Harvest Your Own Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

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 what it’s like to finally draw a coveted Shiras moose tag after more than a decade of waiting.

The story takes a powerful turn when Dayce and his friends respond to an emergency in the field — proving that good hunters don’t just chase opportunity, they help where they’re needed most.

This episode blends science, fieldwork, and emotion — from trapping wild turkeys to hauling out moose quarters by headlamp — showing that hunting is about far more than pulling the trigger.

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Find Brad at:
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Website: https://www.harvestyourown.ca/

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 travel patterns
• Using iHunter and ABHuntLog to track signs, sightings, and movement
• Watching the wind and planning entry routes
• Glassing effectively — seeing game before it sees you
• Communicating with deer using rattling, grunts, and bleats
• Managing scent so you’re invisible before you ever take a step

This episode is full of practical, confidence-building advice that helps new and experienced hunters get more out of every day afield.

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Find Brad at:
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Do you need a range day to improve your skills with your shotgun or rifle? Think again.

Brad Fenson shares the simple at-home drills that will make you more accurate and confident in the field, without firing a single shot. From the flashlight-in-the-barrel trick for perfecting your swing to snap-cap drills for mastering trigger control, Brad walks you through practical exercises you can do in your living room, garage, or backyard.

Whether you’re gearing up for waterfowl, upland birds, or big game, these habits will help you shoulder faster, point smoother, and put more wild food in your freezer.

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So many tips, so much knowledge - all in one listen. For the past 40 years, our special guest Mark DesRoches has been chasing waterfowl all over the continent. A lot of it—especially duck hunting in the prairies—is not as gear intensive as you might think. Mark shares breaks it all down and spends a great deal of the episode sharing his insights on sandhill crane, as the recent introduction of this season has been one of the most exciting events to happen for Alberta hunting in a very long time! After all, Mark has hunted in nearly every corner you can imagine, and says  Alberta waterfowling is world-renowned. So take advantage, listen and get ready to chase!

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Find Brad at:
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Rabbit hunting in Alberta. Bottom line? It's an overlooked opportunity! Brad Fenson teams up with hardcore bunny-thumpers (his words!) Evan Linehan and Josh Glover to delve into all things rabbit and hares - myths dispelled included. Learn about their experience and most of all, gain from it for your own winter hunting adventures. Do it with your friends, do it through our long, cold season, do it so you can continue to eat wild and eat well! This is THE episode to get started.

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Find Brad at:
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Find Harvest Your Own at:
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Sure, getting into hunting requires a set of actions, but it's also not as difficult to get into as one might think. In fact, in the case of our guest Hillary Keyes (biologist and outdoor enthusiast) she ended up preparing to be a hunter without planning to be one! Intentional or not, finding the pathway to hunting proves to be one of life's most rewarding experiences. Listen in as Hillary explains easing into bird hunting, getting comfortable with guns, and her hesitation and accomplishment surrounding her first deer hunt. It took Hillary a few years to feel ready for big game, and that's the beauty of hunting - no timeline, no pressure. Your path is your own.

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Find Brad at:
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Find Harvest Your Own at:
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 "Hunting is about the relationships I've formed." Whether that's with family or with the land, Alex considers them all to be essential and fulfilling on her quest in finding her next meal. As a hunter, forager, gardener, teacher and outdoor enthusiast, Alex is still eagerly learning yet has many tidbits of advice to help those of us looking to get out there for our very first time.  She explains the rewards of hard work and understanding and feeling that real connection between your health and your food. If a one-time vegetarian (listen in for more on that !) can connect to the land in such a way to drive her passion to become a hunter, we think all Albertans can.

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Find Brad at:
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Find Harvest Your Own at:
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Website: https://www.harvestyourown.ca/

Have you ever been to Canada's largest hunting festival ? In October 2020, the Taber Pheasant Festival celebrated its 10th anniversary . Considering this special milestone, podcast host Brad took the time to talk to participants - many out pheasant hunting for their very first time. Listen in for their experiences getting some birds, mentorship and novice instruction, recipes, and everything else the Festival can bring. If anything, we hope it convinces you to visit Taber next October! We love pheasant hunting, and we bet you will too.

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Find Brad at:
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Find Harvest Your Own at:
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Website: https://www.harvestyourown.ca/

Are you intrigued by hunting? Or are you a hunter who has a spouse, family member or friend who perhaps needs just a small nudge to take the next step into hunting? Then listen to this episode stat! Sheila and Brad discuss getting into hunting with no prior experience, how mentors truly make all the difference (and how to find your own), and learning to eventually meet some pretty big goals. In fact, Sheila shares in detail a unforgettable deer hunt she took on...all by herself. Get ready to feel inspired, yet totally relate to the real-life experiences Sheila shares.

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Find Brad at:
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Find Harvest Your Own at:
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Website: https://www.harvestyourown.ca/

Do you have a hunting dog? Do you want one? What have they taught you? Hunting dogs are one of the most useful tools in the field, but more than that - it's a relationship unlike any other. Listen to expert Jalen and host Brad as they discuss first-timer tips, breeds and their unique experiences relating to hunting with dogs. Be consistent and you'll find it's easier than you might have anticipated. Our best friends deserve their own special attention - and this episode is exactly it!

Like the episode or let us know another topic to cover.

Find Brad at:
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brad.fenson

Find Harvest Your Own at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HarvestYourOwn
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harvestyourownaca/
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Website: https://www.harvestyourown.ca/