear out of thin air in the grasslands. Afternoon hunts were often productive for us, with 5 of the 9 nine animals we harvested coming just before sunset.

The colours of the sky begin to change, the sunsets, and we begin our long drive back to the lodge. The drives were filled with laughter, stories, in depth political conversations and even the occasional song broke out. One night, the economical impact foreign hunters have on South Africa was the topic on the table. Simply broken down, the immensity of the economic impact becomes clear. The hunters pay the professional hunters, a percentage of that goes to trackers, skinners, landowners, lodge owners, and so on. The landowners cut will go to workers on their land, maintenance workers, conservation management (installing feeders, waterholes, etc.) and even anti-poaching teams. The lodge owners share will go towards housekeepers, building maintenance workers, cooks, landscapers, and so on. The trickle down through the economy continues through a spider web of individuals that would be too long to list.

In 2014, a study was completed by the South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences. Their study concluded that upwards of $130,000,000 was put into the South African economy. This included nearly 31,500 jobs in three of the provinces (Limpopo = 17,806, Northern Cape = 9072, Free State = 4558). Not included in this study is what foreign hunters spend before and after the hunt while in South Africa. Things like sightseeing, transport, food, lodging, taxidermy and so on are not factored into these numbers. We all know taxidermy can add up quickly.

The experience we had in South Africa while with Bosveld Jacobs Safaris was second to none. Lodging was incredible, the food was always on point, the hunting was intense and most importantly the people were amazing. At the start of the trip we were only clients, but I am confident in saying we left as friends. The biggest issue we faced was trying to plan our next trip back to South Africa before we even left.

South Africa relies on hunting, and I cannot recommend going there enough.

Members, send us your hunt story (~50 words plus a picture or two) to communications@wildsheepsociety.com.

Conservation, heritage and a love for adventure are the driving forces in my life. This dreamland of a province allows for the average person to experience amazing places and things. Chasing Caribou in the remote northern Alpine of B.C delivered that feeling of living a dream. Breath taking scenery and incredible animals that remind me why I live this way of life.

– Tanner Dannish

East of the sun west of the moon. Kyrgyzstan, that was the destination. Chasing sheep and Ibex through the drifting snow of the Tian Shen mountains was happening. After a solid week on horseback and on foot kelsey managed to harvest a 9yr old 43 inch Ibex billy and I was lucky enough to get a 50 inch Marco Polo with wide sweeping tips. I also was fortunate enough to take a 41 inch Ibex on the last day of the hunt. A perfect ending to a dream come true style hunt.

– Kyle Southgate

First bear hunt success! Just before my 11th birthday my Dad, Uncle and Grandpa took me on a black bear hunt to Williston Lake. The first animal I had ever put in my cross hairs was 50 yards infront of me. I took a knee, the bear moved, I stood up and dropped him on the first shot while freestanding. A couple days later with just my dad and I we sat waiting by lots of bear sign and I was able to take my second bear with a lung shot. Both bears were shot with my Ruger Mark 1 .30-06 that was handed down to me on my 10th birthday.

– Connor Rensmaag

A quick 30 minute drive from home, a buddy and I set out for a quick after-work bear hunt. After parking the truck and hiking down into a meadow, we were excited to find multiple bear feeding in the same area. Managed to set up and watch them for a while before finally selecting one and deciding to take a shot. Just like that it was over. Couldn’t be happier with the experience and the meat this animal will provide until the fall comes.

– Tanner Walde

“In the heart of Vancouver Island, a pretty sweet adventure unfolded as I embarked on a cougar hunt in Woss, BC. The journey began with a chance encounter, spotting the elusive predator on the road at night on my way to my accommodations. We got on its tracks the next day, employing skilled dogs that eventually treed the cat. A successful harvest concluded our pursuit after two days of tracking, securing the safety of a few more ungulates in the area.”

– Jess Baxter

My hunting journey has by far exceeded my wildest dreams when I started. Lucky for me I have found great friends and mentors over the years, some have stopped hunting with me as they found out I will go to the worst possible spots to shoot a great animal, making retrievals difficult and long. The worst being three days for three guys to get out a moose. Those are the trips when you find your life long hunting partners.

– Ian Jackson

In my younger years I always had a dream of seeing the far north. The adventure of sledding on the frozen Beaufort sea and shoreline hunting the prehistoric Musk Ox. In March , with two friends by my side, it became a reality and fulfilled all my expectations. The Inuit people were fantastic with welcoming hospitality. Their eyes were amazing at spotting animals on the glaring snow with little ease. We were all successful hunting these magnificent beasts.

