Ep. 637: MeatEater Radio Live! The Doe Derby, Fishing Crappie, and Riding Buffalo

Summary

The MeatEater Podcast - Episode 637 Summary

Title: MeatEater Radio Live! The Doe Derby, Fishing Crappie, and Riding Buffalo
Host: MeatEater (Steven Rinella)
Release Date: December 13, 2024

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1. Doe Derby: Managing Deer Populations and Combating Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)

Guests: Doug Durkin and Pat Durkin
Timestamp: [04:28] – [15:26]

Doug Durkin and Pat Durkin introduce listeners to the Cazenovia Doe Derby in Wisconsin, an event aimed at reducing deer populations to manage the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). The Derby encourages hunters to harvest antlerless deer, primarily does, and mandates submitting harvested animals for CWD testing.

Key Points:

• Population Control: Harvesting antlerless deer helps maintain a balanced deer population.
• CWD Testing: Participants are incentivized to submit harvested deer for testing, with Doug sharing, "we have five that have tested positive out of 11 that we've gotten back so far" ([07:11]).
• Expanded Participation: The event has grown from approximately 50 submissions to over 250, thanks to the introduction of five kiosks across the area ([08:41]).
• Community Engagement: A celebratory party is organized for hunters to gather, share stories, and enjoy prizes, fostering camaraderie and reinforcing conservation efforts.
• Prizes and Sponsorship: Generous sponsors like MeatEater, Vortex, and Can-Am provide enticing prizes, including rifles, scopes, coolers, and signed MeatEater books.

Doug emphasizes the significance of community involvement in conservation efforts: "It's been gratifying to see this grow... we're excited about that." ([08:41])

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2. Throwback Thursday: Sharing Hunting and Fishing Memories

Hosts: Randall Williams, Cal Callahan, Brody Henderson
Timestamp: [15:26] – [30:29]

In the Throwback Thursday segment, the hosts delve into their personal archives, sharing nostalgic photos and recounting memorable hunting and fishing experiences.

Highlights:

• Early Experiences: Randall reminisces about his first whitetail buck shot in Kentucky, highlighting the use of a Marlin model 1895 G guide gun ([16:11]).
• Photo Sharing: The crew shares various photos from their youth, including hunting trips, fishing adventures, and candid moments, fostering a sense of camaraderie and shared history.
• Humorous Anecdotes: Cal shares a poignant story about his first elk hunt, capturing the emotional complexity of hunting a cow and her calf ([21:37]).

Cal reflects on his first elk experience: "It was like, oh my God, somebody else could get this calf... a kind of conflicting young man experience." ([21:37])

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3. One Minute Fishing: Crappie Challenge for Conservation

Participant: Kyle Libarger
Timestamp: [30:29] – [35:11]

The One Minute Fishing segment challenges anglers to catch a fish within sixty seconds, with successful attempts resulting in a $500 donation to a conservation group. This week, Kyle Libarger from Wheeler Lake, Alabama, attempts to catch crappie for Conservation Fisheries, Inc.

Contest Highlights:

• Setup: Kyle uses a Fluger spinning reel, Fenwick rod, and live minnows as bait ([32:10]).
• Challenge Outcome: Despite his expertise—with Kyle fishing effectively all morning—he narrowly misses catching a fish within the allotted time, prompting friendly banter about extending the time limit.

Kyle shares his persistence: "Hoping there's some crappie on it... pressure's on." ([32:35])

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4. Listener Questions and Community Engagement

Topics Covered:

• Home Decorations: Discussions on how hosts decorate their homes for Christmas, highlighting personal preferences and humorous exchanges about interior design.
• Hunting Dry Spells: Randall shares his experiences with hunting dry spells, emphasizing persistence and the unpredictable nature of hunting.
• Pronghorn Conservation: Cal addresses questions about the lack of dedicated conservation organizations for pronghorn, explaining the overlap with existing habitat and connectivity initiatives. He states, “But don’t feel like that work isn’t being done.” ([39:04])
• Bow Choices: Listeners inquire about preferred bows, with Cal highlighting his new Rob Lee bow and its superior performance ([79:07]).
• Exotic Meats: The hosts discuss their experiences with eating bobcat and mountain lion, comparing flavors and textures.
• Beer Preferences: Cal shares his affinity for both light and dark beers, mentioning local craft options like Jubal and Ninkasi ([80:26]).

Cal responds to a question about pronghorn conservation:
"There's a lot of overlap in that space... habitat is king habitat and connectivity." ([39:04])

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5. MeatEater Movie Club: Analyzing "Buffalo Rider" (1978)

Segment Introduction:
Timestamp: [57:52] – [85:54]

The MeatEater Movie Club segment features an in-depth review and analysis of the 1978 low-budget exploitation film "Buffalo Rider." The hosts explore the film's plot, production techniques, and its reflection of the cultural landscape of the 1970s.

Film Overview:

• Plot: The film follows Jake Buffalo Jones, a frontiersman who tames a buffalo named Samson, using it as his primary mode of transportation while battling natural elements and human adversaries.
• Production: Characterized by its rough editing, excessive narration, and unconventional scenes, the film exemplifies the low-budget exploitation genre of the era.

Discussion Highlights:

• Cultural Context: The hosts draw parallels between the film's chaotic structure and America's tumultuous 1970s, citing events like the Watergate scandal and the Vietnam War's aftermath.

Randall remarks on the film's reflection of societal disillusionment:
"Buffalo Rider's unconventional construction... is representative of the low budget exploitation filmmaking of the 1970s." ([60:00])

• Technical Shortcomings: They critique the film's technical aspects, such as inconsistent tone and lack of narrative coherence, humorously attributing some odd scenes to "chemically altered logic."

Cal comments on the narrative choices:
"They took that axiom and flipped it on its head. We're actually just going to tell you things that are happening that you won't see happen." ([68:32])

• Real-Life Incidents: The hosts reveal that some of the film's dramatic moments, including a mountain lion attack and accidental stunts, were genuine, adding a layer of authenticity to the otherwise disjointed narrative.

Cal shares an insider story:
"The fact that that buffalo comes out of Missouri is very telling... That's good." ([66:22])

• Humorous Observations: The discussion is peppered with humor as the hosts dissect improbable plot points and the film's attempt to blend documentary and adventure genres.

Brody humorously notes the film's realism:
"It's a beardalo." ([66:47])

Conclusion:
Despite its flaws, the hosts appreciate "Buffalo Rider" as a cultural artifact, offering insights into the 1970s' societal shifts and the era's filmmaking trends. Randall concludes with a nod to the film's enduring curiosity:
"Buffalo Rider becomes more than just a badly made movie. It serves as an inadvertent cultural artifact." ([72:35])

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6. Final Announcements and Upcoming Events

Timestamp: [82:35] – [85:54]

As the episode wraps up, Randall and the crew share several announcements:

• American Venison Jerky Competition: Details to be revealed in the new year, encouraging listeners to perfect their venison jerky recipes. Randall notes, "The inbox has been overwhelmed with interest from prospective contestants." ([83:42])
• Holiday Orders and Merchandise: Reminders to place holiday orders for timely Christmas delivery, including the popular “fucked up old shitters” calendars.
• MeatEater Kids Podcast: Expansion of their kids' show with new episodes launching on November 25th, featuring educational segments and interactive activities for young listeners.

