The 91st North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference recently concluded in Columbus, OH, hosted by The Wildlife Management Institute (WMI). Why a podcast about a conference? Because this is where the rubber meets the road as far as wildlife and natural resource conservation is concerned, for everything from whales to hummingbirds.

Sheep Fever sits down with WMI President & CEO, Tony Walsey, and WSF's own Corey Mason to share a glimpse of the incredible width and depth of conservation efforts taking place every day across North America and internationally.

Take what you see in the "media" with a grain of doubt. Not everything is in crisis. There is and has been a colossal effort taking place by people, businesses, departments, universities, agencies, institutions, and organizations working under the banner of wise use without waste – the true definition of conservation.

For decades, the hunting and conservation community has advocated—through organizations, programs, and initiatives—for educating the non-hunting majority on the value of hunting to wildlife and habitat conservation. This need is even enshrined in the Wild Sheep Foundation mission: to educate the public and youth on sustainable use. But have we succeeded? Is this focus still critical? And how do we move the needle on public perception?

In this episode, Mark Hall of the Wild Origins Canada Foundation joins Gray N. Thornton to explore how storytelling can reach the "moderate middle"—impacting, educating, informing, and challenging thought around hunting and conservation. They discuss what messages resonate, which fall flat, and how to shape hearts and minds in a changing landscape.

Mark also shares the vision behind Project Grizzly Balance—an effort to restore the sustainable use of grizzly bears across British Columbia and beyond for the benefit of both wildlife and people.

Matt Besko—Executive Director of the Hunting and Fishing Branch with Alberta Forestry and Parks—joins Sheep Fever co-host Gray Thornton for a conversation on modern wildlife management. Besko oversees hunting and fishing regulations, allocation, trapping, carnivore management, and human-wildlife coexistence across Alberta.

With more than 30 years working as a wildlife, fisheries, and habitat biologist, he brings a practical perspective on balancing opportunity with long-term conservation. The discussion covers Alberta's management approach, bighorn sheep stewardship, and the realities of managing wildlife across a range of landscapes and competing interests.

They also get into hunting traditions in North America and Europe, and why those roots still matter. It's an honest conversation about the challenges, the tradeoffs, and why this work continues to matter.