The 2008 AGM, held in Kamloops BC was another overwhelming success. With attendance at near record levels, tickets were in high demand, the event hosting over 350 attendee's. Those in attendance were once again extremely generous in helping the Wild Sheep of BC, lifting the fundraising efforts to record levels. The evening consisted of a number of awards being handed out, with the highlight award, The Lex Ross award being presented to the KIB (Kamloops Indian Band), Barry and Darrell Bennett, both members of the KIB were on hand to accept the award on behalf of the KIB. Congratulations to the KIB for their hard work on behalf of Wild Sheep during the past year. The Ram Awards went to Bob Willard-Rocky Mtn. Bighorn-174 1/8
Thomas Martini-Stone's Sheep-173 3/8 and the California Bighorn award went to Mitch Kendal- 159. The Lucky winner of the quad raffle was Al Campsall . The Wild Sheep Society of BC would like to extend its gratitude to those who came out to support our AGM as well as a special thank you to those who donated items for the auctions. Thanks again for your support; we hope to see you at next years AGM.

Presidents Report – Chris Barker

Welcome to the 15th Annual Wild Sheep Society AGM and Fundraiser. It has been an honor working with this Board of Directors as we have accomplished many of our goal’s that we wanted to achieve. I would like to thank those Directors that are stepping down for all their hard work, time and effort. Our convention has grown over the years, and our success is attributed to this volunteer Board of Directors, our many donors, and members that show up to participate in our banquet and fundraiser.

Equally as important are our many partners that we have when we take on projects, without these partners we would not be able to achieve the success we have in putting more sheep on the mountains. I would like to acknowledge these partners and look forward to working with them in the future, starting with the Foundation for North American Wild Sheep (now the Wild Sheep Foundation), Kamloops Indian Band, Grand Slam Ovis Club, Guide-Outfitters Association of BC, BC Wildlife Federation, Ministry of Environment, Land Conservancy of BC, Grassland Conservation Council, and the various fish and game clubs around the province.

So what have we been up to this year?
1. The planning for this year’s fundraiser started immediately after last year’s, and judging by the items on our live auction, it looks like it has paid off.
2. June 3rd last year, the Semiahoo Archery Club held a benefit shoot with the proceeds coming to the WSSBC.
3. Our website turned a page when we added more sheep information about biology, distribution maps and health. We also had our first internet auction, which was a helicopter flight for 2 people in the south Okanagan. We also have a new photo gallery for members, but the biggest surprise occurred when we looked at our user stats. In December and January last year we were receiving about 1000 hits/month; in the same period this year we received over 100,000 hits.
4. We have also been busy with some policy reviews regarding Stone’s sheep harvest in Regions 6 and 7, the Special Sheep Permit Committee, the South Thompson Bighorn Sheep Committee, and most recently, the WSSBC hosted a Wild/Domestic Sheep Seperation Workshop.
5. This past summer, Mari Wood and Jim Glaicar hosted the 1st Annual Regional Get-Together in Prince George at the Pineview Pub. Look for upcoming dates on the website. Also, Bill Pifer hosted our annual sheep count at Spences Bridge; we will also be looking to get the dates for other fish and game club counts on our website.
6. Some of the major projects that we funded this year will hopefully leave a long lasting legacy for sheep and their habitat.
a. One of the first projects we funded this year was the purchase of Sublot 18. We donated $5,000 to this project, and had many partner’s involved in this land purchase. This is substantial sheep habitat in the South Okanagan which provides a travel corridor for bighorn sheep.
b. Our next project occurred in the East Kootenays when a domestic sheep rancher decided to get out of sheep farming. The area of this ranch adjoins critical bighorn winter range. Dave Zehnder spent considerable time coming up with solutions that would work for wild sheep and also maintain the ranchers’ livelihood. The solution ended up seeing the domestic sheep being sold off, re-seeding of the hay fields, and a “Profit of Pendre” put on the property to ensure domestic sheep would not re-occur down the road. This was also another project that involved FNAWS, the Columbia Basin Trust Fund and the WSSBC.
c. One of the most rewarding projects occurred just last month where we partnered up with Barry Bennett and the Kamloops Indian Band, and the Ministry of Environment in Regions 3 and 5, and we captured 26 sheep under a drop net set up at Sun River’s Golf Course. We had to persuade these sheep to the trap - approximately 15 volunteers herded the sheep almost one kilometer to the trap. Once there, all hell broke loose. We successfully processed and loaded the sheep into the horse trailer, and re-located them to the Fraser River breaks at Alkali Ranch.
It has been a busy and rewarding year. Conservation and the preservation of BC’s wild sheep are at the forefront of what we want to accomplish. These conservation goal’s are only met by the funds that we will raise tonight, please remember that when you are buying your raffle tickets or bidding on the silent and live auctions.

Thank you for your continued support and have a great day.