Cal enthusiastically promotes the Kids Podcast:
"It's a kids show. You listen to it with your kids... building up a little pot of money to donate to kids focused conservation organizations." ([85:54])

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Notable Quotes

• Doug Durkin on Doe Derby Success:
  "We're up to about 25... We have five that have tested positive out of 11" ([07:11])

• Cal Callahan on First Elk Experience:
  "It was like, oh my God, somebody else could get this calf... a kind of conflicting young man experience." ([21:37])

• Randall Williams on "Buffalo Rider":
  "Buffalo Rider's unconventional construction... is representative of the low budget exploitation filmmaking of the 1970s." ([60:00])

• Cal Callahan on Pronghorn Conservation:
  "There's a lot of overlap in that space... habitat is king habitat and connectivity." ([39:04])

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Conclusion

Episode 637 of The MeatEater Podcast combines engaging discussions on wildlife conservation, personal anecdotes from seasoned hunters and anglers, interactive segments that foster community involvement, and a thoughtful analysis of a cult classic film. Through its blend of education, humor, and camaraderie, the episode underscores the podcast's commitment to enriching listeners' understanding and appreciation of the natural world.

Listeners are encouraged to participate in upcoming events, share their own stories, and continue supporting conservation efforts through active engagement in initiatives like the Doe Derby and the MeatEater Kids Podcast.

Transcript

[Steve Rinella]

There's nothing more important than spending time out in nature, which involves making lifelong memories and, you know, in the right circumstances, feeding our families.

[Randall Williams]

Well.

[Steve Rinella]

Pendleton Whiskey knows that too, which is why they are the official whiskey of the Rocky Mountain Elk foundation, where I am a lifetime member. Pendleton is bottled to honor true Western traditions, and there's nothing more Western than supporting organizations like RMEF and their work in conservation. And there's nothing like a glass of Pendleton Whiskey. If you enjoy whiskey when you're winding down around the fire back at home cleaning your game, Pendleton has a smooth taste, made to be enjoyed on the rocks or with your favorite mixer. It's the whiskey you want for toasting a good hunt with great friends. Camaraderie, self sufficiency, respect for the land and the animals that we depend on for our lifestyle. That's what you're toasting to every time you raise a glass of Pendleton Whiskey. The official whiskey of the after the hunt moment. It's not just poured, it's earned. Pendleton Distillers Lawrenceburg, Indiana. Please drink responsibly. Pendleton is a registered trademark of Pendleton Woolen Mills. ME Deer Radio Live is the newest addition to the Meat Eater Podcast feed. Every Thursday at 11am Mountain Time, we'll be going live from Meat Eater HQ on the Meat Eater Podcast Network YouTube channel channel. This one hour variety show will feature call in guests segments and live feedback from the Meat Eater audience. Then on Friday morning, the episode will be available in audio form on the Meater Podcast feed. So come hang with me, Steve, Yanni, Cal and the rest of the Me Deer crew every Thursday at 11am Mountain Time on the Me Deer Podcast Network YouTube channel. And remember, it's live so anything can happen. Well, almost anything.

[Cal Callahan]

Smell us now, lady. Welcome to Meat Eater Trivia Meat Eater.

[Randall Williams]

Podcast welcome to Meat Eater radio live. It's 11am Mountain Time on Thursday, December 12th and we are here live from Meat Eater HQ in Bozeman, Montana. I'm your host, Randall Williams and I'm joined today by Brody Henderson and Ryan Cal Callahan. Did I get that right?

[Cal Callahan]

Nailed it.

[Randall Williams]

On today's show, we're going to talk to our good friends Bubbly Doug Durin and Pat Durkin. We're going to dig into the photo archives for another throwback. Thursday we're going to North Alabama for one minute fishing. We'll discuss our top three wild game and fish species for the table. And we're doing another highly anticipated installment of the Meat Eater Movie Club where we will be reviewing the 1978 film Buffalo Rider, before we get into all that, I've got an important announcement. There are only a few more days left to be sure that any last minute orders from the meat eater first light FHF Phelps and DSD stores arrive on time for Christmas. And in fact, a little birdie by the name of Corey Calkins told me that our 2025 fucked up old shitters calendars, that's the effed up old shitters calendars will be back in stock tomorrow, December 13th. So get them before they are all gone or before a 2025 calendar is irrelevant. Brody, Cal, it's great to see you both. How are we doing today?

[Cal Callahan]

I don't know that calendars go irrelevant because I think most folks are just in them for the photos at this point.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah, yeah.

[Brody Henderson]

And you often walk into a garage and see a calendar from 26 years ago.

[Cal Callahan]

Exactly.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah. But that's usually, you know, big bucks or pinup gals. Not.

[Cal Callahan]

I was gonna say the older they are, the more lewd they be.

[Brody Henderson]

If it's a good enough shitter, it could stand the test of time.

[Cal Callahan]

Exactly.

[Randall Williams]

Well, joining us on the line first today are friends of the program, Doug Durin and Pat Durkin, who are joining us on day one of Doug's doe derby in Wisconsin. Gentlemen, welcome to the show. It's great to see you both. Hey, highly visible I see.

[Doug Durkin]

Standing out in the cold.

[Randall Williams]

So what is. What's going on with the doe derby there? Doug, can you tell us what the Cazenovia Doe derby is?

[Doug Durkin]

Well, the. We started.

[Cal Callahan]

Take your time, Doug.

[Doug Durkin]

I'm sorry?

[Cal Callahan]

I said take your time.

[Brody Henderson]

Is this thing on?

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah, you know, it's a segment. You don't have the whole show.

[Doug Durkin]

So we started the Dodo Ree a few years ago as a part of the four day antlerless hunt. And the idea is that we're encouraging people to reduce the population by taking antlerless deer. Most of which will be does, of course. And then the other thing is that we're getting them encouraging to get them tested for cwd. If they bring their harvested dough, like two in a trailer over or in our buggy over here that we got cut the head off, submit it for CWD testing. Inside this thing will be a couple of tickets that they'll fill out. And through the support of generous sponsors like Meat Eater and Vortex and Can Am and boy, there's the whole list, we have a bunch of prizes that we give away. So we're incentivizing people to harvest and get tested for cwd. And then the other thing that we do is we have this party here on Saturday evening with my tall friend Pat Durkin will be a part of that. And it's just a place where hunters gather and we tell deer stories and kind of some of the old school stuff that Pat and I used to enjoy a lot more when we were kids.

[Brody Henderson]

Does Pat have all the prizes in those pockets on his vest? Like, I feel like we'd do a whole segment just going through Pat's pockets.

[Cal Callahan]

I'm kind of, kind of surprised you guys haven't pointed out that for once in my life I'm standing taller than Doug.

[Randall Williams]

I figured it was just the angle of the camera or is there a milk crate there? Oh, yeah. Very nice. Well, how's, how's the hunting been?

[Cal Callahan]

I mean, I got this idea by watching the NFL One year in a pregame, I walked down the field and saw Bob Costa sending out a box and I thought, that's not a bad idea. So I figured when I stand next to Doug, I looked like a little kid. So I thought today we'll change things up a little bit, make him look up at me. I like it. So what is the deer count and have you gotten any testing back yet, Doug?

[Doug Durkin]

Yeah, we're up to depending on just on the farm and the properties that I have here. We're at about 25. Unfortunately, the later ones that we got later in the season, we haven't gotten back yet. But the unfortunate part is the ones that we got early in this season, including a nice four year old buck that I got tested positive. Brock, who's holding the camera here right now, shot a antlerless buck and it was a year and a half old, I think, and a two and a half year old doe, and they both tested positive. My nephew Sam shot a three and a half year old buck and an older doe and they tested positive. So we have five that have tested positive out of 11 that we've gotten back so far.

