On behalf of the Western Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) and the Arizona Game and Fish Department, we are pleased to invite you to participate in the 58th Biennial WAFWA Desert Bighorn Council Workshop. WAFWA represents 24 states, provinces, and territories and is a strong advocate for their authority to manage fish and wildlife within their borders.

A WAFWA Sanctioned Workshop

The Desert Bighorn Council Workshop is a biennial meeting held in odd numbered years sanctioned by WAFWA.  The workshop provides a forum where leading desert bighorn managers and researchers share research results, management strategies, and emerging issues in the realms of bighorn management throughout North America.  Please visit us at https://www.desertbighorncouncil.com/meetings/.

Established to promote the advancement of knowledge concerning the Desert Bighorn Sheep and the long-range welfare of these animals.

Call for Papers

The Arizona Game and Fish Department invites you to submit an abstract for the 2025 Workshop. The Theme of this year’s event is Management of Desert Bighorn Sheep in a Changing Landscape: Challenges and Opportunities. Abstracts are due January 24, 2025. Please submit abstracts for consideration to Esther Rubin at erubin@azgfd.gov.

For more specific instructions, see the official call for papers in this document.

Lodging

Lodging at Gold Canyon Golf Resort, 6100 S King’s Ranch Rd Gold Canyon, Arizona 85118 ; Phone: (480) 982-9090. $157/night + tax for a standard room with either one king bed OR 2 queen beds; suites are also available for an additional $100 per night (single bed). Fifty-nine rooms are being held at this rate for meeting attendees until Feb 22; availability will not be guaranteed after this date. Book via telephone using CODE “25K1D0”.

Alternative Lodging: Best Western Gold Canyon Inn & Suites, 8333 E Sunrise Sky Dr, Gold Canyon, AZ 85218; Phone: (480) 671-6000. Discounted conference rate is $167.39/night + tax for a Deluxe King room. Call the front desk and let them know the reservation is for the Arizona Game and Fish-Desert Bighorn Council (AZGFD DBC). AirBnB and VRBO rentals may also be available nearby via the internet.

Schedule of Events

TUESDAY, APRIL 22 (Subject to Change)
2:00 PM – 5:00 PM DBC Technical Staff Meeting Kiva Room
3:30 PM – 5:30 PM Registration Main Lobby
5:30 PM – 8:00 PM Evening Reception & Social Glass Pavillion

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23
7:00 AM – 8:00 AM Upper Towne Hall
7:00 AM – 8:30 AM Registration Towne Hall Ballroom
8:30 AM – 10:00 AM Conference begins Towne Hall Ballroom
10:00 AM – 10:30 AM Break Towne Hall Patio
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM Session 1: Behavior Towne Hall Ballroom
12:00 PM – 1:40 PM Lunch (w/ Poster Session 1:10 – 1:40) Upper Towne Hall/Ballroom
12:00 PM – 1:40 PM Registration open Towne Hall Ballroom
1:40 PM – 2:50 PM Session 2: Population Health Towne Hall Ballroom
2:50 PM – 3:10 PM Break Towne Hall Patio
3:10 PM – 5:00 PM Session 3: Management Towne Hall Ballroom
6:00 PM – 8:30 PM Dinner Upper Towne Hall

THURSDAY, APRIL 24
6:30 AM – 7:30 AM Upper Towne Hall
8:00 AM – 8:10 AM Day 2 Welcome and Announcements Towne Hall Ballroom
8:10 AM – 10:05 AM Session 4: State Reports Towne Hall Ballroom
10:05 AM – 10:30 AM Break Towne Hall Patio
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM Session 5: Habitat Towne Hall Ballroom
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Lunch Upper Town Hall
1:00 PM – 2:10 PM Session 6: Species Interactions Towne Hall Ballroom
2:10 PM – 2:30 PM Closing remarks, and meeting take-aways Towne Hall Ballroom
2:30 PM – 3:00 PM Break Towne Hall Patio
3:00 PM – 4:30 PM DBC Business Meeting Upper Towne Hall
6:30 PM – 9:30 PM Banquet Dinner and Awards Ceremony Towne Hall Ballroom

FRIDAY, APRIL 25
7:00 AM – 8:30 AM Breakfast Kokopelli’s Restaurant
9:30 AM Depart for Field Trip to Canyon Lake – bighorn sheep viewing opportunity aboard the Dolly Steamboat (approximately 37 miles north of Gold Canyon on Hwy 60 / AZ-88).
2:00 PM Return

PAST MEETINGS

2021 – The 56th meeting of the Desert Bighorn Council: Past, present and future threats: disease, exotic ungulates, and a change in mind set. The 56th meeting of the Desert Bighorn Council was hosted by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department as a virtual platform meeting on April 7- 8, 2021.