Matt Besko is the Executive Director of the Hunting and Fishing Branch within the Lands Operations Division in Alberta Forestry and Parks. He is tasked with the management, regulations, and policies affecting Hunting and Fishing allocation and use, trapping, managing carnivores and human-wildlife co-existence.

In Part II of Sheep Fever's conversation with Matt, he and co-host Gray Thornton discuss the hunting cultures of Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and North America with a deep dive into Europe & North America.

While Europe's hunting culture and traditions remain at the forefront of their hunting experience, North American traditions, while still robust in the First Nation/Tribal community, appear less prominent. Is this a problem? Does it contribute to a lack of understanding of hunting and hunters by the non-hunting majority? Has North American hunting culture and traditions been replaced by technology? By something else? Is hunting culture and art relevant?

Besko is uniquely qualified to answer these questions and more.

What can we say about J. Alain Smith?

Hunter, conservationist, adventurer, acclaimed author of articles, hunting books, and novels, musician, comedian, farmer, Rugged Expeditions show host, podcaster, emcee extraordinaire, Conklin Award winner, Weatherby Award winner, WSF's Chris Klineburger Mountain Hunter Hall of Fame inductee, and a successful businessman in commercial painting, real estate, and shipping. J. Alain is a modern day Renaissance Man.

J. Alain and Sheep Fever Co-Host cover the gamut, from his early hunting beginnings in the Pacific Northwest, his hunts around the globe, his passion for sheep hunting, and why he hunts. Hunting Awards, trophy hunting, how to protect our hunting heritage from the threats of today and how we ensure its future are all covered in J. Alain's characteristic style and flair. You'll enjoy this episode!

Colorado has become a proving ground for ballot-box wildlife management, from wolf reintroduction and efforts to ban mountain lion hunting to recent pushes targeting trapping and predator management.

In this episode of Sheep Fever, we welcome back Dan Gates of Coloradans for Responsible Wildlife Management to break down what's happening in Colorado, who's behind these initiatives, and why the latest effort to establish a Constitutional Right to Hunt and Fish matters. If successful, Colorado would join 24 other states that have already secured this protection.

The stakes reach far beyond Colorado. Across the country, hunting, science-based wildlife management, and predator control are increasingly being challenged by activist-driven campaigns. This conversation explains why sportsmen and conservationists everywhere should be paying attention.

Even more can be found at https://savethehuntcolorado.com/