Harvest Your Own Podcast

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. Six years after appearing on the second-ever episode of the HYO podcast, Lisa returns to share how ...

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—from lake aeration and fish stocking to the importance of sustainable fisheries. Our goal remains...

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 collars deployed by helicopter capture teams to better understand how mule deer move across the land...

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 conversations in a Grade 4 classroom. Brad reflects on what hunting really teaches: “You can learn someth...

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 about guns. Brad talks about caring for leather boots so they don’t crack, repairing torn clothi...

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 family mentorship and generations in the field. He explains how SCI supports resident hunters thro...

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 • Running traplines across northern Alberta • Reading tracks, signs, and “spurring” to understand animal ...

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 years to complete their hunter education and get their PAL before finally getting out waterfowling…and l...

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 ranch upbringing shaped his work ethic, the lessons learned from mentors and family hunts, and wh...

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, sharing how gravitational pull, light phases, and timing patterns can predict wildlife activity. From ...

Venison should taste clean, rich, and delicious — not gamey. In this Bradvice episode, host Brad Fenson shares decades of hands-on experience in the field and kitchen to help you make the most of your wild harvest. From field dressing to the freezer, Brad breaks down his proven process for improving flavour and quality: •How to cut with the grain of the hair for cleaner field dressing. •Cooling your harvest fast to stop bacterial growth. •Hide on vs. hide off — what really matters for taste....

What does it take to conserve habitat, mentor new hunters, and keep upland traditions alive in Alberta? Host Brad Fenson sits down with Pheasants Forever Canada President Perry McCormick to discuss the organization’s impact, including raising record-breaking funds, protecting prairie habitats, and running first-class programs such as mentored pheasant hunts for university students. From the legacy of pheasant releases in Alberta to modern challenges like disappearing grasslands and irrigation...

You brought home the harvest—now what? In this episode, Brad Fenson is joined by Camp Chef’s Brooks Hansen to break down the most common wild game cooking mistakes—and how to avoid them. From thawing your meat too quickly to skipping the resting phase, these small missteps can lead to tough, dry, flavourless meals that do your harvest a disservice. Brooks, a lifelong outdoorsman and meat-smoking expert, shares advice on: · Proper thawing techniques to preserve flavou...