Podcasts - SHEEP FEVER

Episode 38 - What’s in Store for Sheep Show® 2024?
December 6th is the last day for Early Bird Registration discount. Don’t delay, register for the Sheep Show® today!

Episode 37 - CALL ME HUNTER WITH JIM SHOCKEY

EPISODE 36 – TELEVISION, VIDEO, FILMS & KILL SHOTS
While some have celebrated hunting’s “coming out party,” others had concerns. Would these public mediums represent hunting and the killing of wildlife in the proper light and context? Would the non-hunting public, now with total access, understand what they were seeing and remain supportive? Ultimately, this would be up to the television networks, individual producers of these shows, videos, and films, who was showing them and where, and what was been shown and not shown.
On the heels of a new Films & Video Standards Policy passed by WSF’s Board of Directors, this episode of Sheep Fever peels back the curtain on the topic of what has been gained by hunting going mainstream media, what are the ramifications, what’s appropriate where, and who should decide.

Recordings of Fall Directors Election Candidate Interviews
The Wild Sheep Foundation Fall 2023 Director Elections began October 15th and concludes December 15th. Per WSF Bylaws, every WSF member in good standing as of September 15, 2023, has been sent a ballot and biographies for the seven director candidates running for four WSF Board of Director positions for a three-year term, May 1, 2024, through April 31, 2027.
Click below to listen to a special edition of our regular podcast recordings to provide candidates an opportunity to introduce themselves to our membership and for you to get to know them and hear their vision for the Foundation.
You can also download and listen to these recordings from the popular podcast app links on this page.
The seven candidates running include (in alpha order by last name with start times) are:
1 | Clint Bentley | 00:01:58 | Nevada, USA |
2 | Dr. Sam Cunningham | 00:09:53 | Texas USA |
3 | Larry Jacobs | 00:22:15 | Oregon, USA |
4 | Rob Kopecky | 00:32:25 | Alberta, USA |
5 | Emilio Rangel | 00:42:00 | Nuevo Leon, Mexico |
6 | Kyle Stelter | 00:52:49 | British Columbia, Canada |
7 | Frank Turner | 01:01:43 | Alberta, Canada |
Each candidate was asked the same five questions and was afforded 10 minutes to respond. We hope these recordings help our membership make an informed decision on the leadership of our Foundation.

Episode 35 - Working Dogs for Conservation
Sheep Fever co-host Gray Thornton visits with Working Dogs for Conservation (WD4C) Executive Director Dr. Pete Coppolillo and WSF Vice President of Conservation Kevin Hurley to discuss how these four-legged friends are making an impact on wild sheep conservation, trap & translocations, and test and remove programs throughout the west.

EPISODE 34 - Icon of Alaska - Dick Gunlogson with Larry McGovern

Episode 33 - Adventure Wild with Don and David Prince
Sheep Fever co-host Gray Thornton visits with Don and his grandson David to talk about the early days of outdoor films, the areas and game, the early days of FNAWS and why wild sheep are so special. David Prince has recaptured the original 16mm films on DVD and digital download so we can travel back to the late 1960s and early 1970s on epic 21-day Yukon and BC sheep hunts, one of the last safaris in Kenya, and angling adventures. Listeners can download the series or individual films or buy the DVD set at www.adventurewildfilms.com. Be sure to use the Discount Code SHEEPFEVER10 for $10 off!

Episode 32 – Western Big Game Hunting with Dan Adler of Diamond Outfitters
Dan Adler owns and operates Diamond Outfitters, offering a complete species list of adventures across Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, and Sonora, Mexico. Dan is a retired Air Force Captain who brought a fresh approach and perspective to the business of outfitting, from proven service industry business practices down to the staff he recruits and trains, 61 in total, mostly retired military, law enforcement officers or other first responders, border patrol agents, local cowboys, and career guides/outfitters.
Dan started Diamond Outfitters in 2006 with an “I can do better, the business can be better, the industry can be better, the reputation of guides should be better, and most importantly, the clients deserve better” mindset. You’ll enjoy this one, and yes, we do get to talk a little about hunting.

Episode 31 – Field Ethos with Mike Schoby
In this episode, co-host Keith Balfourd visits with Bozeman local Mike Schoby, Field Ethos’s COO. Mike’s resume includes past Editor-in-Chief of Petersen’s Hunting and Guns & Ammo magazines. He’s hunted everything from everywhere and is a key piece of the Field Ethos platform, including a website, newsletter, printed Field Journal, newsletter, and podcast. Their approach to sharing information and storytelling is unique, edgy, and entertaining as if you were telling tales with friends over a campfire with a bottle of brown. The unapologetic part is that we hunt because we hunt; it’s in our blood.

