[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 88 (Tuesday, May 21, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3807-S3808]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE WYOMING WILD SHEEP FOUNDATION

  Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the 40th 
anniversary of the Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation.
  On June 7, 2024, the Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation will celebrate its 
40th anniversary. The celebration will be held in conjunction with its 
summer convention at the Little America Hotel and Conference Center in 
Cheyenne, WY. The foundation is dedicated to preserving Wyoming's 
bighorn sheep herds and their habitats, to conservation education, and 
to hunter's rights.
  The 1960s saw a drastic decline in bighorn sheep populations and 
their habitats throughout the country. This prompted the formation of 
the Foundation for North American Wild Sheep in 1974. It is now known 
as the Wild Sheep Foundation. The foundation aimed to restore and 
manage sheep herds and their ranges.
  In 1983, Dave Steger, Ron Ball, Alex Wolfer, John Suda, and Terry 
Reach established the Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation. The Wyoming 
foundation sought the same goals as the national group, but solely 
within the borders of the State.
  Wyoming's rugged mountains and western plains are home to 15 bighorn 
sheep herds. With over 5,900 wild sheep, Wyoming is a mecca for bighorn 
sheep.
  The Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation plays a critical role in 
maintaining the health and vitality of each herd and the habitat in 
which they thrive. Conservation efforts to preserve these herds 
includes bighorn sheep reintroduction, recreational trail closure, and 
prescribed burns.
  The re-establishment of the Ferris-Seminoe herd near Rawlins proves 
to be one of the most successful transplant efforts for bighorn sheep 
in Wyoming. The low population prompted the Wyoming Wild Sheep 
Foundation, in partnership with the Wyoming Game

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and Fish, to capture and transplant bighorn sheep from the Whiskey 
Mountain and Devil Canyon herds to augment and re-establish the Ferris-
Seminoe herd. Those continued efforts help the herd thrive and reach 
population objectives set forth by the Wyoming Game and Fish.
  Similar to the Ferris-Seminoe herd, the Sweetwater Rocks herd was 
completely decimated by 1907 and again in 1980. Recently, the 
foundation established the Sweetwater Rocks Initiative to reintroduce 
sheep into the region. The foundation is collaborating with the Wyoming 
Game and Fish and local ranchers to ``put wild sheep back on the 
mountain.''
  The snowcapped peaks and rocky mountains in northwestern Wyoming are 
home to the Teton Range herd. The herd nearly died out in the 19th and 
20th centuries due to over harvest, disease, habitat depletion, and 
disturbance of their migration routes. The foundation's mitigation 
efforts include working with the Wyoming Game and Fish and Grand Teton 
National Park to close recreation areas in important bighorn sheep 
habitats and to collar the sheep to track survival patterns.
  The survival and growth of the herds, the vitality of the habitat, 
and the endless dedication of every member are a testimony to the 
importance of the Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation.
  The foundation partnered with the Wyoming Big Game License Coalition 
to establish five Governor's Bighorn Sheep hunting tags. This 
collaboration helps fund conservation projects for bighorn sheep and 
ensure hunting remains an integral part of Wyoming's heritage. Since 
the partnership began in 2003, bighorn sheep tags have raised over $5 
million for conservation.
  In 2015, one of Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation's lifetime members Gary 
Butler approached the foundation to establish a permanent bighorn sheep 
conservation fund. The plan was to ensure long-term projects were 
sustainable into the future. Due to the popularity of this fund, it has 
already exceeded the original goals. As of 2022, the fund generated 
more than $400,000 and awarded 11 lifetime memberships to youth. Gary's 
dedication to bighorn sheep is a testament to the caliber of this 
organization and to each member's unwavering devotion to the long-term 
survival of Wyoming's wild sheep.
  The Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation is an incredible asset for 
conservation efforts in Wyoming. No project is too small. Each of the 
foundation's members bears a resolute commitment to the strength of the 
herd and the habitat, all while maintaining the values of hunting. The 
Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation is led by:

       Katie Cheesbrough, Executive Director
       Dean DiJenno, Deputy Director
       Zach McDermott, President
       Scott Butler, Vice President
       Bralli Clifford, Treasurer
       Bruce Perryman, Secretary
       John W. Harris, Board Director
       Kurt Eisenach, Past President
       Sam Lockwood, Board Director
       Scott Smith, Board Director
       Jimmy Owens, Board Director
       Matt Hoobler, Board Director
       Greg Pope, Board Director

  It is an honor to rise in recognition of this significant milestone 
for the Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation. The impact and opportunities the 
foundation has created for bighorn sheep, hunters, and youth leaves an 
astonishing mark on the outlook of bighorn sheep in Wyoming. 
Congratulations to the Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation on their 40th 
anniversary.

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