On episode 224 we welcome the Safari Club International (SCI) crew to the podcast to talk about First for Hunters wth Jason St. Michael and Chris Everett. Jason serves as SCI Canada's Member and Chapter Services Director while Chris is the Chapter/Advocacy Services Specialist – Canada.

We talk about what is new at Safari Club International, what it means when SCI says first for hunters, and the importance of sticking together. Both Jason and Chris are very active in Ottawa lobbying to ensure hunters rights and privileges are not further eroded. We reflect on why we have to stand up for it all and what hunters have to get better at.

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.

While at Sheep Show in Reno we welcomed John and Jules Barklow to the podcast. We discuss a multitude of topics and do a bit of a deep dive into what is new for back country gear.

John has spent the last thirty years teaching backcountry hunters, military operators, and SAR teams how to live and thrive in the austere wilderness, where failure is not an option, and there are no excuses for failure. He has been developing technical hunting systems at Sitka Gear for the last ten years while aggressively pursuing his hunting dreams.

Check out John as hes selflessly shares his hard-earned knowledge across numerous platforms, including his website, www.knowledgefromstorms.com, YouTube channel, Knowledge From Storms, Instagram @jbarklow, and his online training courses through www.outdoorclass.com

John will be attending our Mountain Hunting Expo in Penticton as a featured presenter. Come and learn from his experience directly by registering for our Salute to Conservation and Mountain Hunting Expo. On day one John will present with Adam Foss on Cold Weather Mountain Survival. Day two will include Survival for the Mountain Hunter. Be sure to register at: www.wildsheepsociety.com/salute2conservation.

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.

At Sheep Show in 2025 last week we welcomed Ben Stourac to our booth to talk Dall Sheep Hunting. Ben is the owner of Arcadia Outfitting and Iron North Outfitting. Greg and Wardo dive into Dall Sheep Hunting in the Yukon, Ben's new concession in the Territory and what Dall Sheep backpack hunt looks like.

Ben dives into pack raft hunting in the Yukon for Dall Sheep and what his 2025 year looked like chasing Dall Sheep. The area holds incredible moose with 3 of the moose harvested last fall were record book bulls.

The Wild Sheep Society of British Columbia has partnered with Iron North Outfitting on our 2025 Wild Sheep Raffles. Ben discusses what the 2025 hunt winner can expect on the backpack hunt with Iron North. The hunt winner will get to hunt the season opener in August of this year, 2025.

We will draw the hunt at our Northern Fundraiser on February 1, 2025 in Dawson Creek, BC. You do not have to be in person to win the hunt.

Pick up your tickets at: www.rafflebox.ca/raffle/wss-bc

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 Sam Cunningham and Glen Landrus to the podcast. Sam is President of the Texas Bighorn Society and he is joined by Chair of the WIld Sheep Foundation, Glen Landrus.

The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) and Texas Bighorn Society (TBS) partnered with Wild Sheep Foundation as catalysts and funding partners for the establishment of a new disease-free population of desert bighorn sheep.

Historically, desert bighorn sheep were native to Texas. With the settlement of the Trans-Pecos Region of Texas, native wild sheep populations declined rapidly, becoming extirpated by 1960. TPWD, the TBS, private landowners, and dedicated sportsmen and women successfully collaborated to restore desert bighorns to many historic mountain ranges.



By 2019, the Texas desert bighorn population stood at between 1,200 and 1,500 animals. Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (Movi) struck and eventually spread to most of the state’s populations. It eventually decreased the state’s population by more than half. However, unlike most outbreaks, which are caused by contact with domestic sheep, this one came through interactions with aoudad.

Because of these losses, this translocation will have a last impact. The Elephant Mountain population was the only herd in the state available to move wild sheep from to establish other populations. Now, the state has a second disease-free source population where, hopefully, a surplus number of bighorns will support future translocations of desert sheep to suitable habitats in the Trans-Pecos.

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.

Joining Kyle in this episode of wide-ranging topics is returning guest Renée Thornton, Founder and Chair of the Wild Sheep Foundation's Women Hunt® program.

During a year overshadowed by the impact of a cancer diagnosis and major surgery, Renée prioritized her well-being through the things she loves best: travel, hunting, wildlife conservation and giving back.

Kyle and Renée talk about achieving the notable accomplishment of travelling to all seven continents; African hunting and the striking beauty of Namibia; volunteering on a critical Desert Bighorn Sheep restoration project in Texas; the new Women in Hunting® community; and the thrill of building a brand new Sheep Show® event open to everyone: the inaugural Beer & Bubbly social hour!

The Beer & Bubbly social is a great way to enjoy a free glass of beer or bubbly while meeting up with old friends and making new ones. No need to register, just show up at 5pm outside the Tuscany ballroom at the Peppermill Resort. Generously sponsored by the New Mexico Wild Sheep Foundation and hosted by Women Hunt®, Women in Hunting® and the Rubye Mayflower Blake Legacy Fund, this event is for everyone.

There are chances to win a Weatherby rifle, a Weatherby shotgun and an assorted gift bag during the social, just for sending in your photos and a brief story (need not be present to win.) We're looking for photos of women of all ages in the outdoors. They can submit them themselves - or by men who are proud of the women in their lives! - at https://www.wildsheepfoundation.org/womenhunt/story

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 Professional rodeo and auctioneer emcee, Caleb Dorenkamp to the podcast to talk about rodeoing, conservation, emceeing and hunting.

On this episode Caleb discusses his connection to a rural lifestyle growing up in Colorado. He shares an experience with us from this fall while out hunting found two mature bucks with locked horns. You are going to enjoy hearing this story. Caleb was able to capture it all on film and can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/ELzGQCUH-uk?si=yNTZg-Y72nxiIZwl

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.

Merry Christmas to our wild sheep family.

On this one Kyle and Greg, over whiskys have a fun chat about the year that was and the year that will be.

We chat about all things wild sheep - Sheep Show in Reno, our new whisky release, plans and guests for our Salute to Conservation and Mountain Hunting Expo.

Do you think you know the name of our 2025 whisky release? The first person that can guess the new name correctly we will send you a WSSBC hat or shirt. Send your best guesses to kstelter@wildsheepsociety.com.

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 Mackenzie Clarke to the podcast to talk about Bighorn Sheep in the Okanagan. Mackenzie is the Senior tmixʷ Biologist for Okanagan Nation Alliance and she is tackling the issue of Psoroptes Mange in Bighorn Sheep in the region.

Recently Okanagan Nation Alliance and the Wild Sheep Society of BC signed a Memorandum of Understanding focusing on the recovery on these wild sheep populations. Mackenzie dives into the multitude of issues that are plaguing these herds, what ONA is doing and her specific role in the project.

The Wild Sheep Foundation and their Chapters and Affiliates through their Grant in Aid program partnered on this year's Psoroptes Mange Drug Treatment Trials. The goal is to see if captive Bighorn Sheep can be cleared of the disease using drug treatments and if so how long they can remain cleared of the disease.

Mackenzie is incredibly knowledgeable and this is a great discussion on the great work the Okanagan Nation Alliance conducts throughout their territory for many species including Grizzly Bear. The Wild Sheep Society of BC is grateful for this opportunity to work together with Okanagan Nation Alliance on this project and other initiatives of shared values.

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.