The MeatEater Podcast

Ep. 815: Game On, Suckers! MeatEater Trivia CXCVII

Release Date: December 31, 2025
Host: Spencer Newarth
Panelists: Corey, John, Marge, Max, Nate, Sarah
Theme: Outdoor-themed trivia competition with proceeds to conservation

Episode Overview

In this lively episode of MeatEater Trivia, host Spencer Newarth brings together a colorful crew of six "jabronis"—Corey, John, Marge, Max, Nate, and Sarah—for an action-packed, 10-round quiz covering hunting, fishing, conservation, and wild foods. With $500 destined for the winner's conservation charity of choice, the group battles it out amid banter, irreverent jokes, and interesting detours into dog breeds, wind gusts, and movie trivia. All questions and answers are steeped in MeatEater’s signature outdoorsy flavor, with wit and camaraderie at the forefront.

Key Discussion Points & Trivia Highlights

1. Panel Introductions and Housekeeping

[02:02–07:00]

• Spencer introduces the day’s trivia format: 10 rounds across four verticals—hunting, fishing, conservation, cooking—with a donation prize.
• This week’s players are all “jabronis” (no Brody or Randall, the typical heavy hitters).
• Spencer announces the launch of new MeatEater-themed games (like "Word Search") on their website.

Notable Exchange:

• On losing to Brody and Randall:
  • Phil (02:42): “No, no. Very frustrated.”
  • Corey (02:48): “You just got to have fun with it. And embrace the jabroni-ness.”

2. Game On: MeatEater Trivia Rounds

(Proceedings begin at 07:29; key questions and memorable debates below)

Question 1: When is the windiest part of the day?

Answer: Middle of the day
[07:29–09:19]

• Correct: Corey, Sarah, Marge
• Discussion about severe winds in Bozeman, with stories of lost grill covers, misshapen basketball hoops, and a neighbor’s trampoline flying away.
• Sarah (09:18): “I lost a grill cover, yeah.”
• Spencer (09:34): “Like egg-shaped, fell over, hit the concrete?”

Question 2: This canine, with a nine letter name meaning "badger dog," was bred to fight badgers underground.

Answer: Dachshund
[11:18–15:01]

• Correct: Sarah
• Informative side note on dog breeds and Dachshund characteristics.
• Sarah (15:02): “That’s why they are the shape they are. Even though they don’t hunt badgers anymore, they’re long and skinny because people used to pull them out of holes by their tails.”
• Spencer (15:10): “As one early breeder said: ‘Dachshunds even disobey me when I instruct them to do something they want to do.’”

Question 3: This boat motor company with a planetary name was founded in 1939.

Answer: Mercury
[15:48–17:23]

• Correct: All but Nate
• Spencer (17:09): “The company was originally Thor Outdoors but later changed to Mercury Marine. Their chainsaws were able to cut through a 24 inch log in 17 seconds!”

Question 4: The Oregon Trail passes Chimney Rock, Courthouse Rock, and Scott’s Bluff in which state?

Answer: Nebraska
[17:52–20:15]

• Correct: Max
• Fun detour about the Oregon Trail video game and geography.
• Corey (19:13): “When they played the video game, I love that game. They were going to Oregon ... but what passes through … Where were they?”

Question 5: Four-letter word for the pouch in a bird’s esophagus where food is stored?

Answer: Crop
[21:27–23:44]

• Correct: Sarah, Max, Marge, John
• Discussion on examining bird crops for hunting insight.
• Corey (23:44): “It’s so cool to, once you harvest a bird, to open it up and see what they're eating. That's how you know what to focus on.”

Scoreboard Update [24:19]:

• Nate: 0 | Corey, John: 2 | Max, Marge: 3 | Sarah: 4

3. Second Half: Competitive Jabronis

• Panel jostles for the lead as competition heats up.

Question 6: What continent are aardvarks native to?