[Cal Callahan]

All right, all right. And then are those your only doe derby submissions? The, the ones in the can am there or have you had some more turned in?

[Doug Durkin]

Well, we've got. This year we expanded. So we have five different kiosks like this where people can answer and the people who are running those kiosks are bringing the tickets up. And it's been really fun because they people are more, you know, there's just more opportunity and getting more people involved. And I haven't counted them all up yet, but it looks like we're well over 250 so far.

[Randall Williams]

Wow.

[Cal Callahan]

Wow. Very cool.

[Randall Williams]

And this is just open to anyone who wants to participate in the area, is that correct?

[Doug Durkin]

Right. Anybody who can legally transport a deer. Because there's just all these CWD regulations that we're not going to talk about unless you really want to. But the CWD regulations, you have to kind of be adjacent. And of course everybody is sort of adjacent now because of the way the disease is expanded. So folks can bring, they can bring the head, they can bring the whole carcass in if they want to. Some people have just brought the lymph nodes and you know, who's going to lie about something like that? So it's been, it's been gratifying to see this grow. I mean, Cal, you were here the first year and we had, I don't know, you know, less than 100 submissions. I think around 50. And now we're, you know, we're approaching 300. So we're excited about that.

[Cal Callahan]

Well, that's the way these things have to start, you know, because then everybody who participates wins something in the raffle. And word, word spent spreads really fast. The other thing, that meat processor that you have up the road, I mean, Mark Kenyon and I were going to come back just for the doe derby just so I could make. Have those guys make more bratwurst. That bratwurst is unbelievable.

[Randall Williams]

I'll testify I did get to enjoy some of that bratwurst and it is spectacular.

[Doug Durkin]

Yeah, well, that's great. Yeah, we're actually enjoying some of those this weekend as well as a part of our, as a part of the party. So. Yeah.

[Randall Williams]

Do you have any idea how many folks are going to be in attendance at the party?

[Doug Durkin]

I would say somewhere between 50 and 100. You don't have to be present to win. But I will tell anybody who is in the area who might come to the party Saturday evening. We'll start at about 5 until about 8 that we will have door prizes this year for only for the people who actually come to the park.

[Randall Williams]

Very cool.

[Doug Durkin]

Along with the we have a savage Axis rifle with a Vortex scope and a Chris crafted custom sling. Got a big Can Am branded yeti cooler Seed from my friends at Hoxie Native Seed Camp. Chef has given us, as they have in previous years, a really nice two burner stove. Our friends at Decked sent us one of their cases to give away some really great prizes. Binoculars from Vortex, a full set of meat eater books all signed by Steve. And so those are some of the prizes for this first drawing. And Then we'll have a virtual drawing at the first week of January when the entire season is over with. We have a. This four day season and then bow hunting continues. Yep. And then there's a holiday hunt. So between December 14th. Hey, between the holidays. Right. December 14th to January 1st, there's also another 24th.

[Steve Rinella]

December 24th.

[Doug Durkin]

That's why I have Dirk in here. It keeps me.

[Cal Callahan]

How much wood did Brock buck up for the festivities tonight?

[Doug Durkin]

We have a pretty good pile over there. We'll be all right. You know, nobody's gonna get. Nobody's gonna get cold. You'll be able to see the fire from a ways away. So, you know, it's. We have, it's. It's. I think we have brought back some of that enjoyment that people have of getting together. They don't mind standing out in the cold and that's why we have a big fire. Right. And people have really enjoyed coming to that. The participation has grown in the doe derby and, you know, there's a lot of discussion about what CWD is doing, what populations are doing. Areas where people are worried that their population is being not. They're not just seeing sick deer and killing sick deer, but their population decline. That's pretty hard to point it in other directions other than chronic wasting disease.

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah. And you've created a safe place, if you will, for all these big tough folks to come together and talk about killing does, which is something that's very important. And what they're going to do with the meat and then have thoughtful discussions on CWD and what they're going to do with all the cool stuff they won. You're doing the Lord's work, Doug.

[Doug Durkin]

Well, and it's great to see we're doing what we can, where we're at with what we've got.

[Randall Williams]

It's great to see that you have the support of a bunch of different great brands in the industry behind this all.

[Doug Durkin]

Yeah, yeah. It really has been. And it's not been incredibly difficult to get people to step forward. We've had people come first light, came forward and gave us the 500 gift certificate, you know, for first light. What a great. You know, what a great thing that is. And just really it's been great to see that support. And here we are standing in front of the kiosk where we, where people do the. Will they come in and do the reporting and whatnot. I don't think they're. There's one in there.

[Randall Williams]

Like the opposite of a live well.

[Cal Callahan]

So, Pat Durkin, you're Not on the doe board yet. Yeah, I got two on the. On the board so far. And I tried to impress Doug, you know, that I actually know how to.

[Randall Williams]

Remove the lymph nodes.

[Cal Callahan]

So that's my contribution is in there. Just in a little bag.

[Doug Durkin]

They look suspiciously like tonsils.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah, he says that. Now, is there any sign of our dear friend Chester Floyd at this gathering?

[Doug Durkin]

He will be here on Saturday. Yep. For the. For the party. He's bringing his son and he said, I'd like to hunt, but I'll have a two year old with me. I said, I think I got a spot for you. I'll put him up there in that office I got up on the ridge, you know.

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah.

[Randall Williams]

One of Pat's pockets. I was gonna say, you might save that. Save that milk crate for Chester if we. If we end up going back to you.

[Doug Durkin]

Very good.

[Randall Williams]

Well, guys, it's great to see you and congratulations on pulling together another great event and best of luck to you in the woods out there.

[Cal Callahan]

Thanks, you guys.

[Doug Durkin]

All right. Thank you very much.

[Randall Williams]

Couple solid folks there.

[Cal Callahan]

Oh, yeah.

[Randall Williams]

It is time for throwback Thursday where we dig into the photo archives and take a trip down memory lane with some of the crew. Thursday morning, Stephen Brody.

[Brody Henderson]

Take me back to 1974.

[Randall Williams]

So back.

[Phil]

I can't believe it.

[Brody Henderson]

Did I mention Stephen Brody are old as.

[Randall Williams]

Love it.

[Brody Henderson]

Love it.

[Randall Williams]

Oh, that's delightful, Phil. Thank you, Phil.

[Cal Callahan]

That's really good. That's really good, Phil. Oh, the memories. The memories.

[Phil]

Pull up the pictures here.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah, let's get those pictures up.

[Cal Callahan]

I was personally shocked that people had digitized memories. I thought that was the whole point of, like, going back and finding the Polaroids.

[Randall Williams]

Well, the new memories.

[Cal Callahan]

Look at that cute dog. What's that dog?

[Randall Williams]

That dog. That dog is named Jack, Also known as Jack Bishkins. He in that photo. God, he must have been maybe two years old. He lived to the ripe old age of 17. Whoa. And he turned into quite an in its old age.

