Check out our latest stories: 'Desert bighorn sheep hunting" and "Special hunts for vets, youth and women'

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. Guardians of the Desert Bighorn "There's nothing quite like hunting sheep," said Clint Bentley, a life-long hunter and a board member of the Fraternity of the Desert Bighorn. "It's a combination of the terrain and the animals themselves—they're a majestic animal—that makes sheep hunting very special." Courtesy photo: Bill Phifer/Fraternity of the Desert Bighorn   Hunting plays critical role in protecting Nevada's iconic wild sheep By Meghan Snow November 17, 2017 In November and December, hunters across Nevada head for the mountains for an opportunity to pursue and harvest desert bighorn sheep. One of the most pristine hunting locations is just a 30-minute drive from Las Vegas on Desert National Wildlife Refuge managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. While "wildlife refuge" and "hunting" may seem in opposition, desert bighorn sheep hunters play a critical role in the recovery and survival of this iconic species on the refuge. "Hunting is an important conservation tool for managing wildlife," said Brett Jefferson, chairman of the Wild Sheep Foundation and board member of the Fraternity of the Desert Bighorn, a non-profit volunteer organization. "You need to keep populations at a level the habitat can support." Continue to full story...   Special hunts offer wider opportunities at Klamath refuges Ducks Unlimited ranks Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge in the top five public waterfowl hunting hot spots on the Pacific Flyway for the 2017–2018 season. The refuge hunt areas include fields with blinds, two large marsh units accessible by boat, free-roam areas in harvested grain fields and smaller marsh units. Here, Akimi King (right) raises her shotgun under the watchful eye of guide Phil Brown, during a ladies hunt on the refuge recently. Credit: Susan Sawyer/USFWS   By Susan Sawyer November 21, 2017 Macy Thompson is rosy-cheeked and small for her age, which she proudly declares is 10 years old. Freckles frame her brilliant smile as she scans the sky above the wheat field at Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge, 25 miles southeast of Klamath Falls, Oregon,  where a few dozen goose decoys stand like sentries in the field. In the distance the back and forth calls of a flock of Canada geese grow louder as they approach in 'V' formation, lured to the field below by their painted plastic counterparts. Macy hefts her shotgun to her shoulder, clicks the safety off, and waits for the signal from her dad, Corey Thompson. "Take 'em," he urges, as Macy aims and pulls the trigger. Continue to full story... Stay Connected with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Pacific Southwest Region     This email was sent using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Pacific Southwest Region · 2800 Cottage Way · Suite W-2606 · Sacramento, CA 95825