New Episode: Safeguarding Bighorns – A Health Initiative in the Kootenays

In this episode, we’re joined by the Provincial Wildlife Veterinarian Caeley Thacker and WSSBC representative, Josh Hamilton to discuss an exciting new initiative aimed at protecting one of British Columbia’s most iconic species — the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep.

We’re proud to announce the launch of a comprehensive wild sheep health project in the Kootenay region. This collaborative effort will focus on gathering critical data on disease presence, environmental contaminants, and overall herd health. The information collected will play a key role in identifying emerging threats and informing habitat restoration and conservation strategies across the region.

A call to action is going out to Region 4 guide outfitters and Limited Entry Hunt (LEH) permit holders: you can make a significant impact by collecting biological samples from any bighorn sheep you harvest this year. Sampling kits and detailed instructions will be available throughout the summer.

Order your free sampling kit here: https://forms.gle/bTWBqCuKee23Depd7

This project is a collaboration between the BC Wildlife Health Program, the Wild Sheep Society of British Columbia, and Wildkin Veterinary Services. Your support and participation are vital in our shared mission to protect wild sheep for generations to come.

Tune in now to learn how hunters, outfitters, and conservationists are working together to ensure a healthy future for BC’s bighorns.

Proudly presented by SITKA Gear.

Supported by our Conservation Partners:

Frontiersmen Gear, Gunwerks, OnX Maps, Precision Optics, Schnee's, Stone Glacier, Wild TV, YETI, and Zeiss

Mountain Ready Ep. 5 — Grit, Growth, and Getting It Done with Kaden Romain

We’re back with the fifth installment of our Mountain Ready series — built for sheep hunters preparing for the rigours of fall in the high country. This time, we welcome seasoned mountain hunter Kaden Romain to the show.

Kaden shares insights into the mindset of a veteran sheep hunter, recounting the highs and lows of a memorable trip marked by a brutal 48-hour snowstorm. Where many would have packed it in, Kaden and his partner stayed the course — and were rewarded with encounters on multiple bands of rams once the storm passed. It’s a powerful reminder that resilience often separates success from failure in the mountains.

We also dive into Kaden’s evolution as a sheep hunter — from his early days cutting his teeth in the backcountry to the refined techniques and strategies that now guide his approach. Whether you're new to sheep hunting or a seasoned vet, there's plenty of insight to take into your own mountain pursuits.

Proudly presented by SITKA Gear.



Supported by our Conservation Partners:

Frontiersmen Gear, Gunwerks, OnX Maps, Precision Optics, Schnee's, Stone Glacier, Wild TV, YETI, and Zeiss

Podcast Episode: Healing in the Wild with Todd Hisey, Founder of The Veteran Hunters

In this episode, we sit down with Todd Hisey, Founder and CEO of The Veteran Hunters Canada — a non-profit organization run by retired Canadian Armed Forces Veterans and First Responders who have experienced their own mental health journeys.

The Veteran Hunters exists to serve fellow Veterans, Military Members, and First Responders by offering peer support and outdoor therapy through guided hunting and wilderness experiences. Their mission is simple: provide healing in the wild through connection, camaraderie, and purpose.

They believe that being in the outdoors is extremely therapeutic — especially when surrounded by fellow Soldiers, Law Enforcement Officers, Paramedics, Firefighters, and Corrections Officers.



Todd shares the organization’s origin story, how nature helped him personally heal, and the powerful impact this initiative is having on lives across the country. This is more than a hunting program — it’s a lifeline for those who’ve served.

Learn more at: www.theveteranhunters.com

Proudly Sponsored By: SITKA Gear

With Support From Our Conservation Partners:

Frontiersmen Gear, Gunwerks, OnX Maps, Precision Optics, Schnee's, Stone Glacier, Wild TV, YETI, and Zeiss

Mountain Ready: Judging Rams with Mike Bridger

We welcome back experienced sheep hunter and BC Wildlife Biologist Mike Bridger for the fourth installment of our Mountain Ready series. In this episode, we focus on how to prepare for your fall sheep hunt, with a deep dive into field judging and legal harvest practices.

With high rates of illegal sheep harvest over the past decade, it’s more important than ever to hone your skills in the field. Mike shares practical, experience-based techniques that will help you accurately judge rams this season — insights that even seasoned sheep hunters will find valuable. Drawing on years of guiding experience in the Territories, Mike provides expert advice that could make all the difference on your next hunt.