[Brody Henderson]

Speaking of being old, though, like, you can tell that Randall is not old because this picture doesn't look old. It's like a. Like high quality, you know, like you mentioned.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah, this is. This is the early days of digital cameras. I don't know how old I am in that photo. Maybe 1920. That's my first buck. First whitetail deer buck. I'm sitting there in Kentucky and I've got that. We're sitting in the bed of Black Thunder. It's a 1997 Ford Ranger with an orange racing stripe on the Side of it. Just a, you know, great memory with a good dog. Good. What type of firearm that is a Marlin model 1895 G guide gun chambered in 4570.

[Cal Callahan]

Oh wild.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah. I believe I was shooting a Remington corlocked. The 405 grain soft point and yeah.

[Cal Callahan]

Effective range of about 100 yards.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah. Actually this buck I shot him. He was. He was actually locked up with a.

[Brody Henderson]

Smaller buck and made that smaller bucks day.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah. I brought an end to their exciting festivities.

[Brody Henderson]

What that smaller buck do after you shot the big one?

[Cal Callahan]

Did he or him?

[Randall Williams]

It's all a blur. It's all a blur. But I shot him out of a homemade little crotch seat made out of some leftover planks of wood and two by fours.

[Cal Callahan]

Right. As in the crotch of the tree.

[Randall Williams]

Crotch the tree indeed. And then the following year I shot another 10 point out of that same crotch.

[Cal Callahan]

Nice.

[Randall Williams]

With that same rifle. So some of my early formative memories there.

[Brody Henderson]

Still got the rifle.

[Randall Williams]

I don't. Great. Big mistake on my part.

[Cal Callahan]

When I first looked at this I thought you were. There was a cemetery as the backdrop.

[Brody Henderson]

That's what I thought.

[Randall Williams]

No, it's an old. It's an old well pump with like a crank handle at the Lewis family farm. Oh, here's another one. This is me in maybe 201011 with a couple Burbot at the end of a long summer working in Alaska where I have obviously lost my mind.

[Cal Callahan]

Do they call him Burbot in Alaska or was there. Were there any other names for him?

[Randall Williams]

The guys I was with called him Burbot.

[Brody Henderson]

I think some people call them Cusk up there. Oh yeah, I think so. They got so many different names.

[Randall Williams]

Yes. These are just on set lines. And we ran around in the dark checking lines and then came back and had a big old.

[Brody Henderson]

Is it cusk or lust?

[Randall Williams]

I forget what herbit fry on my last night up there.

[Cal Callahan]

Cool.

[Randall Williams]

So that's me and my amish beard.

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah. Should bring that back.

[Randall Williams]

Who's that strapping young fellow?

[Brody Henderson]

That's the first iteration of the first light suspenders Cal.

[Cal Callahan]

Wool pants. Wool union suit. That's a full one piece union suit underneath and then wool sweater. Yeah.

[Randall Williams]

Classic.

[Cal Callahan]

Yep. And if. If the suspenders were turned the right way out. They have little skiers on them. But they. They are no more because they lost their elasticity a long time ago. But that's. That's my first elk ever right there. Yeah.

[Randall Williams]

What. How old were you in that photo?

[Cal Callahan]

It was high school probably sophomore year.

[Brody Henderson]

I would Think you grew up in Montana, right?

[Cal Callahan]

Yep.

[Brody Henderson]

Did they not have an orange law back then?

[Cal Callahan]

They did. So this, this, this is like a manufactured photo.

[Brody Henderson]

I gotcha. A lot of people take the orange off for the photo.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah.

[Cal Callahan]

Which I don't. Is never something like I've made a point of, but it did. I was out with my hunting mentor, my, my outfitter buddy, the guy I learned everything from, and my dad. And we, and we were. It was like, you know, a paid hunt. So there were clients in camp, which was also like a father son. And it was just rainy, crappy, very typical western Montana weather. Dreary, not a lot happening. And we hiked hard all week and nothing was happening. And as we were packing up at the end of that week, the outfitter was like, bard, we got this, why don't you take one more walk? And so I did and was in hunter's orange and had a totally different rifle than what's pictured here. If you look close, is a left handed 7mm mag.

[Brody Henderson]

Yeah.

[Cal Callahan]

You know, and you may, may know that I would have nothing to do with the 7mm.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah, I noticed the right or left.

[Cal Callahan]

Handed and yeah, walked, walked in and looked down into this cut and there was a cow and a calf feeding there and was all by myself. First elk was like, oh my God, this is really happening. And tried to talk myself out of it and all the things and lay down and actually made a Texas heart shot on this cow as she was going out of sight. So shot her right at the base of the spine. And that bullet went in, kicked off her spine and went down through her heart and outer chest.

[Randall Williams]

Textbook.

[Cal Callahan]

Yep. Didn't. Didn't hit a stitch of me. It was like the most crazy shot ever. But you know, as you know, really just a kid cow had a calf. I was like, oh my God, somebody else could get this calf. And so I ran back to camp and was able to take the other father and son in there. And they shot the son of the two, shot the calf. And so they got to go home with some meat. And yeah, it was a, you know, kind of conflicting young man experience. Right. Of like cow and a calf and all, you know. But first elk. Yeah. And then, and then they were like, you got to get a picture of that thing. That's an antelope.

[Randall Williams]

Another mustache less photo. We do. I did see someone in the chat there was some question about when you started growing out your mustache and then some question about when you started losing your hair. So because of the hat in the previous photo so here. Clearly you do have a full, healthy head.

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah, I rocked a lot of hair, but, you know, I think it was always on the way out. It was, it was fleeting, but I made up for it. And the volume that I could grow around the deep pits.

[Randall Williams]

Mm.

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah. I don't even know remember what happened here with this antelope, but that's Ruger M77 and 280 and all that.

[Brody Henderson]

I had that rifle. It's a good rifle.

[Cal Callahan]

It is a good rifle. Yeah.

[Randall Williams]

That have the paddle stock?

[Cal Callahan]

Yes, it did. Yeah.

[Randall Williams]

The Zytel.

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah, yeah, the, you know, the full weatherized stainless steel. Yeah. I cannot remember. I think my dad must have killed this buck. I was guiding at this point and dad came out to camp, so I was guiding for the old outfitter and. Yeah, dad, dad, that's how. That's those. Those are the photos we used to take back then. Primary focus was on getting things gutted fast. And that is still my biggest whitetail buck to date. Rand, this is. Other than antelope, this is the only shoulder mount animal that I have. And Randall has actually got to see this shoulder mount in person because it's hanging in my buddy's cabin in Augusta.

[Randall Williams]

It's impressive.

[Cal Callahan]

Yep.

[Brody Henderson]

Oh, there he is. I only sent Phil one picture. I didn't know we were supposed to send multiples in, but anyway, that's me when I was probably 10 or 11. That's Northwestern Pennsylvania on Elk Creek, which is a Lake Erie tributary. And back when, back when I was that age, those Lake Erie streams used to get. They used to have a artificial man made run of cohos, chinook and steelhead. So you'd get all three in the streams in the fall for a short period of time anyway when it started raining in the fall. And that's me working over a steelhead with a Zebco reel, probably a Zebco rod reel combo.

[Randall Williams]

Putting the wood to him.

[Brody Henderson]

Yep. I, I landed that thing and that was like the first big fish I ever landed.

[Cal Callahan]

It looks like you have over boots on.

[Brody Henderson]

I do. What like what these call this thing? Goshes. No waiters. My dad was cheapskate back then. So. Yeah, it's like you go in as deep as those boots and no deeper or you're getting wet. But they're, they're like. Those streams are weird because they're all shale bottom streams. So it's like a lot of it's shallow and then there's like one deep because. So you could.

