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
Oct 15, 2026 • 1h 54min
Ep. 947: Are You Happy to See Me or Is That a Bird in Your Pants?
Phil Taylor, outdoor media producer; Brody Henderson, hunting and conservation contributor; and Jordan Sillars, journalist and Blood Trails storyteller, dig into wildlife crime and strange outdoor news. They explore a New Hampshire bobcat poaching ring, the Chai Vang hunting-camp massacre, songbirds smuggled in underwear, and a duck call mistaken for drug use. They also debate Alaska’s Ambler Road and the growing fight over CWD.
Oct 14, 2026 • 47min
Ep. 946: Game On, Suckers! MeatEater Trivia CCXXXVIII
Mark Kenyon, writer and outdoor communicator focused on public-land hunting, whitetails, and conservation, joins a lively trivia showdown. The panel tackles questions about MeatEater’s first hunt, kiwi conservation, trophy-poaching penalties, ramekins, quiche Lorraine, muskeg, chipotle peppers, and more. A grouse-loving contestant takes the win and directs a $500 conservation donation.
4 snips
Oct 12, 2026 • 1h 25min
Ep. 945: Larry the Cable Guy
Dan Whitney, the comedian behind Larry the Cable Guy, joins the conversation from Nebraska’s homecoming game. He talks venison hot dogs, bass fishing, pig farming, bucking bulls, REO Speedwagon, and the origin of “Git-R-Done.” He also shares stories about his father’s Fender Telecaster, an outrageous moose decoy sting, the rise of Larry, and voicing Tow Mater in Cars.
Oct 9, 2026 • 1h 12min
Ep. 944: Tony and Steve's Nebraska Whitetail Hunt | 12 in '26
Max Barta, a MeatEater videographer and outdoor filmmaker, joins Tony Peterson to revisit the Nebraska whitetail hunt with Steven Rinella. They unpack map-based scouting, misleading trail-camera patterns, rut timing, stand placement, filming under pressure, missed opportunities, and the psychology behind rushed shots. The conversation also explores natural blinds, river approaches, tracking decisions, and the challenges of capturing a hunt on camera.
Oct 8, 2026 • 1h 44min
Ep. 943: Did a 3-Year-Old Really Shoot Another Hunter?
Pat Durkin, a Wisconsin outdoor journalist and longtime hunting writer, joins a hard-hitting discussion of a tragic turkey-season shooting involving a three-year-old. The conversation also tackles calculating the perfect venison burger blend, snow goose conservation, black-market turtle trafficking, and 14 bears euthanized after illegal feeding. Colorado’s constitutional hunting rights round out the lineup.
Oct 7, 2026 • 42min
Ep. 942: Game On, Suckers! MeatEater Trivia CCXXXVII
Randall Williams, an outdoor writer and conservation-minded MeatEater contributor, takes on a wide-ranging trivia showdown. Topics include public-land hunting strategies, tree science, boat superstitions, a bizarre octopus space theory, pallid sturgeon conservation, Glock’s horse-breeding history, kidney preparation, and the mating habits of honeybees. He finishes with a perfect score and a conservation donation for pronghorns.
20 snips
Oct 5, 2026 • 1h 16min
Ep. 941: The Life and Times of a Gator Man
Bob Stafford, a longtime Florida fishing and hunting guide, joins Steven Rinella after a successful Lake Okeechobee gator hunt. He recounts Florida’s first regulated alligator seasons, evolving tactics from harpoons to forward-facing sonar, and the challenges of processing hides and meat. They also explore wild egg collection, hatchling survival, shifting markets, hunting pressure, and the dangerous history of Okeechobee.
Oct 2, 2026 • 1h 15min
Ep. 940: Janis's Backcountry Mule Deer | 12 in '26
Phil Taylor, a MeatEater podcast engineer, and Garrett Long, an outdoor media producer, join Janis Putelis to unpack his high-country mule deer hunt. They discuss affordable gear, a lightweight 6.5 PRC, e-scouting, scent, patience, training, and escaping crowded trails. Janis also recounts a tricky cross-canyon wind, a careful 400-yard setup, and the realities of processing and packing out a buck.
Oct 1, 2026 • 1h 20min
Ep. 939: Fat Buck, Wet Buck, and The Strangest Bad Public Land Idea
Rob Sand, Iowa politician and conservation advocate, joins whitetail writer Mark Kenyon and outdoor journalist Brody Henderson. They explore a grizzly claiming an elk, an astonishing 329-pound buck, blue deer urine, hunter-harassment charges, and a rejected bear-spray mandate. They also debate a baseball stadium in Grand Teton, preview historical podcasts and pirates, and discuss Sand’s wet-buck mount and Iowa’s wetlands.
Sep 30, 2026 • 43min
Ep. 938: Game On, Suckers! MeatEater Trivia CCXXXVI
A lively round of outdoor trivia covers Virginia turkey populations, tiger salamanders, washboard roads, California forests, classic films, Hunter S. Thompson, and hunting terminology. The panel also explores ways to stay sane on a solo elk hunt, unveils a $23,000 Whitetail Week giveaway, corrects a spotted bass record, and digs into Niagara River and Biloxi seafood history.
