For those who’ve worn out their hiking boots but not their appetite for authentic outdoor storytelling, “The MeatEater Podcast” serves up conversations as rich and satisfying as a perfectly grilled backstrap after a long day in the field.
Host Steven Rinella employs the delicate art of blending practical hunting wisdom with reflections on conservation, wild food, and humanity’s complicated relationship with nature. It’s all delivered with the easy confidence of someone who’s equally comfortable field dressing an elk or discussing environmental policy.
While scrolling through the show’s extensive catalog might feel as daunting as planning a solo expedition into the Alaskan wilderness, this list of top episodes highlights the ones that showcase the podcast at its finest.
Ep. 241: A Half Life of Never
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Pebble Mine’s environmental threats, including potential toxic waste similar to Berkeley Pit’s dead snow geese incident. The project would generate billions of tons of waste and use cyanide leech mining in an earthquake-prone region. Sockeye salmon’s critical ecosystem role was highlighted. Steve disclosed his opposition and mentioned his $1,000 bet. Despite most Alaskans opposing the mine, extensive legal battles continue. The Clean Water Act may be the last defense. Conservation in Alaska faces unique challenges. Action steps to stop the mine were outlined. Other topics included Richter’s nudism, causes of fish die-offs, Alaska’s resident payments, and confusion with Pebble Beach golf course.
Ep. 167: Mauled by a Grizzly
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Steven Rinella converses with Amber Kornak and Janis Putelis. Topics covered: Appropriate terminology for bear attack survivors; Janis’s poultry egg enterprise; challenges faced by women in wildlife science; fur collection traps; the exact instant of recognizing an imminent grizzly attack; optimal bear spray positioning and effective deployment techniques; love of nature; marking bears with tattoos; plus additional subjects.
Ep. 696: Wildfire and the Future of Public Lands with Sen. Tim Sheehy
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Steven Rinella converses with Montana’s U.S. Senator Tim Sheehy, Ryan Callaghan, and Brody Henderson. Discussion includes: Armed forces experiences, forest fires, government-owned natural areas, and various additional matters.
Ep. 133: You’re a cool dude, Buck.
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Anchorage, AK – Steven Rinella dialogues with Alaska Master Guide Buck Bowden, alongside Danny Rinella, Chris “Ridgepounder” Gill, Dirt Myth, and Janis Putelis. Covered: Buck’s childhood knife accident; nine-fingered treasure hunting; remote expeditions; inferior southern horses versus hardy Alaskan ones; profitable fur species; wolverine consumption; apprenticeship on mountain game; guide certification; insights from triple bear encounters; hunting excellence defined; escaping societal pressures; additional topics.
Ep. 289: We Did Start the Fire
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Steven Rinella converses with Paul Hessburg, Rick Hutton, Brody Henderson, Seth Morris, Phil Taylor, and Janis Putelis. Key topics: Janis’s aversion to snarling bear rugs; household coyote; familial relations; FHF’s upcoming products; Brody’s peculiar bear; Janis’s coveted bighorn permit; packing mathematics; FUODS calendar success; MeatEater Season 10 Netflix premiere (Sept 29)
Ep. 178: Hunting Mammoths
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Steven Rinella discusses with David J. Meltzer and Janis Putelis. Topics covered: Radiocarbon dating interpretation; Bering Land Bridge migration; original American inhabitants; prehistoric incest avoidance; productive ecological transition zones; massive prehistoric creatures including glyptodons and enormous ground sloths; sudden mass extinction event; Rambo references; examining the rapid-hunting extinction theory; distinctive Clovis projectile technology; challenging established narratives; prehistoric bison tongue consumption; additional subjects.
Ep. 147: Tough-Assed Questions, Vol. 2
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Bozeman, MT- Steven Rinella converses with Ryan Callaghan, Ben O’Brien, Seth Morris, and Janis Putelis. Topics: Short walls versus equine roleplay; Michigan hand gestures; repeated marsupial tail consumption; Janis’s cardiac health; American oddities from Australian perspective; Latvian Eagle’s multiple monikers; divided opinion on show’s theme music; vacuum sealer clarifications; optimal squirrel ammunition; chicken wing intellectual classification; grizzlies consuming llamas; unauthorized tag exchanges; additional subjects.
Ep. 091: Surviving
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Seattle, WA- Steven Rinella converses with Eduardo Garcia, alongside Janis Putelis from the MeatEater team. Topics Explored: Squash burglar; electricity-conducting ursine pelts; culinary work aboard luxury vessels; returning to frontier lifestyle; “Charged: The Eduardo Garcia Story” documentary; prehistoric Los Angeles asphalt deposits containing extinct predators; rehabilitation journey; pursuing game using prosthetic equipment; additional subjects.
Ep. 641: 15 Years of Living Off the Land in Alaska
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Steven Rinella dialogues with Randy Brown, Ryan Callaghan, Janis Putelis, Brody Henderson, Seth Morris, Phil Taylor, and Corinne Schneider. Discussed: Text messages bordering on hunter intimidation; lead-shot venison consumption; surprising revelations from John McPhee about drinking water; partial connections to “Coming Back To The Country”; namesake confusion; moose fat processing; Alaska’s complex land jurisdiction; Smeagol-like theft experiences; tracking observations; extreme emaciation; competitive gender dynamics; Alaska wilderness upbringing metaphors; additional topics.
Ep. 179: The Weed Warden
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Steven Rinella converses with John Nores and Janis Putelis. Topics explored: Organized crime marijuana cultivation on government lands; toxic chemical impacts on wildlife from cannabis operations; dangerous concealed spike traps in Shasta National Forest resembling Vietnam-era defenses; elite conservation enforcement units; lethal pink substance; footprint concealment techniques using bovine impressions and carpet footwear; exceptional canine officer Phoebe with remarkable lifesaving abilities and arrest record; undisclosed canine attack instructions; extensive irrigation tubing systems; unauthorized water diversion structures; educational science programs near technology industry hub; additional subjects.
Ep. 295: A Soft Spot for Outlaws
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Steven Rinella chats with Sam Lawry, Paul Lewis, Ray Lockard, Brody Henderson, Phil Taylor, Corinne Schneider, and Janis Putelis about odd auctions, goose hunts, wolves, weird laws, roadkill rules, FHF’s origin, Sam’s book, and more wild stories.
Ep. 126: Wild Horses
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From Tempe, AZ, Steven Rinella sits down with Dr. Tolani Francisco, Dr. Karl Malcolm, and Janis Putelis to talk bowhunting basics for kids, wild vs. feral horses, horse history in the West, predators, mustangers, and some wild moments from the past and present.
Ep. 510: On Nature and Suffering with Werner Herzog
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Steven Rinella sits down with Werner Herzog to discuss his memoir, *Every Man for Himself and God Against All*, living without complaint, respecting food, self-reliance, trout-grabbing, the real story behind *Grizzly Man*, surviving a plane crash, and roles in *The Mandalorian* and *The Simpsons*.
Read our review of The MeatEater Podcast