Sheep Fever

New Chief Operating Officer and Executive VP of Conservation, Corey Mason joined the WSF Team in August, bringing decades of conservation and industry experience. 

Spending time on his grandfather’s farm and hunting with his father, Corey quickly grew into a passionate hunter.  Continuing to avidly hunt, but now largely enjoying time afield with his wife and daughter and making family memories.

At an early age, Corey desired a career in wildlife conservation. Beginning with undergraduate and graduate studies in wildlife conservation followed by years at Texas Parks and Wildlife and Dallas Safari Club, he has worked on private and public lands and across the globe on international conservation issues and opportunities.  

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. 

Wild sheep matter, and so does selecting the future leadership of the Wild Sheep Foundation in our upcoming fall 2024 WSF Board of Director elections.

Last year, we started something new by introducing the candidates, not only in print with their biographies on our website and mailed ballots, but with brief interviews on this podcast.

We have four (4) current director terms expiring April 30, 2025. The Nominating Committee approved five (5) candidates for the fall ballot for these four open director positions. 

The fall elections open October 1, 2024, and close on December 15, 2024.

New this year is a hybrid-style election process to make voting even easier. All WSF members in good standing will receive a paper ballot with a postage-paid envelope. Plus, members for which we have a valid email address will also receive their ballot and bios via email. You can vote by email or mailed ballot…but of course, only one ballot will be allowed per member.

In alpha order, by last name, the 2024 candidates with recording time codes are:

1. Bralli Clifford from Wyoming 4:09

2. Larry Johns from Nevada 15:54

3. Kevin Kehoe from Alaska 25:40

4. Kyle Stelter from British Columbia 35:57

5. Dr. Peregrine Wolff from Florida 46:50

Lastly, as a special thank you to all WSF members who vote in this fall 2024 election, our independent election vendor, YesElections, will randomly draw one name to win a WSF/Weatherby Bighorn Edition rifle package valued at $5,400.

Read candidate bios and learn more about the Election and the Weatherby Bighorn Edition drawing on our Elections page.

https://www.wildsheepfoundation.org/about/board-elections?utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=podcast

Acclaimed and award-winning journalist and author, hunter, and sheep hunter Craig Boddington had this to say about WSF Summit Life Member Jim Manley’s first book:

“Tracks On A Mountain is one man’s mountain hunting odyssey. Jim Manley and I have climbed some of the same mountains, enjoyed some of the same triumphs, suffered the same disappointments, and so often wondered why we are doing this to ourselves. Jim far exceeded my efforts in North America’s mountains…Wish we’d shared some campfires on chilly mountain nights out, but through his book, we all can.”

In this episode, Sheep Fever hosts Gray N. Thornton and Keith Balfourd sit down with Jim to talk about his inspiration for the book and the 12 hunts over six decades contained in it. Jim shares the how of his uncanny ability as a first-time author to bring the reader with him on the mountain, experience the climbs, taste the food, smell the smells, feel the burning legs and lungs, rejoice in the victories, as well as the anguish of the defeats. In his book Jim captures the essence of sheep hunting and the sheep fever infliction in spades - you’ll see why when you listen to this episode.

To order Tracks On A Mountain go to www.tracksonamountain.com. Jim will be conducting book signing sessions at the 2025 WSF Sheep Show® convention January 16-18, 2025 in Reno.

Azyre Gear founder and accomplished sheep hunter Cari Goss’ goal is to inspire and empower women to pursue their hunting and outdoors passions with confidence. A great deal of that confidence comes from functional clothing that fits, keeps one warm, and dry.  

For years Cari felt that the hunting apparel industry had overlooked women and that she and others had been left to wear apparel designed for men only later to be modified for women. She also feels that women have been often offered designs that don’t reflect their true femininity. 

Rather than complaining about the status quo, she wanted to do something about it. It became clear to her that she needed to create apparel as capable as the women who would wear it. In 2016 Azyre Gear was born.

Sheep Fever co-host Gray Thornton visits with Cari on the inspiration for her brand, what makes Cari tick, and how her passion for sheep hunting helped launch her clothing line. Cari and Gray talk sheep and sheep hunting and what’s next for Cari and her brand.

For more information on Azyre Gear and to order visit www.azyregear.com.

Andy Moeckel is well known in the hunting and conservation community as The Flip Flop Guy and his unique cooking style called the Flip Flop. He has turned a culinary technique, that has been passed down for three generations, into a thriving business that sells a full line of sauces, spices, flip flop mops, and even whole bone in Maui Nui Venison legs perfect for Flip Flop. 

It all started with his grandfather, Al Giddings shortly after WW II when he got off the ship in San Francisco and decided to join the California Department of Fish and Game in 1948. He became the main warden for the North Bay area, Marin, and Sonoma counties. He knew all the ins and outs of Marin county’s big game hunting, from mountain lions that he issued bounties on, to blacktail deer. 

In his time spent in west Marin, Al helped oversee fish ladders coming into the streams for the spawn as well as became familiar with all of the local hunting clubs and ranches. It was at a small sheep ranch in Nicasio, CA where it is believed that he picked up this amazing style of cooking from a Portuguese rancher. This family would do entire sheep legs on a spit and feed their families and local community. Al being the outdoorsman instantly had the idea that, “if sheep is this good…venison will be better.” And it is…

Andy is a third generation Flip Flopper learning the technique from his grandfather and father. Andy performs Flip Flop BBQs around the country for special events as well as industry and political celebrities. 

In this episode of Sheep Fever, Co-Host Gray N. Thornton talks with Andy about his past, an amazing turn of events and life challenges, Flip Flop cooking, sheep hunting, gear, calibers, long range shooting, and Andy’s recent role as Sales Director for Best of the West Arms out of Cody, WY.

