Sheep Fever

Man's (and woman's) best friend has been an important part of the human experience for ~40,000 years. Faithful companion, worker, beast of burden, hunter, protector, rescuer, and best friend. Dogs have been and continue to be all of these and more. Most recently working dogs have also been an important tool and arrow in the quiver of wild sheep managers and advocates as well as domestic sheep producers to detect the presence of pathogens such as Mycoplasma Ovipneumoniae (M.ovi) in both wild and domestic sheep scat and nasal samples.

Sheep Fever co-host Gray Thornton visit 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.

Alaskan Master Guide Dick Gunlogson is an icon of the north and our wild sheep family. WSF Director Larry McGovern has hunted with Dick numerous times over several decades including a harrowing adventure during the terrorist attack on the USA on September 11, 2001. Sheep Fever Co-host Gray Thornton joins Dick and Larry for a fabulous campfire discussion on hunts, Dick's storied career, life in Alaska, the early days of Super Cub polar bear hunting, and of course, Dall's sheep and other hunts in the Last Frontier. Grab your favorite beverage, sit back, relax, and enjoy this conversation with an Alaskan legend!

Adventure Wild is a collection of five rare hunting and fishing films produced over 40 years ago by FNAWS Charter Member Don Prince and his hunting and angling partner Eugene Vugteveen. Don Prince was a pioneer in the outdoor film industry, traveling to Africa, British Columbia, the Yukon Territory, Saskatchewan and many other remote locations in pursuit of filming big game and unchartered waters. These films take you back to a bygone era of hunting and fishing with names and hunting area WSF members know and love.

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!

In this episode, Gray and Keith sit down with a seasoned veteran in guiding and outfitting western big game hunts, and it wasn't what we expected.

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 that 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.

Field Ethos was the brainchild of Donald Trump Jr. and Jason Vincent, a multi-media platform to tell the stories of time in the field, but with an unapologetic, cut-to-the-chase brand of adventure, exploration, and the things that matter most, the life-long bonds we create with those we share campfires with.

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 story-telling 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 we hunt because we hunt; it's in our blood.

Wild Sheep Foundation's Mission is "We enhance wild sheep populations, promote scientific wildlife management, and educate the public and youth on sustainable use and the conservation benefits of hunting while promoting the interests of the hunter."

Education of youth and the public is critical to our mission accomplishment. We address the youth component primarily through events and efforts led by W.S.F. 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 (N.B.S.C.) 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. Thousands of visitors learn about wild sheep and their habitat each year by visiting the Center. A recent outreach tool used by the N.B.S.C. are webinars based from the Center, such as the recent disease webinar including expert panelists from throughout Canada and the U.S.A. conceived and led by N.B.S.C. Executive Director Sara Bridge.

In this episode, Ryan and Sara visit with Sheep Fever co-host Gray Thornton to speak on their programs and their impact on youth and adults. The three discuss ways to expand and better collaborate WSF and N.B.S.C. programs to reach even more people to educate them on wild sheep, wildlife, wild lands, and the conservation benefits of sustainable use in which hunting plays such an integral part.

Suppressors (silencers) are legal to own in 42 US states and legal to hunt with in 41 of those. Brandon Maddox, CEO and owner of Silencer Central, is recognized as a national thought leader on Class 3 firearms. What began as Maddox's home-based Federal Firearms License (FFL) evolved into a Class 3 Dealership and has grown into the nationwide brand it is today. Maddox's NFA expertise makes him a popular voice for the industry, and he speaks regularly at National Compliance Conferences.

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 thought about buying or using a silencer, listen to this informative and entertaining podcast.

High School educator and past President of Washington WSF, Glen Landrus of Anatone, WA is serving his second term as Chair of the Board of Directors of Wild Sheep Foundation. Former 747 pilot and CEO of Wild Sheep Society of British Columbia, Kyle Stelter of Victoria, BC is serving his second term as Vice Chair.

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.

Chef Josh Schwencke owns and operates Gastronomy Outdoors in south Texas, a company designed in the building and facilitating of culinary courses centered around wild game preparation. Over the past 18 years Gastronomy has worked to connect its clients to the foundation of their food system by teaching cooking courses, game dinners and fireside meals all in the name of great food, fellowship, and conservation. As a hunter and outdoorsmen, Chef Josh brings his years of culinary service into the frontier by combining cooking methods, techniques and international influence to all his game cooking and instructing. Though based in San Antonio, Josh holds the position as the Executive Chef in Residence of Wild Sheep Foundation and Women Hunt®, headlining the Camp Chef Culinary Corner the WSF's annual Sheep Show as well as writing to Wild Sheep® magazine.

In this episode Gray discusses with Chef Josh the future plans for the culinary arm of Wild Sheep Foundation, the bedrock of his culinary story and the joy of cooking wild game.

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.