Don’t miss our upcoming Horn Aging and Field Judging Rams Seminar hosted in partnership with the North Peace Rod and Gun Club, happening Saturday, July 5th in Fort St. John. Mike Bridger and Rayelle Hartley will present key concepts designed to improve your effectiveness in the field. The event is free, but registration is required:

https://www.wildsheepsociety.com/horn-aging-and-field-judging-rams

Tune in and get Mountain Ready.

Proudly sponsored by: SITKA Gear

Supported by our Conservation Partners: Frontiersmen Gear, Gunwerks, OnX Maps, Precision Optics, Schnee's, Stone Glacier, Wild TV, YETI, and Zeiss

We’re thrilled to welcome back legendary guide Tanis Barkman to the podcast for the third installment in our Mountain Ready series — designed specifically for sheep hunters gearing up for their fall mountain hunts.

In this episode, we dive deep into one of the most critical skills for alpine success: glassing. Tanis shares her proven strategies for making the most of your optics in the high country, offering insight that can make the difference between spotting a ram or going home empty-handed.

But as always, the conversation doesn’t stop there. We explore what success truly means in the mountains — a theme Tanis speaks to with rare honesty and deep reverence. Her passion for sheep hunting, the wilderness, and the wild sheep themselves will leave you inspired and ready to tackle the backcountry with a renewed perspective.

Proudly sponsored by SITKA Gear

Supported by our Conservation Partners:

Frontiersmen Gear, Gunwerks, OnX Maps, Precision Optics, Schnee's, Stone Glacier, Wild TV, YETI, and Zeiss

Talk is Sheep welcomes Keith Balfourd, Director of Marketing and Communications for the Wild Sheep Foundation, to the podcast. A seasoned veteran in the conservation community, Keith has been deeply involved in numerous fundraising initiatives that benefit wild sheep and other wildlife species.

In this episode, Keith discusses the Wild Sheep Foundation’s support of the 2025–2026 Arizona Game and Fish Commission Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Raffle Tag. Every dollar raised through this raffle will go directly to the Arizona Game & Fish Department Habitat Partnership Committee, furthering their mission to steward and protect the state’s wild sheep populations.

When it comes to managing a high-demand, limited-opportunity species like wild sheep, license sales alone aren’t enough—unless each tag costs tens of thousands of dollars. That’s why wildlife agencies offer special auction and raffle tags, which generate critical funding for conservation. Without these supplemental funds, there would simply be fewer sheep on the mountain.

Keith and Kyle explore the world of conservation permits and how fundraising models are evolving. The Wild Sheep Foundation continues to support this important raffle, even as the Arizona Game and Fish Department has moved away from auction permits—an act that underscores the Foundation’s unwavering commitment to wild sheep and conservation.

Thanks to funds raised from auction and raffle tags, Arizona has seen bighorn sheep hunting opportunities grow from just 44 tags in 1984 to 156 tags in 2024—a clear testament to the power of sportsmen-led conservation.

While entering the raffle may be a personal decision, your participation supports a cause far greater than any individual—Arizona’s wild sheep. That’s the true spirit of conservation.

To enter for a chance to win this coveted tag, visit: https://wildsheep.fanthem.io/give/sheep/online-raffles/bhs?referralCode=talkissheep

Talk Is Sheep is the official podcast of the Wild Sheep Society of BC. Proudly sponsored by SITKA Gear and supported by our Conservation Partners: Frontiersmen Gear, Gunwerks, OnX Maps, Precision Optics, Schnee's, Stone Glacier, Wild TV, YETI, and Zeiss.

We sit down with renowned BC hunter, hunting ambassador, filmmaker, and backcountry legend Adam Foss. The Foss family name is synonymous with chasing adventure and achieving remarkable success in the mountains.

This is Part Two of our Mountain Ready series, where we dive into the thoughts and preparations leading up to the sheep opener—topics that resonate with anyone planning a mountain hunt.

Adam covers a wide range of topics that will help set you up for success in the mountains. We explore what success really means, and discuss mountain hunt preparation, planning new hunts, mapping unfamiliar areas, selecting reliable hunting partners, and, of course, gear. As a recognized gear expert, Adam shares his insights on essential equipment—including clothing, emergency gear, sleeping bags, boots, and much more.

