Author: Brad Fenson

It was overcast and the dead-calm air felt heavy as the eastern sky brightened. I pointed to the far end of the field where a moose was meandering through the large round bales scattered randomly in the alfalfa. Binoculars confirmed this sight was a young bull moose. I looked at my wife, Stef, and asked her if she was ready to go. Our girls Maya and Addy were along for their mom’s first moose hunt, and things looked promising. Seeing the moose and understanding what we needed to do to be successful, the girls chattered with excitement. It was November…

We tiptoed down the edge of a large agricultural field and cut across a row of cut stalks to get to the edge of the trees on the other side. A portable blind was popped open and was quickly disguised in the jungle foliage. After adjusting the chair to see out the open window, my guide went out with clippers and cut shooting lanes through the limbs and vines. Sitting quietly, I could feel a bead of sweat run down the entire length of my back. It was late afternoon on my first day in turkey camp. The hunting adventure…

It was warm for mid-October, and the still morning air was perfect for our sandhill crane hunt in southern Saskatchewan. A clear sky and a touch of frost made for a spectacular sunrise on the prairie. The eastern horizon lit up with warm, pastel colors that were exaggerated on the scattered clouds. Calm, quiet days are magical for cranes, birds that often fly six feet off the ground. The wind has the opposite effect, forcing these prehistoric birds to fly high. To add to the excitement, we could hear the croaking sound of birds on the roost from miles away.…

The predawn air was cool, with a gentle breeze from the northwest. The chatter of geese on a distant wetland traveled like radio waves through the clear sky. Excited voices were loud and boisterous, and they foreshadowed the exciting morning ahead. I was hunting with my son Cameron, his wife Jen, and my three grandsons, Memphis, Elijh and Jameson. Good friend Tim Despins took the time to spot a hunt and was along for the adventure too. We were in a barley field targeted by big honkers and a smattering of ducks. It was a special day. Memphis was celebrating…

The inky darkness faded as a glowing light emerged on the eastern horizon. The rugged landscape sat silent. There wasn’t a breath of wind and the birds hadn’t yet woken to greet the morning sun. The sky brightened quickly, and with the growing light came a thundering gobble from up the ridge. The vocal tom started a territorial war from his perch as three other gobblers sounded off in response. My heart started beating faster, and my brain spun out of control, trying to devise a game plan. Perhaps it is the changing seasons and a fresh new, growing landscape.…

Big blips on the sonar confirmed fish below us, but we could not get them to bite no matter what we threw at them. We trolled, jigged and used bait to try to entice a bite. It was a hot summer day and the lakers were fat, lazy and finicky about what was on the lunch menu. I was fishing with friends at Lloyd Lake Lodge on one of their outpost lakes and knew it was time to change things. The fish are always biting; you just need to figure out the presentation. One of the other boats from our…

We started the trucks early to burn the industrial-strength frost off the windshields. Giant snowflakes drifted randomly through the headlights as we drove down the long driveway. The weather on the prairies can be fickle, but during April, it is better described as manic. The slightly inclement weather did not dampen our spirits to set up for a spring snow goose hunt, though. The snow had been melting the week before, and we feared snow geese would be headed north. Fresh snow falling left us wondering what type of snowstorm lies ahead. Snow geese often frustrate hunters, and it can…

We hunted in the morning but could not find a fresh elk track. We had started hiking an hour before sunrise to reach the top of a ridge. The view was spectacular, overlooking miles of alfalfa and winter wheat fields with a backdrop of rocky cliffs and pine-studded ridges. This steep country is where the elk typically hung out for the day and catching them coming back from a night feed was part of the strategy. We hiked down the ridge to check adjacent draws and spotted some cows scattered in the timber. Upon closer inspection, we found hundreds of…

After meeting me, wild game became the norm for my wife. Stefanie did not grow up eating much wild game, and it was certainly not a staple in her diet. However, we now process our game, make sausage, sandwich meats, and specialty dishes, and naturally love the lean and flavorful protein sources. After adapting to a wild game diet, Stef con- cluded that she would like to harvest an elk, her favorite table fare. Her only stipulation was that she did not want it to have antlers. It did not take long to figure out the limited entry draws, and…

The view from the air was breathtaking. The Mackenzie River and its tributaries snaked their way from the rugged mountain tops to create a monster-sized river flowing through a wide, sweeping valley. With a storm front on the horizon the clouds provided a backdrop of moody colours and light streaming through seams in the billowy haze. The flight was emotional and exhilarating as I was starting a longtime dream to hunt the wilderness area of the remote mountains with my outfitter Stan Stevens, of Mackenzie Mountain Outfitters. Game trails were cut deep into the land and spread like spider webs…