The Real Winner - Arizona Wild Sheep with Keith Balfourd

Talk is Sheep welcomes Keith Balfourd, Director of Marketing and Communications for the Wild Sheep Foundation, to the podcast. A seasoned veteran in the conservation community, Keith has been deeply involved in numerous fundraising initiatives that benefit wild sheep and other wildlife species.In this episode, Keith discusses the Wild Sheep Foundation’s support of the 2025–2026 Arizona Game and Fish Commission Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Raffle Tag. Every dollar raised through this raffle will go directly to the Arizona Game & Fish Department Habitat Partnership Committee, furthering their mission to steward and protect the state’s wild sheep populations.When it comes to managing a high-demand, limited-opportunity species like wild sheep, license sales alone aren’t enough—unless each tag costs tens of thousands of dollars. That’s why wildlife agencies offer special auction and raffle tags, which generate critical funding for conservation. Without these supplemental funds, there would simply be fewer sheep on the mountain.Keith and Kyle explore the world of conservation permits and how fundraising models are evolving. The Wild Sheep Foundation continues to support this important raffle, even as the Arizona Game and Fish Department has moved away from auction permits—an act that underscores the Foundation’s unwavering commitment to wild sheep and conservation.Thanks to funds raised from auction and raffle tags, Arizona has seen bighorn sheep hunting opportunities grow from just 44 tags in 1984 to 156 tags in 2024—a clear testament to the power of sportsmen-led conservation.While entering the raffle may be a personal decision, your participation supports a cause far greater than any individual—Arizona’s wild sheep. That’s the true spirit of conservation.To enter for a chance to win this coveted tag, visit: https://wildsheep.fanthem.io/give/sheep/online-raffles/bhs?referralCode=talkissheepTalk Is Sheep is the official podcast of the Wild Sheep Society of BC. Proudly sponsored by SITKA Gear and supported by our Conservation Partners: Frontiersmen Gear, Gunwerks, OnX Maps, Precision Optics, Schnee's, Stone Glacier, Wild TV, YETI, and Zeiss.