Answer: Africa
[27:18–29:35]

• Correct: Sarah, Max
• A tangent about the cartoon character Arthur (an aardvark) and PBS Kids nostalgia.
• Marge (29:33): “But they didn’t tell me where aardvark was!”

Question 7: Vince Vaughn gets shot while quail hunting with Bradley Cooper and Christopher Walken in which 2005 comedy?

Answer: Wedding Crashers
[30:12–32:32]

• Correct: Nate
• Group laughs over the movie’s famously inaccurate quail hunting scene.
• Spencer (32:50): “For starters, they are quail hunting in summer. And during this quail march, Christopher Walken is constantly and incorrectly blowing into a crow call…”

Question 8: This National Park features "Helicopter Alley," with 300 aircraft passing per day.

Answer: Grand Canyon
[34:58–36:14]

• Correct: Nate, John, Max, Marge
• Fascinating remarks on mass tourism and its effect on the park.
• Marge (36:45): “As someone who's floated down the Grand Canyon, I would agree [with the criticism].”

Scoreboard Update [37:03]:

• Corey: 2 | John: 3 | Marge: 4 | Max, Sarah: 5 (tie)

Question 9: General rule—only hunt and eat rabbits in months that have which letter?

Answer: "R" [37:28–40:09]

• Correct: Nate, Corey, Sarah
• Old wisdom rooted in parasite risk during warmer months.
• Spencer (40:00): “This old timer wisdom says you should only eat rabbits in September, October, November, December, January, February, March and April…”

Scoreboard Update [41:06]:

• Sarah: 6 | Max: 5 (Sarah pulls ahead)

Question 10: River forming the NY/NJ border with the 2nd largest East Coast striped bass run?

Answer: Hudson River
[41:21–43:26]

• Correct: Nate, John
• Sarah gets it wrong but still clinches the win.
• Spencer (43:26): “The correct answer is Hudson River. Sarah has won it, despite getting that one wrong.”

Victory and Closing Remarks

[44:15–45:12]

• Sarah is declared "Queen Jabroni" with 7 points and wins a $500 donation for Pheasants Forever.
• Sarah (44:40): “I have spent a lot of time this year hunting rooster. Very bad pheasant habitat and very good pheasant habitat … so I'd like to donate that money to Pheasants Forever.”
• Team congratulates each other and reflects on a fun, slightly chaotic year-end energy.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Corey (02:48): "You just got to have fun with it. And embrace the jabroni-ness."
• Sarah (15:02): "That's why they are the shape they are...people used to pull them out of holes by their tails."
• Spencer (17:09): "Their chainsaws were able to cut through a 24 inch log in 17 seconds, with the closest competitor being at 52 seconds."
• Sarah (15:02): "That's why they're long and skinny."
• Spencer (32:50): "For starters, they are quail hunting in summer. And during this quail march, Christopher Walken is constantly and incorrectly blowing into a crow call."
• Marge (36:45): "As someone who's floated down the Grand Canyon, I would agree" [that helicopter tourism disrupts peace].
• Spencer (40:00): "This old timer wisdom says you should only eat rabbits in months that have 'R' in them."
• Phil (45:18): "Everyone in this room has last day before winter break energy."

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:02] – Main show intro, panelist intros
• [07:29–24:19] – Questions 1–5
• [24:19] – Mid-game scoreboard
• [27:18–45:12] – Questions 6–10 and results
• [44:15] – Sarah’s winner’s speech and prize selection
• [45:18] – Wrap-up, goodbyes

Episode Tone

Packed with laughter, gentle ribbing, and genuine affection for conservation and the outdoors. The banter is friendly, with panelists embracing their "jabroni" status and poking fun at each other’s missteps and regional knowledge gaps. True to MeatEater form, the content is irreverent but brimming with field wisdom, pop culture references, and attention to natural history detail.

Summary for New Listeners

If you want a sampler of MeatEater personality, outdoors trivia, and what makes conservation cool (and occasionally hilarious), this episode is for you. No prior expertise needed—just a willingness to learn, guess, laugh, and get a little competitive before the New Year.