Wild Sheep Foundation Partners With Navajo Nation

The Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF) welcomed the Navajo Nation Department of Fish and Wildlife as a new Affiliate.

“Our Chapters and Affiliates represent a driving force for wild sheep conservation efforts on the ground,” said Gray N. Thornton, President and CEO of the Wild Sheep Foundation. “Having supported their youth hunting and wild sheep management programs for years, we are thrilled to be able to expand our relationship with the Navajo Nation Department of Fish & Wildlife as our newest Affiliate.”

Established in 1977 over the concern for historically low populations of wild sheep, especially Rocky Mountain bighorn and desert bighorn sheep, WSF has grown to include fifteen WSF Chapters and forty-three Affiliates.

The Navajo Nation extends into the states of Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico, covering over 27,000 square miles of unparalleled diversity and beauty. It is also home to a growing population of desert bighorn sheep. WSF helped fund a desert bighorn sheep radio-collaring and disease surveillance project on Navajo Nation lands in the winter of 2020-2021 to assist their tribal effort to repopulate historic bighorn range.

WSF has had the privilege of raising money to help finance the Nation’s wildlife management programs by auctioning their highly coveted desert bighorn permits at the Foundation’s annual Sheep Show® Expo & Convention. Over the past 29 years, WSF has directed back $1.16 million from the sale of these permits.

“Our long-standing relationship with WSF has been nothing but positive for our sheep management and youth hunting programs.” Becoming an Affiliate member was a no-brainer.” Jeff Cole, Wildlife Manager, Navajo Nation Department of Fish and Wildlife.