The following was the agenda for this years AGM.
AGENDA

Friday March 14th

1:00 pm - Tom Either (Director, Environmental Stewardship Division of Ministry of Environment) will provide an update on "MoE's direction on the Stone's sheep harvest management review and LEH review"
2:00 pm - Pamela Hengeveld (Synergy Applied Ecology) will present on the "Sulphur 8 Mile Stone's Sheep Project in northeastern BC"
3:00 pm - Dr. Evelyn Merrill (University of Alberta) will present on "Dynamics of a Harvested Wolf Population in the Alberta
7:00 pm to midnight - Fun Night including "Is That Your Final Antler" Wildlife Contest, gun raffle, wine and cheese, and cash bar (Fun Night sponsored by Peace/Williston Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program)

Saturday March 15th

9:00 am - President's Report
- Treasurer's Report
- Directors' Reports
10:00 am - Jean Carey (Yukon Government Sheep and Goat Biologist) will present on "Harvest Patterns & Horn Growth of Dall's Sheep"
11:00 am - Helen Schwantje (Provincial Wildlife Veternarian, Ministry of Environment) will speak on "How to Assess Wild Sheep Health - How and What Do We Sample"
12:00 pm - LUNCH
1:00 pm - Neil Thagard (FNAWS)
1:30 pm - Ross Peck (Peace River resident & retired Guide-Outfitter) will speak on "100 years of Sheep Hunting in Northern BC"
3:00 pm - Election of Officers

Banquet/Fundraiser
5:00 pm - Doors Open/Cocktails
6:00 pm - Dinner
7:00 pm - Address by Neil Thagard (FNAWS) followed by Awards
8:00 pm - Live and Silent Auctions

QUAD RAFFLE

Similar to last year, we will be raffling off a Polaris 4x4 Quad. Tickets are $20.00 each or 3 for $50.00, and the draw will take place at the AGM on March 15, 2008. Get your tickets early!!

MAJOR AUCTION ITEMS FOR 2008:

2008 Live Auction List

1. - Framed LE Print “Twilight Reflections” –Donated by BCWF

2. 2009 Registration Package for 2 persons to the GOABC Convention-Donated by GOABC.

3 .- Two round trip tickets between downtown Vancouver or Vancouver airport and Saltspring Island Expires January 31/2009-Donated by Saltspring Air.

4. - Sheep Rug-Donated by David Heitsman.

5. - Helicopter flight to survey Seton Lake and Chasm Herds for 1 person.-Donated by Alpen Helicopters-Robert Owens.

6. - Set of Rocky Mtn. Bighorn sheep horns.-Donated by Bill Foreyt Washington State University.

7. - Youth (18 or younger) Life membership to the Wild Sheep Society of BC.-Donated by Alex Brucker.

8. - Helicopter survey flight during June 2008 for two (2) persons Flight duration of 3 to 4 hours-Donated by Brian Harris-MOE Penticton.

9. Framed LE Print of 2 Moose by Brent Todd-Donated by Brent Todd.

10. - Painted Bison Skull-Painted by Glenda Garrett-Donated by Odd Aasland, Wild Sheep Society of BC

11. - 2008 Moose hunt for a B.C. resident.-Donated by Kiff Covert-Dome Creek Outfitters.

12. - Helicopter survey flight during August 2008 for (1) person to monitor recent sheep transplant to Alkali Flight duration approximately 2 hours.-Donated by Arduini Helicopters Ltd.-Tom Arduini.

13. - Ladies Only Item. Eight (8) hour salt water fishing trip for up to four (4) ladies during Oct. 2008.-Donated by A Rippingale’s Fishing.

14. - 14 Day Stone Sheep hunt for a B.C.Resident only for 2008.-donated by Stone Mountain Safaris-Leif Olsen & Ken Clarke.

15. –Dallas Safari Club registration package for 2 persons to 2009 Convention-Donated by Dallas Safari Club.

16. – 5 Day Bison hunt for 1 person for 2008 season only.-Donated by Sikanni River Outfitters-Mike & Dixie Hammett.

17. – Riverboat trip to Tuchodi drop-off for elk and moose combo for one (1) person for the 2008 season.-Donated by Riverjet Adventures Ltd.-Kevin Willis.

18 – Dall Sheep Hunt in the Northwest Territories for one (1) person. Tentative dates are August 6-15, 2008. Hunt can be upgraded to include caribou for a kill fee. A second hunter could go for the regular rate. Hunter will be responsible for the Charter Flight from Norman Wells to camp.-Donated by Gana River Outfitters.-Harold Grinde.

19. – Barn Owl with dropped wing.-Donated by Ron Jones, Frank Bigalo, Fur and Feather Taxidermy (Frank Gilbert).

20. – Mini Bighorn Bronze by Karl Lansing.-Donated by Karl and Louise Lansing.

21. – 2 days west coast fishing for up to (4) four persons for 2008 season.-Donated by Westcoast Fish Expeditions.

22. – Antelope hunt for (1) one non-resident of Alberta for 2008 season. This can be either an archery or rifle hunt.-Donated by Silver Sage Outfitters.

23. – Full registration for one couple to the Grand Slam Club/Ovis convention in Las Vegas February 18-21, 2009.- Donated by Grand Slam Club/Ovis- Dennis Campbell.

24. – Mature Bull Bison.-Donated by Willow Field Farms Groundbirch BC.-Bill Field.

25. – 7 Day African Safari for (1) one hunter and (1) one observer during 2008. Donation includes 1 Blue Wildebeest, 1 Impala, 1 Duiker, and 1 warthog. Hunt can be upgraded to include extra species on a trophy fee basis.-Donated by Mabelingwane Hunting Safaris.

26. – Tanned Wolf Hide donated by Ron Hrisook and the WSSOBC

27. - - Ladies Only Item. Three day trail ride for four (4) ladies, to be taken late July or August, 2008.- Donated by Eureka Peak Lodge and Outfitters – Stuart Maitland

28. – Ugliest Sheep Planter – proceeds of this item will be used to purchase GPS collars for future transplants.- Donated by previous purchasers and WSSOBC.