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
Apr 2, 2026 • 1h 36min
Ep. 857: Turkey Season Changes, the Death Valley Super Bloom, and Bad Poachers
They tell a wild spearfishing story about a six-foot moray eel and a near-miss with divers. They talk bike-and-fly fishing trips and installing hen houses to boost mallard nests. They cover turkey season timing changes and a controversial TSS/tungsten debate. They explain Death Valley's rare super bloom and report on a large poaching bust with seized deer, elk, and moose heads.
Apr 1, 2026 • 55min
Ep. 856: Game On, Suckers! MeatEater Trivia CCX
Max Barta, on-air hunting personality with field storytelling chops; Yanni Chimani, contributor known for outdoor commentary; Randall Williams, seasoned outdoorsman and trivia ace. They trade turkey hunt tales, quiz each other on wildlife, fishing, foraging, and gear, and spar over conservation prizes and hunting logos in a lively trivia showdown.
Mar 31, 2026 • 1h 11min
Ep. 855: Clay's Utah Mountain Lion Hunt | 12 in '26
Clay Newcomb, experienced hunter and filmmaker who led the Utah mountain lion hunt in the 12 in '26 film, shares first-person tales. He discusses hunting with hounds and mule travel in steep, rugged terrain. He breaks down dry-ground versus snowline lion hunting, dog traits that matter, and conservation and management trade-offs in Utah.
Mar 30, 2026 • 1h 51min
Ep. 854: Dogs That Hunt Humans
Doug Roller, former LAPD K9 handler and chief trainer who now runs Tactical K9, shares stories from falconry to street work. He explains what apprehension dogs do and differences between air-scent and tracking dogs. Topics include fear scent, off-leash e-collar searching, bite mechanics, buying police or protection dogs, and the costs when dogs get hurt in the line of duty.
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.