[Cal Callahan]

Until they'll run up and sit in that bucket.

[Brody Henderson]

Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah, man, I've always loved that picture because I'm really reefing on that fish. And I landed. It was good times back then.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah. And. And whoever colorized it after the fact from the original black and white did a really nice job.

[Phil]

Yeah.

[Randall Williams]

Had to get one of those in.

[Brody Henderson]

Oh, yeah.

[Steve Rinella]

There's nothing more important than spending time out in nature, which involves making lifelong memories and, you know, in the right circumstances, feeding our families.

[Randall Williams]

Well.

[Steve Rinella]

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[Randall Williams]

Well, that's it for Throwback Thursday. Our next segment is One Minute Fishing. Do I feel lucky?

[Brody Henderson]

Well, do you, punk?

[Randall Williams]

Go ahead, make my cast. One Minute Fishing is where we go live to someone who's fishing and they have one minute to catch a fish. And if they're successful, we'll make a $500 donation to a conservation group this week. Our angler is Kyle Libarger, who's at Wheeler Lake on the Tennessee river in Alabama fishing for crappie. Kyle is the founder of the Native Habitat Project and today he is fishing for a donation to Conservation Fisheries, Inc. A Knoxville, Tennessee based nonprofit dedicated to conserving the unique aquatic ecosystems of the Southeast. Kyle, welcome to the show.

[Kyle Libarger]

How's it going?

[Randall Williams]

We're doing very well, sir. Welcome to One Minute Fishing. Have you been fishing? Have you pre fished this spot this morning?

[Kyle Libarger]

Yeah, I have. I've caught about 8 or 9 keeper crappie and probably 20, 25 in total this morning.

[Cal Callahan]

So.

[Phil]

Oh, this is promising.

[Randall Williams]

Oh, this sounds like a very promising start. We've been on a bit of a dry spell here and I think that's understating it. So we're, we're eager to have someone in the hot seat there who knows what they're doing.

[Kyle Libarger]

Well, this pile, I'm, it's a treetop and this thing, every time I come up to it and I catch one of my first casts usually, so I'm, I haven't messed with it in like two hours, so I'm hoping. Hoping there's some crappie on it, so.

[Randall Williams]

Oh, that's dedication. I love it. What's your. Now what's your rig there? What are you fishing with today?

[Kyle Libarger]

Oh, I got a. Well, I just got a little spinning reel. It's a Fluger and a Fenwick rod, and I got live minnows.

[Cal Callahan]

Classy.

[Kyle Libarger]

Yeah.

[Cal Callahan]

Live minnows, you said?

[Kyle Libarger]

Yeah, yeah. So.

[Cal Callahan]

So kind of cheating, I mean.

[Kyle Libarger]

Yeah, well, you know, I have pet fish at home in my pond behind my house, and so if I really wanted to cheat, I could. I could have caught some of those.

[Randall Williams]

Well, yeah, this seems like a good, earnest effort. It looks like you're out there getting after it, so.

[Kyle Libarger]

Yeah.

[Randall Williams]

Well, your timer and your one minute will begin whenever you make your first cast. So whenever you're ready, Kyle, take a shot.

[Kyle Libarger]

All right, let's try.

[Randall Williams]

And the timer is going.

[Cal Callahan]

So is it on a jig head?

[Kyle Libarger]

I have a little split shot about 6 or 8 inches up, so that's the way.

[Cal Callahan]

And just free lining it.

[Kyle Libarger]

Yeah, yeah. Sometimes I'll use a bobber, but I usually free line.

[Randall Williams]

Looks like a beautiful piece of water there.

[Kyle Libarger]

Yeah, this is Flint Creek, so we. We manage a little grassland at the boat ramp here that the state lets.

[Brody Henderson]

Us manage, but 20 seconds.

[Randall Williams]

20 seconds on the clock here.

[Kyle Libarger]

Pressure's on.

[Cal Callahan]

Would not want to be you right now.

[Randall Williams]

10 seconds left here. 5 seconds. And time is next time.

[Cal Callahan]

I think you just got to go with the ripping hook set just. Just to see. Oh. Oh, look.

[Kyle Libarger]

Does that count? Does.

[Randall Williams]

Oh, God, it's the old stick fish.

[Kyle Libarger]

Look, look. I mean, there is a fish on it, but they're in.

[Phil]

He's got a point. There's no arguing with that.

[Randall Williams]

Well, Kyle, I think next time we need to get you out there for your first cast of the day. It sounds like you have a pretty good track record when you first get in there.

[Kyle Libarger]

Yeah, yeah, it's. You know, I think you'll need to change it to, like, you know, 90 seconds or something.

[Randall Williams]

We'll. We'll put that one past Steve, but he seems pretty firmly committed to this bit.

[Steve Rinella]

Yeah.

[Kyle Libarger]

So how many of you. How many have caught in 60 seconds so far?

[Phil]

Pat Durkin did.

[Randall Williams]

Giannis did, but that was.

[Phil]

I mean, that was a special circumstance.

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah, yeah.

[Randall Williams]

Maybe we should have a meeting about this offline and rethink the segment. But, Kyle, I think you've raised some very valid points here.

[Kyle Libarger]

I'm just trying to make myself feel better, so.

[Randall Williams]

Well, we appreciate you getting out on the water. For us and showing us your. Your spot there. And good luck with the rest of your day.

[Kyle Libarger]

Yeah, I appreciate y'all giving me a chance, so have a good one.

[Randall Williams]

All righty. We'll see you again here.

[Cal Callahan]

I did like. I got a comment. I saw one comment in there where somebody's asking for current fishing conditions on Henry's Lake, Idaho. I love that. Yeah, I love that.

[Brody Henderson]

Yeah, that's.

[Cal Callahan]

That's what. That's the kind of community we need.

[Randall Williams]

Just throwing it out into the universe.

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah.

[Phil]

Yeah. Who knows what the show will become in a year. It could just be, you know.

[Randall Williams]

Oh, yeah. Just a live fishing report.

[Phil]

Exactly.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah. Phil, why don't we take a little break here, get some listener feedback. What's happening in the chat?

[Phil]

Let's do it. Let's start off with a breezy one. I don't know how people decorate their homes for Christmas. If anybody. But Aaron's asking, who at Meat Eater has the most festive house?

[Cal Callahan]

I know Phil put up lights. I do.

[Phil]

I've got a very basic icicle light set up with a wreath on the door. Nothing fancy. I've also got a one story house, so I can't go too crazy, but. Yeah. Do you guys decorate the exterior of.

[Brody Henderson]

Your homes or the string of lights on our porch? We're definitely like, in our neighborhood. We're like the lame house.

[Phil]

Scrooge house.

[Brody Henderson]

Yeah.

[Phil]

Yeah.

[Randall Williams]

Phil, are we. Are you gonna play coy? Are you gonna let people know you've seen the inside of my house?

[Phil]

Well, Randall, I happen to know that you have quite a tree in the living room.

[Randall Williams]

We do have a big honking tree.

[Cal Callahan]

You do?

[Phil]

It's very impressive.

[Cal Callahan]

I'd rather have the lame house from the outside, but if you come in, there's gonna be a cold beer and something good to eat, so.

[Randall Williams]

Well, it's not one or the other. You can have it all, Cal.

[Cal Callahan]

Not with the timeline I have.

[Brody Henderson]

Have you seen Cal's garage? He doesn't have any room for distortion ornaments in the off season.

