Montana Wild Sheep Foundation

09/15/2026

September looks good on a bighorn.

By now, mature rams are carrying a full summer’s worth of body condition, their coats are starting to lose that washed-out summer look, and those heavy curls seem to stand out a little more against a changing Montana hillside.

The rut is still a ways off, but fall is creeping in. Rams that spent much of summer in bachelor groups will keep sorting themselves out over the next couple of months before breeding season gets serious.

📸: Alla Kemelmakher

09/02/2026

NOTICE OF BIGHORN SHEEP CLOSURE

HUNTING DISTRICT 300

By order of the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission, the above listed hunting district shall be closed to the hunting of ALL Bighorn Sheep one-half hour after sunset on Thursday, September 3, 2026.

08/22/2026

📨 YOU’VE GOT MAIL

The Summer 2026 Newsletter Has Arrived

07/31/2026

Watch the Drawing Live Tonight at 7:30 PM!

One lucky winner will be hunting desert Bighorns with San Jose Trop...

07/27/2026

Final call for desert sheep raffle tickets.

The drawing for Montana Wild Sheep Foundation’s Desert Sheep Hunt Raffle is this week, which means this is your last chance to get in.

One lucky winner will receive a desert sheep hunt with San Jose Trophy Hunts in Sonora, Mexico, in partnership with Jack Atcheson & Sons, Inc.

Only 650 total tickets will be sold. (link in comments)

Tickets:
1 for $200
3 for $500
7 for $1,000

Thank you for supporting wild sheep, wild places, and the future of sheep hunting.

📸: San Jose Trophy Hunts

07/16/2026

We're raffling off a desert sheep hunt with San Jose Trophy Hunts in Sonora, Mexico, in partnership with Jack Atcheson & Sons, Inc.

Tickets are limited to 650 total sold, so the odds are about as good as they get for a hunt like this.

Tickets:
1 for $200
3 for $500
7 for $1,000

Proceeds support Montana WSF’s work for wild sheep, wild places, and the future of sheep hunting.

Head to
https://montanawsf.org/product/desert-sheep-hunt/
to get your tickets.

Good luck, and thank you for supporting wild sheep

07/09/2026

Montana is heading into a stretch of serious heat, with triple-digit temperatures forecast in parts of the state.

Bighorn sheep aren’t immune to heat stress. They’re mammals with limits, and when the temperature climbs, they have to manage body heat the same way they manage everything else: by using the country well.

A hot bighorn day often means less movement during the worst heat, more feeding during the cooler edges of the day, and more time bedded in shade. In some sheep country, caves, shaded rock, wind-cooled ledges, and cooler slopes can make a real difference.

Even their horns may play a small part. Bighorn horns aren’t dead ornaments. They have a living bony core beneath the keratin sheath, and in bovids, that kind of structure can help move some heat away from the body.

The real strategy, though, is using the landscape and habits to stay as cool as possible.

06/22/2026

We’d love to see our members in these positions.

Let’s get our voice at the every table we can.

Montana FWP is seeking applicants for the Bighorn Sheep Advisory Panel, a temporary group that will help identify challenges and potential solutions related to bighorn sheep projects on private lands.

The panel will advise FWP on concerns surrounding bighorn sheep management on private land, including hunting access, management authority, and landowner and public support. Recommendations from the panel will help inform future FWP decision-making.

FWP is looking for a diverse group of individuals with a strong interest in bighorn sheep conservation who can commit to monthly meetings from August through December 2026. Meetings will be held in person, with a virtual option available.

Applications are due July 3.

To apply, submit:
• Your name and contact information
• The organization, user group, or interest sector you represent
• A brief statement (300 words or less) describing your interest in bighorn sheep conservation, the perspective you would bring, your ability to represent your group, and your availability to participate.

To learn more and apply visit: https://fwp.mt.gov/aboutfwp/commission-councils-committees/bighorn-sheep-advisory-panel

06/15/2026

Don’t know what to get Dad for Father’s Day?

Get him something better than another coffee mug, pocketknife, or pair of socks.

A Montana Wild Sheep Foundation membership supports wild sheep conservation, habitat work, public access, and the future of hunting in Montana.

It’s a gift he’ll actually care about, and it helps put money to work on the mountain.

Get Dad a membership today.

MTWSF Membership Details Join the Mission Join the MTWSF Mission Become a MTWSF Member Help us keep Bighorn sheep on the mountain. Together we're making an impact. Join Here Today Healthy Bighorn Numbers Are Rising — Help Us Keep It That Way Your membership dollars will go to

06/12/2026

It's officially coat-chucking season.

📸: Harrison Steen