Harvest Your Own Podcast

 Fish populations face increasing pressure from environmental changes, habitat loss, and invasive species, but a new, invisible threat is emerging in our waters. While most anglers are familiar with whirling disease, the recent confirmation of Proliferative Kidney Disease (PKD) in Alberta has raised new concerns among fisheries managers and conservationists alike. In this episode, we dive into the...

Navigating the digital landscape as an outdoors person can be a tricky balancing act, especially when it comes to growing an online presence that highlights your passion while respecting platform guidelines. Born and raised in Edmonton, Darryl Dahl (@darrylhuntswest) brings over 16 years of marketing and digital strategy experience to the conversation, currently serving as the Marketing Director f...

Sharing your love for the water with the next generation is incredibly rewarding, but taking kids fishing requires a complete shift in mindset. While you might be ready to stay on the lake and cast for hours, children don't possess that same deep-rooted passion just yet, they have to discover it on their own. The secret to building that lifelong excitement isn't actually about the number...

The outdoors isn't just a hobby for Jill Frederick—it’s a way of life. Raised in a family deeply rooted in the outfitting and hunting community, Jill grew up listening to stories of the wild before ultimately becoming her dad's lifelong hunting partner. Now, as a mother, her focus has shifted to passing those same traditions, patience, and respect for nature down to her kids. In this epi...

As the Provincial Wildlife Disease Specialist, Dr. Margo Pybus has led Alberta’s wildlife health efforts for four decades. Responsible for managing provincial and national policy on wildlife parasites, Margo’s work bridges the gap between scientific research and real-world conservation. In this episode, she joins the podcast to discuss how hunters, farmers, and locals serve as the front line for d...

Predator management is a highly debated topic that often elicits strong emotions. But as human development alters the natural landscape, creating straight pathways—such as roads, agriculture, and oil and gas corridors—that make traversing easier for all species, it throws off predator-prey dynamics as these areas become major hunting sites. In this episode: Why wildlife management is essential to...

A trailblazer in the Canadian outdoor industry, Lisa Roper is a television producer, hunter, and angler who holds the distinction of being the first woman in Canada to host and produce her own national fishing series. From her hometown of Lac La Biche to the national stage, she has dedicated her career to breaking barriers and building confidence in the next generation of outdoorsmen and women. Si...

A two-time Olympian and multiple World Cup competitor, Ntala Quintilio brings a lifetime of experience in the world of biathlon, where endurance meets precision. From skiing at full intensity to settling into a steady shot, she breaks down what it takes to perform under pressure.  In this episode:  The challenge of accuracy at a high heart rate—hitting 45 mm (prone) and 115 mm (standing) targets f...

This year, Harvest Your Own is expanding—introducing fishing! Originally designed to grow awareness and participation in hunting across Alberta, the program has reached nearly 90,000 website visits since launching its first podcast episode in July 2020. Now, we’re casting a wider net. With close to a million anglers in Alberta, this episode dives into the province’s abundant fishing opportunities—...

A retired race car engineer turned powersports leader, Vince spent nearly two decades building and testing engines for stock, drag, and road racing before opening Cycle Works Motorsports Calgary —now representing 15 major brands. Today, he also serves as Secretary on the Board of Directors for Alberta Conservation Association, where he helps bridge the gap between the off-road community and conser...

Mule deer are one of Alberta’s most recognizable big game animals, but they are also one of the least studied. In this episode of the Harvest Your Own Podcast, Brad Fenson sits down with wildlife biologist Paul Jones to discuss the Alberta Mule Deer Collaring Project , a new research effort tracking mule deer movement, survival, and habitat use across southern Alberta. Researchers are using GPS co...

If you’ve ever stood over a chest freezer digging for that one moose roast buried somewhere at the bottom, this episode is for you. In this BrAdvice episode, Brad Fenson breaks down practical freezer management for wild game hunters. From proper wrapping techniques to colour-coding by species, labelling by year and cut, and building a freezer legend, Brad shares the system he uses to manage deer,...

Women in hunting are often talked about. This episode shows what it looks like in real life. In this Harvest Your Own Podcast, Brad speaks with Leanne Morrison and her daughters about raising girls outdoors, harvesting wild food, and standing behind their values when challenged. You’ll hear the story of a 12-year-old bow harvest that made headlines, and how that moment led to conservation conversa...

