The Latest

A foot of fresh snow, a steep climb, and a ram called Thumper. Scott Ellis had one gear left—four low—and it was enough to get him kicked out.

Seven candidates. Four open seats. In this special edition of Sheep Fever, Gray Thornton sits down with each candidate running in the Fall 2026 WSF Board of Directors election to help members get to know the people seeking to serve the Foundation.

Ellie Henley had never handled a long gun when she was selected for the Women Hunt Field to Fork program. Today, hunting has taken her around the world and given her a new connection to food, family, conservation, and the hunting community. 

From drawing a once-in-a-lifetime Idaho sheep tag to facing unexpected challenges at home, Hazen Downward shares a story of family, resilience, preparation, and what hunting truly means.

One opportunity can change everything. Women Hunt alumni Brandi Love and Courtney Michels share how Field to Fork helped them gain the skills and confidence to become hunters—and ultimately volunteers, mentors, and leaders helping others find their place in the hunting community.

A new executive order puts hunting access, wildlife habitat, game populations, and active management in the federal spotlight. For the wild sheep community, provisions addressing habitat connectivity, disease, population-limiting factors, and hunting at Castle Mountains National Monument are especially significant.

What does the future of wild sheep conservation look like—and how do you build a plan to get there? Sheep Fever co-host Gray N. Thornton sits down with WSF conservation staff and biologists Corey Mason, Kevin Hurley, Kurt Alt, and Bill Jex to unpack Conservation Vision 2030.

Lasha Barbosa is a woman who is finding her voice again. A brain tumor may have affected her ability to talk and walk but with the help of her husband and a newfound passion for hunting and art, she is speaking volumes. Hear her story of her experience being accepted as a Field to Fork and how she is using art as a means for healing and giving back.

Northwest Montana’s Ural/Tweed bighorns once numbered 150–200 animals. Today, this native Rocky Mountain Trench herd is estimated at roughly 40 sheep. Highway mortality, shrinking habitat, predation, and isolation all threaten its future—but targeted conservation actions could give the herd a path back.

A MidwayUSA Foundation grant will help WSF expand hands-on shooting and hunting education for young people through its Shooting, Hunting & Ethics Education Program (S.H.E.E.P.), building skills, reinforcing safe and ethical hunting practices, and connecting the next generation to wildlife conservation. 

The Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund is continuing its commitment to wild sheep with a $150,000 grant supporting WSF’s Grant-In-Aid Program for fiscal year 2026–27. Over eight years, the Outdoor Fund has contributed $926,000 to advance wild sheep conservation projects across North America. 

Join Maddie Richards as she interviews Kyle Short about his journey in sheep hunting, the challenges faced, lessons learned from unsuccessful hunts, and the thrill of finally harvesting a big ram in Alberta. This episode offers valuable insights into preparation, mental resilience, and conservation efforts.