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 conservation.

In this episode, Vince shares why responsible land use is the “new kind of woodcraft,” how education is key to keeping access open, and what riders can do to protect the landscapes they depend on. Alongside his wife, he’s helped teach Introduction to ATVing courses through AHEIA—combining technical skill with stewardship.

This conversation is about more than machines—it’s about respect, responsibility, and ensuring Alberta’s wild spaces remain open and healthy for generations to come.

Brad and Vince discuss:

• ATVs and recreational vehicles
• Using recreational vehicles in the backcountry, on trails, and around wildlife
• Know where and when you are riding
• Legal requirements
• Support your local fish and game clubs
• Tips and tricks

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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 landscape, how winter conditions affect survival, and how populations respond to predators, disease, and habitat changes.

The project brings together several conservation partners, including Alberta Conservation Association, Alberta Professional Outfitters Society, Grand Slam Club/Ovis Canada, and the Government of Alberta, with research partners Wilderness Solutions Inc. and EcoBorealis Consulting Inc.

The data collected will help biologists improve how mule deer populations are monitored and managed across Alberta.

Brad and Paul discuss:

• How mule deer are captured and collared
• What researchers are learning about migration and movement
• How winter severity affects mule deer survival
• New technologies being explored for wildlife monitoring
• How landowners and conservation partners are helping support the research

Learn more about the project:
https://albertacollaringproject.com/

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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, elk, moose, bear, birds, and more.

You’ll learn:
• How to wrap wild game for long-term quality
• Why butcher paper and colored burger bags matter
• How to use cloth grocery bags to organize by species and cut
• Why layering meat properly prevents spoilage
• How to track older meat so nothing goes to waste
• When to repurpose cuts into jerky, sausage, or pressure-canned meals

Brad reminds us that hunting is about more than harvesting. It’s about respecting the meat, using it well, and planning ahead.

If you care about wild game storage, freezer organization, and getting the most out of your harvest, this episode will change the way you use your freezer.

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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 something every time you go in the bush… It’s way more than harvesting something.”

This episode explores women in hunting, family hunting traditions, conservation education, and raising confident female hunters who believe they belong in the field.

If you care about girls outdoors, mentorship, and the deeper rewards of hunting, this conversation is worth your time.

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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 explains why those birds didn’t establish as hoped. He then takes listeners inside the years of meetings, resolutions, and conversations that eventually shaped today’s program with Alberta Conservation Association, where turkeys are trapped in B.C., tested, and moved into Alberta.

Along the way, you’ll hear about:
•A memorable South Dakota hunt where Jim held out for a white-tipped Merriam
•How local Fish & Game clubs are helping fund turkey releases
•Why winter-hardy eastern turkeys from Quebec could matter for central Alberta
•Jim’s long-term hope for a general turkey tag in the province

If you’d like more information or want to get involved with turkey work in Alberta, you can reach Jim directly at [email protected]

Part hunting story, part policy history, and part grassroots effort, this episode shows what persistence looks like on the ground.

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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 clothing before it fails in the field, and cleaning optics the right way so you don’t damage coatings. He also gets into bow maintenance — checking cams, strings, and servings, and why small problems ignored in January become big problems in September.

A big theme of the episode is familiarity. Brad argues that the more time you spend with your gear in winter, the more confident, capable, and calm you’ll be when things go sideways in the field.

It’s part maintenance guide, part mindset shift, and a reminder that preparation is often what makes a good season great.

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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 into unexpected mid-winter migrations, pronghorn movement is shaped by far more than distance alone.

Paul walks through:
 • How GPS collars collect fine-scale movement data
 • Why female pronghorn are the focus of collaring studies
 • How snow depth, fencing, and roads influence movement decisions
 • What “facultative migration” looks like on the prairies
 • How citizen observations help identify important crossing areas

This conversation connects data to behaviour — and behaviour to the landscape pronghorn move through every day.

Pronghorn Xing team: Miistakis Institute and Canadian Wildlife Federation 

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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 through youth camps, education funding, Hunting Heritage Grants, wildlife research, accessibility programs, and community outreach. They also discuss the importance of showing up at advisory tables, in classrooms, and in communities to ensure hunting and conservation remain part of Alberta's future.

This episode covers:
• Where the misconceptions about SCI come from
• How SCI supports youth, women, and new hunters
• Why conservation requires education and funding
• How Hunting Heritage Grants are allocated in Alberta
• The social side of hunting and why community matters

🎧 Listen to find out how SCI works at the local level — and why it matters.

Find SCI – Northern Alberta at:

Facebook 

Instagram

X (Twitter)

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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 reporting matters, how your data contributes to better wildlife management, and how winter observations — from shed hunting to small game — can shape smarter decisions when draw season rolls around.

If you want to avoid penalties, stay engaged through the off-season, and turn your time outdoors into something that actually works for you next year, this episode is for you.

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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 behaviour
• Using trapper skill sets to help solve urban wildlife conflicts
• The evolution of humane trapping standards and science-based fur management
• The ATA’s education programs, youth camps, and bushcraft training
• Why mentoring new trappers matters more than ever

Whether you trap, hunt, or simply love the outdoors, Bill’s knowledge and decades of perspective offer a rare look into a lifestyle that has shaped Alberta’s conservation culture.

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