The Latest

Each year at the Wild Sheep Foundation’s (WSF) Sheep Show, the spotlight shines on the wild sheep themselves, on the mountains they inhabit, and on the conservation successes that keep them there. But behind the scenes, two of the most important gatherings take place in a quieter setting: the Wildlife Professionals Meeting and the WAFWA Wild Sheep Initiative Meeting.
 

A candid conversation with WSF legislative consultant Greg Schildwachter on wolves, grizzlies, the ESA, and the growing divide between science and sentiment. We cut through misinformation and explore what a common-sense, balanced path forward looks like for people, wildlife, and real conservation.

Three years ago, we produced our first Conservation Impact Summary. The purpose was to “tell our story” beyond just the dollars directed to wild sheep conservation and other mission programs, but more importantly, to demonstrate and share the impact those dollars have. The work WSF accomplished this past year is the legacy of the WSF family.

Investments to conserve, restore, and manage fish and wildlife pump billions into the economy - fueling jobs, powering the $1.1 trillion outdoor recreation industry, and rivaling major U.S. sectors. Read more, including the full report, here.

The Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF) recently concluded its presentations at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Attending the 7-day event were conservation experts, leaders, policymakers, and government officials from around the world.

Fresh on the heels of a 2025 fiscal year with record convention proceeds ($4+ Million), record contributions to the Wild Sheep Legacy Foundation Endowment Fund ($2.2 Million), and a record directed to wild sheep conservation and other WSF Mission Programs (a staggering $11.53 Million), Sheep Fever sits down with WSF Board of Directors Chair, Charlie Kelly and Vice Chair Kyle Stelter to look to the future for wild sheep.

Following the close of its most recent fiscal year, the Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF) released its 10-year Mission Program Funding report, which shows over $70 Million directed by WSF to wild sheep conservation and management, hunting advocacy, public outreach, and education.

In this episode, we drill deeper into this topic with Shane Mahoney, president and CEO of Conservation Visions. We begin by reflecting on a quote from Aldo Leopold’s book, A Sand County Almanac, published in 1949. Emotion is trumping science, sound conservation actions are being pulled in all directions or tied up in court, and harmful measures are showing up on ballot initiative.

In this episode of Sheep Fever, we talk with Conservation Visions president and CEO Shane Mahoney about where conservation is today, what it is facing, how it is being pulled in all directions, and the need, for the lack of a better term, a conservation template that puts wildlife, the environment, and people all in the same house. After all, we are living in the same house.

In this episode, Sheep Fever co-host Gray Thornton visits with Corey on his background and family, professional career, and plans and goals at WSF. Corey also shares some of his past experiences and perspectives on conservation, policy, work in international arenas and many of the relationships built and maintained along the way. 

In this episode of Sheep Fever, co-host Gray N. Thornton speaks with WSF’s “Tres Amigos of Conservation” - VP of Conservation Kevin Hurley, Conservation Director Kurt Alt, and retired Conservation Director Clay Brewer, on the topic of "growing" wild sheep.

Change is inevitable. Sportsmen and women have had the lead in wildlife conservation. How do we maintain this lead? These are all good questions. Some, but not all, were answered in this episode. Like conservation itself, this topic is on a continuum.