Adam’s passion and respect for the mountains always shine through. He offers invaluable advice not just on achieving success, but also on how to push through adversity and even enjoy the experience when energy and morale run low.

Talk Is Sheep is the official podcast of the Wild Sheep Society of BC. Proudly sponsored by SITKA Gear and supported by our Conservation Partners: Frontiersmen Gear, Gunwerks, OnX Maps, Precision Optics, Schnee's, Stone Glacier, Wild TV, YETI, and Zeiss.

Greg and Kyle welcome Washington Wild Sheep Foundation Treasurer Joe Hill and his son (also Washington Director) Mike Hill to the podcast while at the Wild Sheep Foundation Chapter and Affiliates Summit XVII in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

We often refer reverently to our Wild Sheep Family and the Hill family is truly a family dedicated to wild sheep. They are very active in their home state of Washington and the Washington Wild Sheep Foundation Chapter.

Joe and Mike discuss how they got involved in Washington Wild Sheep. We also dive into Joe's first wild sheep and go on to talk about his wife Kathy's Desert Bighorn Sheep harvest in Mexico. Mike played a pivotal role in both these hunts.

Of course we dive into conservation and the incredible work that the Washington Wild Sheep Foundation is doing. We chat about an important project that Washington Wild Sheep Foundation has supported the Wild Sheep Society of BC. They have signed on as a Conservation Partner for our California Bighorn Psoroptes Drug Treatment Trial in the Okanagan. An incredilbe story of the great work we are doing by collaborating.

Talk is Sheep is the Official Podcast of the Wild Sheep Society of BC. The official sponsor of the Wild Sheep Society of BC is SITKA Gear and our Conservation Partners - Frontiersmen Gear, Gunwerks, OnX Maps, Precision Optics, Schnee's, Stone Glacier, Wild TV, YETI and Zeiss.

We sit down with BC Sheep Guide Nolan Osborne. Nolan spends his fall on the mountain and we pick his brain on sheep hunting, aging sheep and being selective.

This is part one of our Mountain Ready series. We talk about the things we are all thinking about as we approach the sheep opener or topics that pertain to anyone planning a mountain hunt.

Nolan talks a lot about how he learned to age sheep, his go to strategies for aging and what tips he uses when trying to work out whether a ram is legal. We also spend a lot of time on being selective and what that means. Sometimes just because a ram is legal it maybe not the right ram to take and why it is important to choose a mature animal.

Talk is Sheep is the Official Podcast of the Wild Sheep Society of BC. The official sponsor of the Wild Sheep Society of BC is SITKA Gear and our Conservation Partners - Frontiersmen Gear, Gunwerks, OnX Maps, Precision Optics, Schnee's, Stone Glacier, Wild TV, YETI and Zeiss.

We welcome Mitchell Jones to the podcast. Mitchell is a regular guy - day job, family, loves to hunt and explore the outdoors. But, he now has the distinction of being on the receiving end of an encounter with a Black Bear.

This spring Mitchell and a buddy were out chasing early season bears with his dogs. They happen across a boar and after short work, the bear is down. Mitchell's three dogs are on the kill, but something was not quite right when they arrived at where the bear went down. Needless to say a struggle ensued with Mitchell finding himself with a boar on top of him.

We dive into the nuances of the hunt including the take aways that both hunters learned from the experience. We also explore what it is like hunting with dogs and how Mitchell got involved with them.

Mitchell is very knowledgable on the subject and he certainly tells a great story about his experience. While there was some blood spilled, in the end Mitchell walked away with a legendary story.

For more on Mitchell you can find him at @the_hunting_fool250

Check out our Magnificent Sevin Rides Again Raffle at: www.darelle.com/pp/bhcrc4

Check out our Leica Optics Package Raffle at: www.rafflebox.ca/raffle/wss-bc-leica

Check out our Backcountry Backpack Raffle at: www.rafflebox.ca/raffle/wss-bc-backcountrybackpack

Talk is Sheep is the Official Podcast of the Wild Sheep Society of BC. The official sponsor of the Wild Sheep Society of BC is SITKA Gear and our Conservation Partners - Frontiersmen Gear, Gunwerks, OnX Maps, Precision Optics, Schnee's, Stone Glacier, Wild TV, YETI and Zeiss.