If anyone is interested in this hunt with “Canada High Arctic Adventures” feel free to message me.

– Aaron Parrotta

Spring 2023 in Grand Forks was slow coming, but the coyotes were on the lambing cliffs in full force. Several members tried in vain to protect the newborn lambs, but like they say, the lions come at night. My last count was 21 ewes and 1 lamb.

– Brad

Siemens (photos Jeff Jackson)

by Arvid Benson

found out early in my sheep-hunting career that it’s a game of highs and lows, certainly not a sport for those who lack mental toughness.

Few people know what it means to become a sheep hunter. There’s no way to anticipate what your reaction will be when you look down on your first ram. Either you feel it’s too tough, or you fall under the spell of the high country and become a sheep hunter.

In 1956, I experienced my first sheep hunt. The Dall hunt out of Anchorage, Alaska was everything I’d imagined and then some.

On the seventh day of my hunt, after a sprint across two hundred yards of shale chasing a spooked ram, I sealed the deal. After catching my breath, I celebrated taking the best trophy of my life to date. The heavy 39-inch White sheep produced memories that I’ll have forever.

Not all of the sheep memories that I hold are of high points though. Two years later found me in Alberta hunting big, bruiser Rocky Mountain bighorns near the headwaters of Ram Creek, adjacent to Banff National Park. Unbelievably, I had four stalks on a monster of a ram. Half the time he managed to evade me and the other half I managed to miss him completely. Talk about an extreme low; memories that will haunt me forever. I returned the following year and managed to take a much smaller ram than the one that had constantly outsmarted me. This small trophy did, however, get me half way to my Grand Slam.

Fast forward to the fall of 1961. I was in the Cassiar District of British Columbia hunting with Frank Stewart. Jack O’Connor’s outfitter recommendation certainly didn’t disappoint.

From my home it was a thirty-six hundred-mile drive to the meeting place, via Watson Lake in the Yukon. This is about the most virgin territory one will find anywhere in the world. Countless miles of nothing. And by nothing, I mean forests, mountains, rivers, and lakes. My kind of nothing.

I was going to take a giant of a ram or go home empty-handed. I’m a firm believer that one doesn’t get monsters by not taking chances and pushing it to the last day.

An exciting flight by Watson Lake Flying Service got me out to the rendezvous spot, Meeting Lake. Several inches of new, fresh snow greeted me, making the northern world sparkle and shine. For several days we hunted the area and checked out the different drainages and even a mineral lick, but saw no trophyworthy animals.

On the seventh day we packed up camp and headed farther into the wilderness to the Blue River area. Still not having found the one, on the tenth day I took a large Mountain Goat that we’d been watching.

Finally, on the twelfth day, I happened to spot two rams about three miles away. Of course I couldn’t tell anything about them with my binoculars other than they were rams. I thought. Maybe. With the 30-power eyepiece in the spotter we could at least tell that they were rams, but not much more. They were still a bit too far away, but thankfully heading closer.

Switching to the 45-power eyepiece resulted in nothing but heat waves. Frank stayed on it, though, and when the waves cleared for a moment he finally had a good view.

Frank got so excited that he could hardly talk. I assumed they must be pretty good. Then the words I’d been waiting to hear tumbled out of his mouth, “One of them is a very big ram.”

Amazingly, they were still working their way towards us. Frank knew that often sheep would cross the valley here, heading to the ranges on the other side. Quickly we trotted our horses across the valley, left them hidden, and chose an ambush site.

With the wind in our faces we carefully but quickly climbed up onto a small knoll. After waiting about 30 minutes, an eternity I must add, we moved forward to check out a draw about a quarter of a mile ahead of us. Hopefully they’d stopped there to feed and hadn’t vanished off of the face of the earth.

Taking care not to skyline ourselves, we peeked over the edge. I immediately spotted the big one. He was standing sideways so we could only see one side, and Frank told me to wait until he turned. I heard Frank whisper, “Man, he looks exactly the same on each side. Just perfect.” That’s all I needed to hear.

It was a long three hundred-yard shot at quite a downward angle, but my shot was perfect. He never moved. What a happy hunter I was. This was definitely an “up” trip that provided me with long-lasting memories. In fact, in no time at all, I was already planning a Desert Bighorn hunt. I was so close to the North American Grand Slam of Sheep that I could taste it. Even if I didn’t eventually accomplish my goal, I’d learned I’m my happiest when I’m surrounded by “Nothing”.

Thanks to the Grand Slam Club for their permission to rewrite the story.