WSF Board Approves Updated Ewe Hunting Position Statement

At its Spring Board Meeting held in Reno, Nevada, on April 5-6, members approved an updated position statement on hunting ewes. The Wild Sheep Foundation is dedicated to conserving wild sheep and their ecosystems. As the catalyst for innovative conservation initiatives to restore, manage, and enhance wild sheep populations, the Foundation supports agency use of all proven methods to keep populations healthy. 

The Wild Sheep Foundation believes that reductions are warranted when wild sheep populations exceed their habitat’s carrying capacity, whether through translocations or the harvest of females. To maintain wild sheep populations at or below the carrying capacity of their habitats, the Foundation encourages translocations to suitable vacant habitats or to augment existing populations, as determined by wildlife agency personnel. However, when suitable areas are[page1image863401904]unavailable, and a population reduction is still a desirable management strategy, it is the position of the Wild Sheep Foundation to encourage the harvesting of female sheep by hunting to bring population numbers in line with the estimated habitat carrying capacity.

Click here to read WSF's complete overview and position statement on ewe hunting.