Episode 30 – Education – WSF Youth Education Coordinator, Dr. Ryan Brock, & Sara Bridge, Executive Director, National Bighorn Sheep Center
Education of youth and the public is critical to our mission accomplishment. We address the youth component primarily through events and efforts led by WSF Youth Education Coordinator Dr. Ryan Brock, including the Youth Wildlife Conservation Experience at our annual Sheep Show® convention and his Shooting & Hunting Ethics Education Program (S.H.E.E.P.) conducted at public events as well as our chapter and affiliate banquets and conventions.
The National Bighorn Sheep Center (NBSC) in Dubois, Wyoming, is a world-class education and interpretative center focusing on the needs of wild sheep and those who have and currently live amongst them. Tens of thousands of visitors each year learn about wild sheep and their habitat by visiting the Center. A recent outreach tool used by the NBSC are webinars from the center, such as the recent disease webinar, including expert panelists from throughout Canada and the USA conceived and led by NBSC Executive Director Sara Bridge.
In this episode, Ryan and Sara visit with Sheep Fever co-host Gray Thornton to speak on their programs, their impact on youth and adults, and the three discuss ways to expand and better collaborate WSF and NBSC programs to reach even more people to educate them on wild sheep, wildlife, wild lands, and the conservation benefits of sustainable use which hunting play such an integral part.

EPISODE 29 - Brandon Maddox of Silencer Central
Before his work with Silencer Central, Maddox practiced pharmacy and served as a marketing executive in the pharmaceutical industry. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and holds a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from Duke University. Maddox is passionate about varmint hunting and has spent more than a decade honing his expertise in the Western Dakota prairies.
Sheep Fever Co-Host Gray Thornton, a suppressor enthusiast and user, visits with Brandon about the growth of suppressor use in big game and mountain hunting, the benefits of them, and demystifies the purchase process, which WSF Sponsor and Conservation Partner, Silencer Central, has simplified and perfected. If you’ve ever considered buying or using a silencer, listen to this informative and entertaining podcast.

Episode 28 - WSF Vision for FY 2023-24 - Glen Landrus & Kyle Stelter
Glen and Kyle join Sheep Fever Co-Host Gray Thornton to reflect on the most successful year in FNAWS/WSF’s 46-year history and the most impactful for wild sheep. This past year saw record amounts raised and Grant-In-Aid dollars directed to wild sheep conservation, education, and advocacy programs, as well as funds directed to state, provincial, and tribal agencies for their wild sheep and wildlife programs. With the bar set this high, our guests dive into plans and their vision for the new 2023-2024 fiscal year and beyond. As the old saying goes, plan your work and work your plan.

Episode 27 - Gastronomy Outdoors - Chef Josh Schwencke

Episode 26 - NWT Dall’s Sheep and “Selective” – a new film from Jason Matzinger
For this episode, Keith and Gray are joined by Glenda Grout, owner of Canol Outfitters in the NWT, and filmmaker Jason Matzinger to talk all things NWT Dall’s Sheep.
After Covid delays, Jason was able to fulfill his dream of hunting a Dall’s ram with Glenda this past July. This sheep hunt was an opportunity for him to gather what he needed to complete a new film project that will also explore the history and significance to conservation and game management, as well as the personal rewards of a selective harvest of a special animal, what we all refer to as a “trophy.” As we know, the notion of trophy hunting is being weaponized to pray away public support for all hunting. This film aims to take this narrative back.
The group also discusses the opportunity for someone to win a Dall’s sheep hunt in NWT, which WSF, the Association of Mackenzie Mountain Outfitters, and NWT Tourism are offering. The deadline to get in on this drawing is coming up fast, June 30th.

Episode 25 - Blayne St. James and St. James Sporting Properties
Sheep Fever co-host Gray Thornton sits down with Blayne to talk hunting sheep, the NA 29, polar bear, and much more, including the essence of hunting and passing it on to future generations of hunters and conservationists. This conservation flows through a multitude of topics, from bow hunting to buying your dream recreational property.

EPISODE 24 - Schnee’s - Boots, Firearms, Gear, Sheep Hunting & our Outdoor Heritage
We discuss Schnee’s rich history, its future, and why showcasing a “gun shop” on Main Street in downtown Bozeman is important to our Western heritage and ethos. We also visit on our upcoming partnership -Schnee’s & WSF’s Ram Rendezvous II July 6-7, 2023, where we again turn downtown Bozeman into a street fair with BBQ, beer, live music, Schnee’s & WSF partner vendors, and a celebration of wild sheep, hunting & conservation.

Episode 23 - Feral Horse & Burrows with Tony Wasley, Charlie Booher & Kevin Hurley
The President’s FY24 budget requested nearly $155 million of taxpayer dollars to employ and resource 239 full-time employees for horse and burro management. Most of that taxpayer money will be spent feeding the more than 60,000 animals still in long-term holding facilities.
Current horse and burro policies are failing our public lands, our public wildlife, and the equids themselves. The time for change has come and passed.
Sheep Fever asked those close to the situation to help explain why the law is being carried out as written, how bad things have gotten, and what can and should be done.