[Randall Williams]

Might need to hang some new shelves from the ceiling there.

[Phil]

I'm curious. You know the answer to this question. Eric is asking the longest you've gone without punching a tag. He says this is his second year in a row. Have you guys had this? Speaking of dry spells.

[Cal Callahan]

Oh, yeah. I mean, I've definitely, definitely been there.

[Randall Williams]

I don't have enough self restraint to not punch tags. It's been a while since I haven't killed anything. I will say I went my first six or seven years of elk Hunting without shooting an elk. And I was on a little streak there, seven years in a row with bulls.

[Cal Callahan]

And this year, it came to an end.

[Brody Henderson]

You were way ahead of the odds, so you can't be too unhappy about that.

[Randall Williams]

I'm pretty unhappy, Brody. Actually, I. I figure I don't have that many good elk hunting years left, you know, with my. Wait, What? So I just. I'm like, when am I. You're already. I'll never get to eight.

[Brody Henderson]

You're already planning, like, for your.

[Randall Williams]

Your.

[Brody Henderson]

I don't know, physical. Just debilitation to the point where you can't keep.

[Cal Callahan]

Keep after it, Eric. I mean, it'll straighten itself out. But the thing is, is, like, man, there are. There are no days of failure in the woods. Like, if you're out there, if you're not killing, you're still learning a lot more than somebody who's not out there.

[Randall Williams]

Oh, yeah. And. And I will say, too, a couple of those. Like, I can think of one bull in particular. We're about to pack up, and we said, before we take the teepee down, let's just go for a little walk. You know, we're out here. We might as well put another 15 minutes in. And I shot that bull, like, 15 yards outside of the teepee. I got out there, put my backpack on, took it off, and shot that thing. It was just across the canyon, so it can happen at any time. Discouraged.

[Brody Henderson]

The more tags you have, the better your chances are.

[Randall Williams]

That's true. We're pretty spoiled here. Yeah, you got all kinds of seasons to hunt.

[Brody Henderson]

Yeah, it's a little different. Like, when you live in a state where you may only have a chance at, like, a deer.

[Phil]

Tyler is asking a question for Cal. Phil, can you ask Cal why no conservation organization right now is dedicated to pronghorn? He could be incorrect. I don't know. So I'm coming to you, Cal.

[Cal Callahan]

Well, I mean, there's. There's a ton of overlap in that space. As with everything, habitat is. Is king habitat and connectivity. And so you have, like, a bunch of groups working on a new bill that would incentivize the preservation, conservation, and reestablishment of grassland ecosystems in North America, which we're losing at an incredibly alarming rate. Everybody should be very concerned about this. They may announce the monarch butterfly being put on the endangered species list. That is, like, if we can save the monarch butterfly, we're going to be kicking ass for pronghorn. So there. I know there's some folks interested in starting up a antelope pronghorn specific organization. But don't feel like that work isn't being done. So.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah, I do believe there is a group that has recently incorporated and they're kind of bootstrapping it and looking for funders.

[Brody Henderson]

Yeah.

[Randall Williams]

But I don't know that much about it currently.

[Brody Henderson]

I mean mdf, Mule Deer Foundation, Sage Grouse Initiative, like there's Antelope are benefiting like Cal said, from the work of other organizations.

[Cal Callahan]

So I mean even like rmef, like Migration Corridor Protection, you know. Yeah.

[Brody Henderson]

That migration initiative that focuses on that hoback to red desert migration. Like the antelope use that same migration corridor. So.

[Randall Williams]

But I will say antelope are cool critters. Incredibly cool, tasty critters.

[Brody Henderson]

And they're definitely places where their numbers.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah. And very fun to hunt. And so I, you know, it would be great if a pronghorn specific group could take off and.

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah. Or, or if some of these other orgs were willing to like really get some dedicated funding in. In that space because there is some really unbelievable inconsistency on. On how those animals are managed at the state level. But there are some federal and state dollars available for like animal friendly fencing that definitely need more help too. So. Cool.

[Phil]

Jared is asking. He has a neighbor who raises breeder bucks and does how will that affect his hunting? He can see the high fence from his blind. Do you have any theories or firsthand experience with this?

[Cal Callahan]

I got some. We used to guide on a ranch in Colorado and the neighboring ranch was a high fence elk operation. And all the bugling that would come off that high fence place could. Could be helpful on the. On the other side of the fence.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah. I would think if a bunch of those does are going into estrus and they're, you know, essentially chained up at the neighbor's place. That's some good scent attraction.

[Brody Henderson]

But you might want to. Going back to Doug and Pat, you also might want to look into the whole cw.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah. Get your deer tested.

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah. Hopefully there's an exterior fence around the interior fence and you know, ways of preventing any nose to nose contact because those operations are inevitably a CWD hotspot on the map.

[Randall Williams]

I would be interested to learn what your experiences are. Jarrett, with that because I think it'd be just sort of a novel scenario to watch play out during the rut.

[Phil]

Yeah.

[Cal Callahan]

Cool.

[Phil]

And we'll do one more for this little segment here.

[Randall Williams]

Fantastic.

[Phil]

John is asking how he can convince his girlfriend to allow him to put a shoulder mount in the bedroom.

[Brody Henderson]

Good luck. It hasn't Worked for me yet.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah. Pick your battles, I think.

[Cal Callahan]

Are we talking like a pronghorn shoulder mount or moose? Moose. Six point bull, elk. Right. How tall are your ceilings?

[Randall Williams]

How big is the bedroom? How important is it for you to put a shoulder mount in the bedroom? I feel like I have pretty free reign of the house when it comes to stacking skulls and, you know, bear rugs.

[Brody Henderson]

Eventually that might end, though. We reach a saturation.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah, there's a point we're at the saturation point, but I've never. It's. It's never really come to a point where I felt compelled to hang one in the bedroom.

[Brody Henderson]

There's too many unanswered questions here. Like, is this the only thing this guy would have in his house, or does he already have a bunch?

[Randall Williams]

Yes. The bedroom, the only place without a shoulder mount.

[Cal Callahan]

Plus, if you guys are still boyfriend, girlfriend, just do it.

[Brody Henderson]

Yeah, you'll find out if you're gonna get married or not.

[Randall Williams]

And that's our segment of Cal's relationship advice. Just test boundaries.

[Doug Durkin]

Great.

[Randall Williams]

New segment. All righty. Now it's time for another round of top three. I will pass.

[Brody Henderson]

Wow, Phil hitting the high notes there.

[Randall Williams]

That was incredible. I will say for a little behind the scenes look at how things go here. I was in this studio bright and early, and Phil came in and he said, can you please leave? I need to record a drop. And I said, sure. I said, would you like me to put a do not disturb sign on the door? To which he replied, yes. This might be the most embarrassing thing I've ever done.

[Cal Callahan]

And what do you think?

[Randall Williams]

No, I think you're perfectly. I mean, you didn't have time to auto tune that.

[Phil]

No, that song really. It really shows you the limits of your singing abilities. Let me tell you.

[Randall Williams]

Straight from the pipes. I'd take that as a. That gets my stamp of a approval, Phil.

[Phil]

Great. Thank you.

[Randall Williams]

Boy, Thursday is my favorite. This week, we'll be ranking our preferred species of fish and game for the table. We're talking the critters that you're reaching for. If they're in the freezer. Brody, we'll start with you. What's your number three choice?

