The MeatEater Podcast Ep. 956: Deer Hunt Reports - Phoning It In
Nov 5, 2026
A wide-ranging roundup covers Colorado’s rejected hunting-rights amendment and why hunters must connect beyond their own community. Field reports span rainy Alaska blacktails, late Montana mule deer, Kentucky small game, Missouri rut hunting, and an improvised elk hunt. The crew also tackles trapping, Austrian hunting traditions, a bizarre gorilla rifle ad, and protecting public lands from illegal off-road use.
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Colorado Hunters Lose Constitutional Protection
- Colorado’s Amendment 83 failed roughly 55% to 45%, leaving hunting legal but without constitutional protection against future ballot restrictions.
- The hosts emphasized that hunters must explain their values to nonhunters instead of relying on hunting-centered message boards.
Alaska Blacktail Hunting Means Constant Rain
- Steven Rinella and Seth faced relentless rain, fog, steep rainforest climbs, and no bucks during an early Southeast Alaska blacktail hunt.
- The crew joked that every miserable hunting day could still produce spot prawns, Dungeness crab, or halibut.
Spencer Finds A Whitetail During A Slow Rut
- Spencer Neuharth saw dozens of does without a rutting mule deer buck, then unexpectedly killed a mature western whitetail.
- The report showed how rut timing can differ across drainages and species.
