The MeatEater Podcast
MeatEater
Building on the belief that a deeper understanding of the natural world enriches all of our lives, host Steven Rinella brings an in-depth and relevant look at all outdoor topics including hunting, fishing, nature, conservation, and wild foods. Filled with humor, irreverence, and things that will surprise the hell out of you, each episode welcomes a diverse group of guests who add their own expertise to the vast world of the outdoors. Part of The MeatEater Podcast Network.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 26, 2026 • 1h 42min
Ep. 853: Turkeys Break the Internet, Tungsten Ammo Gets Expensive, and Black Bear Politics Flare
They debate tungsten ammo shortages and how skyrocketing TSS prices are changing turkey gear. Politics and proposed rule changes for black bear seasons in multiple states spark heated discussion. A tech meltdown in Wisconsin’s turkey tag system and concerns about Alaska bottom trawling also come up. Plus a surprising sports-meets-angling interview and hunting giveaway details.
Mar 25, 2026 • 44min
Ep. 852: Game On, Suckers! MeatEater Trivia CCIX
Randall Williams, regular contributor known for bar-trivia smarts and sharp humor. Quick-fire rounds cover Yellowstone elevation, Holes, Australia’s outback and the dingo fence, hunting gear origins, TSS tungsten shot, whistle pigs, source-sink ecology, REI co-op history, and the PEI mussels origin. Lively banter and playful corrections keep the pace brisk.
Mar 23, 2026 • 1h 41min
Ep. 851: The Promise and Controversy of American Prairie
Alison Fox, CEO of American Prairie and longtime leader in bison conservation and land restoration. She describes building a 3-million-acre public-private landscape, bison recovery and herd management, land acquisitions and funding, grazing permit disputes with the BLM, public access and hunting policies, and plans for long-term stewardship and species reintroductions.
Mar 18, 2026 • 43min
Ep. 850: Game On, Suckers! MeatEater Trivia CCVIII
Brody Henderson, frequent contributor and contest contender who won the game, chats energetically throughout. Janis Putelis, regular trivia participant, competes in rapid-fire quiz rounds. They tackle fishing timing, basking shark facts, revolver capacity trivia, taxonomy basics, and the Gold Rush impact on California grizzlies. Fast-paced banter and playful competition drive the conversation.
14 snips
Mar 17, 2026 • 1h 37min
Ep. 849: Fur Bans, Gonad Jerky, and Connor “Bass Head” Hellebuyck
They riff on gonad jerky and an outrageous jerky packaging refusal. Discussion covers Colorado’s proposed fur-sale ban and its impact on makers. There’s a museum vandalism story about a shattered mammoth tusk. A goalie-turned-angler chats about Olympic gold and bass fishing. They also talk red snapper management shifting to states and creative uses of eBird for finding waterfowl access.
Mar 16, 2026 • 1h 25min
Ep. 848: How America Almost Lost Its Birds
James McCommons, author and emeritus professor who wrote The Feather Wars, traces how fashion, market hunting, egg collecting, and weak laws pushed many bird species to the brink. He recounts punt guns, cold‑storage trade, famous legal fights over migratory protections, and how diverse groups rallied to save birds. Short, vivid stories bring this fraught history to life.
Mar 12, 2026 • 1h 43min
Ep. 847: Neanderthal Love, Mule Deer Eradication, and Mink Eyelashes
Brian Olin, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wildlife inspector in Anchorage, talks about detecting weird wildlife imports. Conversation jumps from Neanderthal mating research to the Catalina Island mule deer eradication controversy. They also cover Texas rattlesnake roundups and the bizarre seizure of mink fur eyelashes.
Mar 11, 2026 • 44min
Ep. 846: Game On, Suckers! MeatEater Trivia CCVII
Panelists include Janis Putelis and other recurring MeatEater contributors — a group of hunters, hosts, and on-air personalities who trade trivia and banter. They tackle topics from butchery and cooking chuck roast, quail crests and bird ID, to trail mix history, Hawaiian fish names, and public lands lore. Quick, playful rounds lead to a tiebreaker and a charitable prize decision.
Mar 9, 2026 • 2h 15min
Ep. 845: Can Ruffed Grouse and Woodcock Be Saved?
Karl Malcolm, VP of Conservation for the Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodcock Society, is a wildlife biologist focused on forest habitat and upland birds. He discusses why grouse and woodcock declined as forests homogenized. He explains ideal early-successional habitat, how timber markets fund large-scale restoration, and how engaging more people can scale conservation work.
Mar 6, 2026 • 6h 27min
Ep. 844: The Grand Finale Extravaganza | MeatEater Radio Live!
Pat Durkin, a quick-thinking angler who won the live one-minute fishing challenge, and Stephen Rinella, outdoorsman, author, and MeatEater founder, join the grand‑finale livestream. They tackle the live charity fishing challenge, behind-the-scenes studio antics, rapid-fire trivia, wild listener tips, a tongue-in-cheek trailer premiere, office tours, and nostalgic show send-offs.
