EP89 Cornhusker Bighorns - Todd Nordeen
From Sheep Fever by The Wild Sheep Foundation
March 18, 2026 · 1h 3m
About this episode
Todd Nordeen discusses the history and conservation efforts of bighorn sheep in Nebraska.
Bighorns in Nebraska? When one thinks of bighorns, you'd likely get a pass if you do not first point to green and yellow fields of corn as far as the eye can see. But there are mountains and excellent bighorn sheep habitat in the cornhusker state. In fact, before their extirpation in the early 1990s, about 1,000 bighorns and particular Audubon bighorns thrived in the Pine Ridge and Wildcat Hills regions of the Nebraska Panhandle. Over harvest by unregulated hunting, habitat loss, and disease were the primary factors of their disappearance. But due to the conservation efforts of Nebraska Game & Parks, and years of funding by partners such as the Wild Sheep Foundation, Iowa FNAWS, Nebraska Big Game Society, Midwest WSF, and others, bighorns have made a comeback. Translocated in multiple actions, from Montana and Alberta bighorn sheep are back and Nebraska Bighorn Program Lead Todd Nordeen and his exceptional team at Nebraska Game & Parks work tirelessly to keep them there. Sheep Fever co-host Gray Thornton sits down with Todd to discuss the history of bighorns in the state, their comeback, the set-backs that continue, as well as the path forward to return the their high of 1,000…
People in this episode
Host: Gray Thornton
Guest: Todd Nordeen
Topics covered
- bighorn sheep
- conservation
- wildlife management
- Nebraska
- habitat restoration
- hunting regulations
Keywords
- bighorn sheep
- Nebraska Game & Parks
- conservation
- wildlife
- habitat
- hunting
- restoration
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Nebraska Game & Parks, Wild Sheep Foundation, Iowa FNAWS, Nebraska Big Game Society, Midwest WSF
Places: Nebraska, Pine Ridge, Wildcat Hills, Ft. Robinson State Park
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