[Brody Henderson]

Am I doing all three or just my third choice?

[Randall Williams]

Let's go. And row. Let's go. Your third. Cow's third. My third. Your second. Cal's second. My second.

[Brody Henderson]

Okay.

[Randall Williams]

And then we'll continue that pattern.

[Brody Henderson]

But I am going to say that I think that this is one of those, like, tough and almost kind of meaningless ranking systems, because I like all kinds of wild fishing game, and it's kind of like, based on the time of year. Like, I don't have any wild turkey breasts in my freezer right now, so, like, if I had some, that would be my favorite thing to eat. I'm just. Just putting that.

[Randall Williams]

I was getting. I was going to expect that from Cal.

[Brody Henderson]

Yeah, it, like, it totally changes.

[Randall Williams]

You disagree with the pre. Yeah, I. I think. I think in the spirit of this. Of this segment, if it's in the freezer and you think I have X, Y, or Z in the freezer, like, what. What. Which one are you most commonly going to reach for? If it's.

[Brody Henderson]

Well, I don't know that it's a common thing either. Right. It's like, it might be. You only have a little bit of it.

[Cal Callahan]

Exactly.

[Randall Williams]

Brody, what's your number three choice?

[Brody Henderson]

I'm just saying it's like, there's a lot to think about here, Randall. I'll say king salmon, because I only got a little bit of that stuff left right now. And it's like, if you've had the different kinds of Pacific salmon, there's, like, no question that an ocean cock king is the best of them. Fatty, delicious.

[Randall Williams]

You're not a.

[Brody Henderson]

No, man. King's got king's. King's, like, bigger and better, and it's a cooler fish. Everything about it is good.

[Randall Williams]

Cal, what's your number three?

[Cal Callahan]

Elk.

[Randall Williams]

Care to elaborate on the reason behind your choice?

[Cal Callahan]

Elk is a fine meat, but I don't find elk to be very flavorful at this point in my life.

[Brody Henderson]

There's a lot of variability, too, man.

[Cal Callahan]

Like, a lot of variability.

[Brody Henderson]

You shoot an old cow, you might break a tooth on that thing.

[Cal Callahan]

Or it could be super tender.

[Brody Henderson]

Or it could be super tender.

[Cal Callahan]

That cow in the. In the picture, you. You literally pulled her ivories out, what was left of them, with your fingers. Like, they fell out. Super old cow. And she was delicious.

[Brody Henderson]

Yep.

[Cal Callahan]

But, like, I have a bowl in the freezer right now, and the tenderloin was like, this is going to take a while.

[Brody Henderson]

Yeah. I feel like the safest bet is to shoot a young raghorn bull, because then, you know, it's not old.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah, yeah.

[Cal Callahan]

Like, yeah. Timing as early as possible or as late as possible.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah, Well, I went for elk as well. And the reasons for that are versatility and quantity. There's. There's a lot of. Especially with all that ground and sausage. There's a lot you can do with it. And so it's kind of just our go to. And it's also our go to because there's a lot of it for every elk you kill.

[Cal Callahan]

Yep.

[Randall Williams]

Brody, what's your number two here?

[Brody Henderson]

Oh, I'd. I'd probably go with some white meat game bird, like bluegrass. Well, I'd go with wild turkey. Just because you get more of it. I don't know. No, going with bluegrass. It's better than wild turkey.

[Cal Callahan]

Bluegrass is fantastic.

[Randall Williams]

What are you doing with that?

[Brody Henderson]

Typically, all different kinds of stuff, man. Like, you can't beat. Just like, I like to save the legs from all my game birds and then do something with those. But, like, the breast from a bluegrass pounded out, just battered and fried on a sandwich is hard to beat.

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah. That is awesome. Yep.

[Randall Williams]

Cow number two.

[Cal Callahan]

I say mule deer because I. I'm. Yeah. I like. I really, for whatever reason, don't find, you know, even trying to kill big old bucks. Like, I don't find them chewy and they have more flavor than elk, so I'd prefer mule deer over elk.

[Randall Williams]

Big mule deer. All right.

[Cal Callahan]

That are living the life of mule deer.

[Randall Williams]

The good life.

[Cal Callahan]

Far away from agriculture.

[Brody Henderson]

Yeah.

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah.

[Randall Williams]

I went with salmon for my number two, and I couldn't decide between sockeye or king, so I just went with the generic salmon. But I like sockeye if it's just going on the grill. But I feel like king is more. Maybe a little more versatile. Like, for a chowder, you have all that extra fat in there, Slicing it.

[Brody Henderson]

Up and eating it raw.

[Randall Williams]

But, yeah, I love it. I love having a big pile of salmon in the freezer. And for your number one selection, Brody.

[Brody Henderson]

Well, I got a shitload of moose in the freezer right now, so that's my favorite. But actually, like, I think out of the different cervid species, moose has, like, and this is going to sound weird, some people be like, no way. But I think it's like, it has a beefier flavor than other deer species. It's, like, noticeable, and it's like, you. You take a bite of that stuff and it's like, yeah, that's. That's, like, good, good meat. And.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah.

[Brody Henderson]

So I'm glad I got a lot of it right now.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah, you'll be enjoying that one for a while.

[Cal Callahan]

Ducks. Mallard ducks. Or, you know, mallard, Widgeon, Gadwall. Yeah. Something with fat. Yep. Yeah. Like, that is my. Are you familiar with this, like, girl dinner phenomenon? That. Oh, yeah. Like, you know, that's my girl dinner. Like, I took.

[Randall Williams]

Snored on the couch.

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah.

[Randall Williams]

With a rom com on little.

[Cal Callahan]

Eat a whole Fatty duck with salt on it. Yeah, yeah. Oh, I love it. So good.

[Randall Williams]

Throw it on the grill with a big fireball that maybe comes close to burning down your friend's house on the 4th of July.

[Cal Callahan]

Yep, yep. That type of duck, piece of bread.

[Brody Henderson]

To sop up that fat.

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah. Salt, fat, protein, medium rare, blood all around.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah.

[Cal Callahan]

Like that speaks. Speaks to a person.

[Randall Williams]

Hard to beat.

[Cal Callahan]

Yep.

[Randall Williams]

I was surprised. My number one choice is antelope. Man, if I get an antelope in the freezer or in some years, multiple antelope in the freezer, that stuff just goes so quickly because it's simple, you know, Sear it, cook it rare, salt, and you don't need much else because it's just got so much flavor on its own.

[Cal Callahan]

Yep.

[Randall Williams]

So I thought. I thought this was going to be more of a boring segment because we'd be on the same page, but I like that we got a little bit of variety here.

[Cal Callahan]

Well, yeah, I do side with Brody here. It's like, you know, some seasons of plenty in one protein department. Like, I mean, last two years ago, I had two big chunks of bluefin tuna and like.

[Brody Henderson]

Yeah.

[Cal Callahan]

Holy shit, man.

[Randall Williams]

I thought there was another way to approach this where it was, what's one wild fish or game species that's been in your freezer once that you'd like to see back in there?

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah. Like muskox loin is, I think, unique and really, really fantastic.

[Brody Henderson]

Yeah. Like bighorn sheep. Fatty. Delicious.

[Cal Callahan]

Yep. Hard to acquire.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah, hard to acquire.

[Doug Durkin]

Yeah.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah. I'd go with mountain lion.

[Cal Callahan]

Mountain lion's fantastic.

