The Nevada Wild Podcast

In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones sit down with Big Game Staff Specialist Mike Cox to get into the weeds talking about everything bighorn sheep. Mike shares what bighorn sheep harvest data he recommends you review to help decide what sheep hunts to apply for. He highlights ongoing bighorn sheep genetics work that has future management ramifications and details the approaching Northern Wild Sheep and Goat Council Symposium hosted by NDOW in Elko, Nevada this June. It will bring researchers and biologists from all over the western U.S. and Canada to Northern Nevada. The guys also talk in-depth about Nevada’s new management ram hunt opportunities which will allow hunters to help manage two small herds that pose huge disease transmission risks to healthy bighorn herds. If you’re interested in bighorn sheep, make sure to listen to this week’s episode with Mike Cox.

In this week’s Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones sit down with outgoing fisheries biologist extraordinaire Kim Tisdale to reflect on her 31-year career with NDOW. Kim shares the different roles she’s held over the years, highlights some of her favorite projects, and gives us a peek behind the curtain at the exciting changes coming to the Nevada Native Fish Slam Program. Kim is revered at NDOW not only as an exceptional biologist, but also as a friend and a mentor to many, and she will be sincerely missed. Be sure to give this week’s podcast a listen, and check out the link to the video below to learn more about Kim Tisdale and her incredible career. Kim talks about the different jobs she’s had here, highlights some of her favorite projects, and gives us a peek behind the curtain at the exciting changes coming to the Nevada Native Fish Slam Program. Kim is revered here at the Department as a biologist, a friend, and a mentor to many, she will be sincerely missed. Make sure to give this week’s podcast a listen and checkout the link to the video below to learn all about Kim Tisdale!

In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones sit down to talk with NDOW’s Publication Coordinator Jamie Roice-Gomes. She tells us about the work that went into combining NDOW’s two big game publications into one convenient publication. She also shares her personal story of how she always wanted to go hunting but never had the opportunity, until she took matters into her own hands this past year. Listen to this weeks’ episode to learn about the new publication and a story about how it’s never too late to try something new!

In this week’s Nevada Wild, Bobby Jones is joined by NDOW outdoor education experts Julie Gabrielson and Nicole St. John to talk about why you don’t want to miss the 2026 Elko Sportsman’s Expo! The expo is free to attend and takes place from 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. today, February 27 and tomorrow, February 28 at the Elko Conference Center. This is a can't-miss, family-friendly event with lots of activities for kids. New to the expo this year we have several first-time vendors, we’re bringing in a local falconer and his Harris Hawk “Leonidas” and we will have a big, Nevada bull moose European mount on display! Checkout the podcast and the flyers linked below for more information about this year’s expo! 2026 Elko Sportsman's Expo Flyer: https://www.ndow.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/26-Poster-Elko-Sportsmans-Expo-11x14-1.png Meet "Leonidas" at the Expo: https://www.ndow.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Artemis-and-Leo-Social-media.png

In this week’s Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones sit down with NDOW’s Game Division Administrator Shawn Espinosa to talk about chukar hunting and the story of how chukar first came to Nevada in the early 1930’s. Shawn shares his thoughts on how the 2025-2026 chukar hunting season has played out, gives his tips for anyone planning to head out before the end of the season, which is this coming Sunday, February 1, and dives into the history of the Nevada exotic game bird program. If you’re interested in chukar or chukar hunting at all give this week’s episode a listen.

The Youth Wildlife Conservation Experience (YWCE) is back for the 15th year! YWCE, the youth portion of the Wild Sheep Foundation's Sheep Show, will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on January 24 at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center. This FREE event is designed to excite and inspire the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts with 43 hands-on stations offering a variety of activities. In this week’s Nevada Wild, NDOW’s Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones sit down with the Wild Sheep Foundation’s Youth Education Coordinator Ryan Brock to talk about all the activities to expect at this year's YWCE, fill us in on the what's new this year, and how much the event has grown. Special guest Eva Briant, YWCE volunteer and Wild Sheep Foundation's Archery Club Member, joins us to tell us about her favorite YWCE stations, fond memories and her love for archery. More details on YWCE: https://www.wildsheepfoundation.org/What-We-Do/Youth-Education/YWCE To volunteer at the YWCE, contact Ryan Brock at: [email protected]

In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones sit down with the 2024 Wayne E. Kirch Nevada Wildlife Conservation Award Winners Ken and Jill Wilkinson. The conversation covers how Ken and Jill initially met working at NDOW, the various volunteer projects the Wilkinsons have focused on recently, and we dive into Ken’s extensive conservation-centric career. Make sure to listen to this week's episode to hear what these very deserving award winners have to say about conservation in Nevada.

In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones sit down to talk with NDOW Public Information Officer Ashley Zeme. She tells the guys what a typical day for her looks likes and shares how even after eight years how she still gets nervous right before she hits send on emails going out to hundreds of thousands of people. Ashley is the primary driver behind growing NDOW social media channels, communicating information through email campaigns, overseeing NDOW’s website and acting as the point person for most of the Department’s media requests. Listen to this week’s episode to learn all about Ashley!

In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones sit down with Nevada Department of Wildlife Veterinarian Nate LaHue to talk about Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), a transmissible neurological disease that is always fatal to animals in the deer family. Currently, CWD is found in 34 states and 4 Canadian provinces, but not in Nevada. Nate explains the recent positive samples just over Nevada's western border in California, NDOW's efforts to prevent the disease from entering Nevada and what it means for Nevada's deer, elk, and even moose, if the disease enters the state. He also explains the new transport restriction zone and the different ways hunters can help, including the program that allows hunters to sample their own harvests. Find more information about CWD and prevention efforts in Nevada here: www.ndow.org/blog/chronic-wasting-disease/ or here: www.cwd-info.org

The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) is excited to announce the debut of Nevada Wild, a brand-new television series coming to Animal Planet on Tuesday, November 4. Produced by Engel Entertainment, the creators of Lone Star Law and North Woods Law, the show highlights the incredible work of NDOW staff across the state. In this week’s Nevada Wild podcast, NDOW’s Bobby Jones and Aaron Keller sit down with Engel Entertainment Executive Producer Ben Shanks for an in-depth conversation about what went into bringing the series to life.