First some bad news.
Our Provo Peak Rocky herd has been infected with a disease known as pasturella. Justin Shannon, a BYU Graduate student has been doing a research project on these sheep for the past 18 months and has documented their decline. Carcasses of dead sheep have been collected and a necropsy study done on them to determine the cause of their mortality. What used to be a thriving herd of 55 plus sheep is now down to less than 10. This is a clear indication how fragile wild sheep are to domestic diseases. The DWR, Karl Malone & Utah FNAWS invested over $250,000 into this herd only to see it taken by disease.

Now the good news.
Sheep population trends in Utah are on the increase or stable on average. A graph on the enclosed pages show just how each species is doing. 5,500 total sheep live with-in Utah’s orders will allow more opportunity for sportsmen and will continue permit increases each year. Our goal is to reach 100 permits over the next few years.
Utah FNAWS has a “to do” list that is prioritize based on need and opportunity. Some future opportunities include; 3 New Guzzler Sites have been identified on the Newfounland Mountains to help distribute
the current population to utilize the forage on the middle part of the range. If all of the studies & paperwork proceed as planned we should have this project completed by next spring. I would like to thank the
BLM, DWR, Pat Warr, Garth Hardy, Shawn Hardy (UFNAWS members) for taking a day out of their schedule to help in this effort.
Several domestic sheep conversions in the Nine Mile Canyon area and the North end of the Deep Creek range to provide addition habitat range for future transplants.

Here are some of the projects that are being funded by Utah FNAWS in 2008

Southern Region: Buckhorn Tamarisk Removal - $4,000

Northeast Region: Marshall Draw RX Fire & Seeding - $40,000

Southern Region: Utah Hill Guzzler Reconstruction - $26,000

Central Region: Willow Creek Habitat Improvement - $2,000

2008 Total Conservation Projects - $72,000

Utah FNAWS Endowment donated $20,000 to the Wolf litigation fund to help fight the very real threat that exists on Utah borders. Wolves have had a damaging impact on big game herds & livestock in Idaho,
Wyoming & Montana since their introduction. It is time for us to fight and win this legal battle and give states the rights to manage wolf populations.

As you can see on the opposite page we have moved our Banquet/Fundraiser date from the spring to December 6, 2008.
Many of you may have questions as to why the change. Let me try and explain a few challenges we face and the reason for the change. First the South Towne Expo Center where we have had the banquet for the past 6 years has changed their policy on reserving an exhibit hall so we were left with Easter weekend and that would not work. Another reason was to get way from other banquets that are typically on every weekend in the spring. In past years we held the banquet in December and it was well attended and very productive for Utah FNAWS.
The sole existence of Utah FNAWS depends on your membership and participation at our annual banquet. I want to personally invite each of you to join us on December 6, 2008 at the brand NEW Davis Conference Center. We will continue to giveaway sheep hunts that will go towards your Full Curl, 3/4 Curl, 1/2 Curl or your first 1/4 Curl ram.
Hope to see you ALL their for fun, food, friends and an opportunity to make a difference.
Happy Hunting.

Ryan