Episode 22 - Women Hunt®, Women Shaping Conservation, and Women In Hunting™

Episode 21 - Hunting Icons of British Columbia - Ron Fleming and Darwin Cary
Gray sits down at the recent Guide Outfitters Association of British Columbia convention in Kelowna, BC, with two such icons, both WSF Frank Golata Outstanding Outfitter winners, Ron Fleming of Love Brothers & Lee, LTD and Darwin Cary of Scoop Lake Outfitters. Ron and Darwin share their journeys getting into the Guide/Outfitting business, hilarious stories, and exciting and harrowing adventures experienced over six decades in the mountains as well as their views on the past, present, and future of guide outfitting in BC.
These two can tell a tale and feed off each other like a few others. Enjoy nearly ninety minutes of two icons of British Columbia. We’re confident you’ll want even more!

Episode 20 - Conservation Permits with Andrew McKean
On the heels of the 2023 AZ Mule Deer Tag selling for $725,000, Gray and Keith sit down with Hunting and Conservation Editor for Outdoor Life and Mule Deer Foundation board member Andrew McKean to do a deep dive into the crazy amounts of money being generated from these tags, why, who and what benefits and while some people cheer, others complain.

Episode 19 - One Health with Peri Wolff and Shane Mahoney

Episode 18 - La Palmosa - A Family Tradition and Vision for Wildlife
Gray sits down with La Palmosa owners Emilio Rangel and his son Emilio Espino to discuss the history of the ranch and their repatriation efforts for desert bighorn sheep which from a source population of 133 released in 2005/2006 now numbers more than 700 free-ranging bighorns.

Episode 17 - Hard Truths About Conservation with Dan Cabela and Shane Mahoney

EPISODE 16 - SITKA GEAR

Episode 15 - Stone Glacier with Jeff Sposito

Episode 14 - Custom Rifles and a Raffle Tag Ram w/Paul Donaldson

Episode 13 - Conservation Legislation & Policy with Jeff Crane

Episode 12 - Boots & Sheep Hunting - Jim Winjum, Kenetrek

Episode 11 - Science Doesn’t Care What You Think - Steve Williams
Keith sits down with Steve Williams, past Chief of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and current president of the Wildlife Management Institute to discuss how this cornerstone of wildlife management came about, its contributions over the past century, and what challenges we face in keeping science at the forefront of wildlife policy and management.

EP 10 - Test & Remove
The loss of any wild sheep to predation or disease is heartfelt. It's even harder when an animal tests positive for the pathogen M.ovi and has to be euthanized. But the results of more lambs surviving to adulthood and progressively fewer sheep testing positive has proven its worth. Today, it is our best tool in the toolbox.

EP9 - Trophies & Trophy Hunting Part 2

EP8 - Trophies & Trophy Hunting Part 1
In this episode we visit with our community's sage advisor, Shane Mahoney, CEO of Conservation Visions. Like the word conservation, trophy hunting has been highjacked by those trying to advance an anti-hunting agenda. This time as a bumper sticker campaign to launch into a more personal effort, the anti-hunter.
Is the negative stereotype surrounding the notion of trophy hunting something we should be concerned about? Should we have adjectives that describe different types of hunting, or is hunting just hunting? Better yet, is trophy hunting conservation?

EP7 - Asian Sheep Hunting - Robert Logan

EP 6 - A New Look at an Old Problem
We've learned most of what we know about diseases and die-offs in wild sheep and what can be done from this think tank and research facility, which WSF and others have been supporting for years.
While we've gotten pretty good at putting wild sheep on the Mountain, keeping them there has been a struggle in some areas. Dr. Huyvaert gives us insights on new research and emerging technologies she and her team are working on, including a more reliable animal-side test for diseases.

EP 5 - The Original Hunt Adviser - Jack Atcheson, Jr.
Jack Jr. has followed in his father's footsteps as a booking agent out of Butte, Montana. Between them, they have put more people on their first and last sheep hunts than anyone. This is insider information we're all lucky to have.

EP 4 - Wild Sheep Conservation Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow
If you want to know where you're going, check where you've been. In this episode of Sheep Fever, you'll hear from the past two Chairs of the Wild Sheep Foundation, Brett Jefferson and Dr. Peregrine Wolff. They both share a look behind the scenes of WSF over the past four years.
In their tenure at the helm, both have seen tremendous growth in the organization but more importantly significant progress in Putting and Keeping Wild Sheep on the Mountain. Still, challenges and threats remain to be overcome, reminding us that wild sheep conservation is a continuum.

EP 3 - Wild Harvest Initiative - Shane Mahoney

EP 2 - Great Rams - Bob Anderson - Part 2

EP 1 - Great Rams - Bob Anderson - Part 1