This episode has plenty of short dirt roads, unanticipated nuggets, and antics you will be sure to enjoy! For more information on Best of the West visit www.bestofthewestarms.com. For more information on Flip Flop visit www.flipflopguy.com. 

Sadly, wild sheep numbers are down in many of their ranges. For our thinhorns up North, environmental factors, some of which are beyond short-term human control, have taken a toll in recent years. In other wild sheep ranges, fragmentation, contraction, and loss of habitat, both from a changing climate and land use policies (fire suppression, conifer/shrub encroachment, human footprint, public land grazing allotments, feral horses and burros), as well as disease from exotic and domestic ungulates in bighorn range, are all contributing factors.  

What can we do? Ensuring wild sheep have quality habitat is #1, but can we improve the resiliency of wild sheep to environmental factors? Can we “grow” wild sheep? These are contemporary and often controversial topics that wild sheep advocates and some agency/ministry wild sheep managers are trying to define and address.  

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 these topics.

With nearly 150 years of combined wild sheep management and experience, the three speak of “growing” desert bighorn in the US southwest and Mexico and the successes, challenges, and failures experienced. They also speak of attempts to do the same with Rocky Mountain bighorns, and whether intensive management practices for desert sheep (water developments, captive propagation facilities, supplemental nutrition and minerals, etc.) are feasible, practical, sustainable, or even possible for thinhorn sheep. 

There is no question that forces are being placed on our systems, institutions, philosophies, and the science that manages wildlife. Situations and conditions change over time, and adjustments are necessary improvements. Balancing change and maintaining stability is crucial to ensuring the best outcomes for wildlife and people. But this doesn’t appear to be where we’re heading.

Sheep Fever co-host Keith Balfourd visits with two guests who keenly understand historical precedents and the current pressures calling to rewrite wildlife management policy. Is all coming from anti-hunting efforts? What about wildlife commissions being stripped of diversified stakeholders to change the game against sustainable use? Is the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation a complete handbook, or is it vulnerable to criticism, misuse, and a tool for misdirection?

If you're pushing for change in the court of public opinion and using ballot initiatives, does acknowledging ecological and social realities, past achievements, and who was responsible for these successes undermine your narrative? Is what's being left out of the conversation by design? Are there things that we, as hunter-conservationists, can do better? Are there things we should be distancing ourselves from? As a significant minority of the population, do we have allies? If doing right by wildlife is our mantra, does digging our heels in on everything sustainable?

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.

The Wild Sheep Foundation is growing and is pleased to announce the formation and official charter of the Southeast Chapter of WSF!

The mission of the Southeast Chapter of the Wild Sheep Foundation is to build a community of conservationists to raise resources in support of scientific wild sheep management practices and habitat improvement. This is to ensure that future generations will enjoy the healthy populations of North America's sheep herds. We are a volunteer organization dedicated to sharing our passion for mountain hunting, educating the public and youth about the sustainable use of mountain resources, and highlighting the important role hunters play in wildlife conservation, regardless of where we live.

Sheep Fever co-host Gray N. Thornton visits with SE Chapter Steering Committee member Patrick Morse of Ponte Verde, Florida, on why the chapter was started, its goals, plans, and events for the coming year, as well as the inaugural chapter banquet in May/June of 2025 in Islamorada, FL which will coincide with the Chapter & Affiliate Summit XVII. While the chapter will serve members from Louisiana to Virginia and down to Florida, membership is open to everyone. Join us today! For membership options: https://www.wildsheepfoundation.org/memberships/chapters-and-affiliates/southeast-wsf

We’re going to Texas in this episode to talk about restoring desert bighorn sheep to a mountain range that hasn’t seen sheep since the early 1900s. Sheep Fever co-host Keith Balfourd visits with Texas Bighorn Sheep Society president Sam Cunningham, WSF’s VP of Conservation Kevin Hurley, and Texas outdoor writer and WSF contributor Chester Moore to discuss the Franklin Mountains State Park desert sheep restoration project. From water guzzler installations awaiting the translocation of 80 sheep to herd surveillance and predator management, there is a lot of ground to cover in what will be a historic move for the Lone Star State’s desert sheep population. The goal is a new nursery herd in a disease-free range for future translocations across the state.

Jana Waller Bair is the Host and Executive Producer of Skull Bound TV and Skull Bound Chronicles, a hunting and conservation series on Carbon TV that is currently in its 15th season. Jana has been a lifelong hunter and was appointed as a Wildlife Commissioner in Montana in 2021. After serving her term, she moved to Utah, where she resides with her husband and WSF auctioneer, John Bair.

Jana is a proud member of the Wild Sheep Foundation as well as many other conservation and hunting organizations. Jana is an active supporter of WSF’s Women Hunt® program and serves on the recently launched Rubye Mayflower Blake Legacy Fund committee, a program of Women Hunt®, which provides healing hunts, and other outdoor experiences, to women who have experienced abuse or other life trauma.

In this episode Jana and Sheep Fever co-host Gray N. Thornton talk bear hunting, conservation, her start, leadership, and award-winning work in outdoor media, as well as the pivotal role women play in, and the powerful narrative they give, to the traditional outdoor and shooting sports.

Jana also talks on a current Epic Hunt Series collaboration with WSF where a lucky raffle winner will join her in the Northwest Territories in the fall of 2025 for a bucket list all expense paid mountain caribou hunt with Mackenzie Mountain Outfitters. Both the winner and Jana will hunt caribou. Tickets are only $60 and non WSF members receive an annual membership with their first ticket purchased. The raffles concludes June 30, 2024 so don’t delay! Get your tickets HERE.