Wild turkeys didn’t arrive in Alberta by chance. They arrived because people kept showing up. In this Harvest Your Own episode, Brad sits down with Jim Clarke, one of the key figures behind Alberta’s turkey management plan, to tell the full story of how trap-and-transfer became reality. Jim walks through the early history of turkeys in the province, including the 1962 Cypress Hills release, and ex...

When the season closes, a lot of hunters hang up their boots and wait for fall. Brad Fenson does the opposite. In this BrAdvice episode, Brad makes the case that winter is when better hunts are built. He walks through his off-season routine, emptying the gun cabinet, taking firearms completely apart, and doing the deep cleaning most people never get around to during the season. But this isn’t just...

Pronghorn are often described as fast — but speed is only part of the story. In this episode, Brad sits down with Paul Jones , biologist with Alberta Conservation Association, to explore what GPS collar data is teaching us about how pronghorn move across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Montana. From choosing to crawl under fences instead of jumping them, to pacing highways before crossing, to launching...

Safari Club International is often misunderstood — and this episode is about clearing that up. Brad sits down with Tim McKinnon, President of the Safari Club International Northern Alberta Chapter, to talk about what SCI actually does in Alberta and why the organization plays a meaningful role in conservation, education, and hunting opportunities. Tim shares his own hunting background, shaped by f...

When hunting season wraps up, a lot of hunters feel like the door suddenly slams shut. In this BrAdvice episode, Brad explains why that moment is actually the start of your next season. From submitting mandatory harvest reports to using tools like ABHuntLog , Brad walks through how reflecting on your year in the field can make you a more prepared, confident hunter next fall. He shares why reportin...

Few people understand Alberta’s landscapes the way Bill Abercrombie does. A lifelong trapper, educator, and President of the Alberta Trappers Association , Bill joins Brad to talk about modern trapping, ethical practices, wildlife conflict work, and the deep connection to the land that trapping builds. Bill shares stories from: • Homesteading in Alaska with his wife and a pack of sled dogs • Runni...

How do you start hunting when no one taught you? When you have a busy family, no mentors, and don’t even know the right questions to ask? In this episode, Brad sits down with adult-onset hunter Mike Gorski , who went from curious newcomer to harvesting his first deer and joining Brad for a waterfowl hunt with a seasoned crew. Mike opens up about the real beginner journey — learning to shoot under...

Where can new or aspiring hunters actually find mentors? This BrAdvice episode tackles a listener's question about navigating Alberta’s hunting community and finding people willing to help you learn. Brad walks through why mentorship matters — from learning how to sight-in a firearm to field dressing and packing out an animal — and shares a powerful story about a new hunter that took two year...

Family, tradition, and a shared love for the outdoors. In this episode of Harvest Your Own, host Brad Fenson sits down with his son, Cameron, his daughter-in-law, Jen, and their three boys, Memphis, Eli, and Jameson, for a heartfelt conversation about what hunting means across generations. From Brad’s grandfather in the 1950s to the next generation of young hunters today, the Fensons share stories...

In this episode of Harvest Your Own, Brad Fenson sits down with Dayce Rhodes, an Alberta Conservation Association biologist whose life and work are rooted in the outdoors. From pheasant releases and wild-turkey projects to long days on the ranch west of Claresholm, Dayce has spent nearly every season outside — building a career around conservation and a lifestyle around hunting. He shares how his...

Success in the field doesn’t come from luck — it’s built piece by piece. In this episode of Harvest Your Own, host Brad Fenson breaks down what it really means to build a hunting toolkit. Not just gear — but knowledge, awareness, and habits formed over time. Brad explains how the little things add up: • Knowing your hunting area like a map inside your mind • Understanding bedding, feeding, and tra...

What if the moon could tell you when deer, predators, and even birds will move? In this episode of the Harvest Your Own Podcast, host Brad Fenson reconnects with longtime friend and wildlife biologist Larry “Mr. Whitetail” Weishuhn — a man whose decades of fieldwork helped shape modern whitetail management across North America. Larry dives deep into the science behind the moon and movement, sharin...