[Randall Williams]

I. If I could shoot a mountain lion every year instead of a deer, I'd probably do that. Just for variety.

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah, yeah.

[Brody Henderson]

I mean, variety is the key, man. You can get sick of anything. Like, you gotta have the best elk in the world, but if you're eating it every day, you're gonna get sick of it eventually.

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah, like, you had a long stretch. And being up to my ears and elk meat and not hunting elk for a few seasons, I haven't been, like, missing elk in the freezer, you know.

[Randall Williams]

Well, thanks for playing along, gents. We'll come up with a more compelling clear cut prompt for our next top three segment.

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah, always room to improve, you know.

[Steve Rinella]

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[Randall Williams]

Our next segment is Meat Eater Movie Club.

[Cal Callahan]

Oh love what you did there Phil.

[Randall Williams]

It's a menagerie the 1978 or perhaps 1976 I found a few discrepancies in various sources for when this film was released. The 1978 film Buffalo Rider, directed by John Fabian, Dick Robinson and George Loris, stars stuntman Rick Gwynn as Jake Buffalo Jones, a frontiersman who tames an American bison and uses it as his primary mode of transportation while battling both natural elements and human adversaries. The film's plot follows Jones the Rider and his companion Samson the Buffalo through a series of increasingly outlandish adventures across the frontier. Their primary antagonist is the ruthless market hunter Frank Nesbitt, who, the narrator tells us, loves the killing, and his unsavory gang of hideskinners, Ralph Pierce and Ted Claiborne, who serve as the film's central villains. While most peculiar to a contemporary audience, Buffalo Rider's unconventional construction, a rough cobbling together of preexisting wildlife footage, stage scenes, buffalo riding, stunts, and excessive narration, is representative of the low budget exploitation filmmaking of the 1970s. This genre emphasized shocking violence, lurid sexuality, and unusual spectacle to draw audiences away from the production values and narrative coherence of mainstream Hollywood cinema. Beyond a simple, representative example of this particular style, however, Buffalo Rider serves as a rich text that emerged from and reflected the specific historical conditions of its creation. Its chaotic, almost anarchic production reflects, no doubt unintentionally, America's fractured cultural landscape in the 1970s. This was an era of profound disillusionment in American life. The Watergate scandal had shattered public faith in authority and established institutions, the Vietnam War had ended in humiliation, and economic stagflation was eroding middle class stability. In 1979, only one year after the release of Buffalo Rider, President Carter would deliver his famous crisis of confidence speech, diagnosing a nation that had lost its sense of purpose and direction. In many respects, the confusing structure and seemingly arbitrary narrative choices of Buffalo Rider embody the fraying coherence that Americans in the late 1970s saw all around them. Perhaps most obviously, the film's technical shortcomings, its rough editing, inconsistent tone, and apparent lack of quality control reflect the decade's material constraints. Likewise, the prevalent drug culture of the decade might help explain some of the film's more bizarre creative decisions. The inexplicable genre hopping between wildlife, documentary and Western adventure, the replacement of dialogue with unceasing descriptive narration and sequences like the buffalo in a saloon shootout suggest a production process operating on its own. Might I suggest chemically altered logic? Perhaps most poignantly, much like the nascent environmental movement of the 1970s, which struggled to reconcile ecological concern with embedded cultural practices and market forces, Buffalo Rider's environmental message, while sincere, is undermined by its own contradictions. Just as the villainized hide hunters within the narrative exploit wildlife for profit, the filmmakers themselves commodify animal violence for monetized entertainment value. As the film's catchy theme song rolls over the end credits, the viewer can't help but wrestle with an unresolvable tension between our hero's guiding ethos and the commercial imperatives of artistic production in capitalist society. Viewed through this lens, Buffalo Rider becomes more than just a badly made movie. It serves as an inadvertent cultural artifact, capturing the disorientation of American life in the late 1970s. Its very incoherence tells us something about a moment when American society itself seemed to be coming apart at the seams, when the old certainties of post war prosperity and progress were dissolving and new truths had yet to emerge. I give it a 10 out of 10. And for your viewing pleasure, I am pleased to share one of the YouTube clips that gave this film something of a renaissance in recent years. We're going to watch a brief excerpt from episode two of Guy on a Buffalo by the band Jomo and the Possum Posse out of Austin, Texas. Please, Phil, take it away.

[Cal Callahan]

One day the guy on the buffalo.

[Randall Williams]

Hopped off to stretch his legs walking the field.

[Cal Callahan]

Hey, what's this in the weeds? It's a baby.

[Steve Rinella]

Awesome.

[Cal Callahan]

They put it in a saddle, hopped on, hopped it up a hill and across the plane.

[Randall Williams]

Tried to cross the river.

[Cal Callahan]

Not gonna happen, man. You riding on a buffalo Member.

[Randall Williams]

But keep the baby afloat. Get your guy on a buffalo.

[Cal Callahan]

Gotta find your friend. She's bearing Guy on a buffalo.

[Randall Williams]

Hey, you wanna. It's so good.

[Cal Callahan]

It is so good.

[Brody Henderson]

Better than the movie, in fact.

[Cal Callahan]

Well, the thing is, is this is how the movie is narrated. It's like, and now he's doing this and this and this.

[Randall Williams]

Oh, that's what's striking to me.

[Cal Callahan]

Okay. This scene where he shows the scars on his back. It's like.

[Randall Williams]

Get out of here, kitty cat.

[Cal Callahan]

Get out of here. And hey, wolf, I got something for.

[Randall Williams]

You to kick from.

[Cal Callahan]

So there's the animal violence. Multiple times in this show, these guys definitely get kicked by a buffalo.

[Randall Williams]

Thank you, Phil. I. So I do have a bit of research that I'm tickled to share with you. As a bit of a preload to our discussion, I found an article that was published by the Canadian broadcasting company is Mr. Gwyn, who plays Jake Jones, is an Albertan. So the film was filmed in Utah and Oregon. And the lead actor, Rick Gwynn, was working for a company that supplied animals for film productions. He was in Missouri to purchase some mules, and someone offered to sell him a buffalo as well. He decided to try to tame it so that he could ride it, and he was successful in doing so. And then some filmmakers saw him do that and said, do you want to star in a movie about a man who rides a buffalo? So that's how we got this film scenes about.

[Brody Henderson]

Right.

[Randall Williams]

Many of the scenes were unscripted and they simply captured what happens when a man is on top of a buffalo. According to Gwynne, quote, they're still a wild animal and they feel a little different. They're a little more stubborn and not as smart as a horse. It seems his fall off Samson in the film was in fact a real fall that resulted in injuries to.

[Cal Callahan]

Nobody was questioning that.

[Randall Williams]

My favorite detail, the mountain lion attacked in the film was, in fact a mountain lion attack. The lion was being filmed on the same property for a different production. When it escaped that production, ran onto the set of Buffalo rider and attacked Mr. Gwyn.

[Brody Henderson]

But it wasn't a wild mountain lion.

[Randall Williams]

I mean, it attacked him. It was being filmed for, like a nature show and.

[Brody Henderson]

Gotcha.

[Randall Williams]

So it attacked him. The cameras just happened to be rolling as he was filming a hunting scene.

[Cal Callahan]

I love it so much.

[Randall Williams]

According to Gwyn, quote, I had to kind of fight him off. It was a life or death situation. I kind of had to do something real quick. We had lots of shots like that that were just built in the movie that were accidents. Just changed the script a little bit and continued on.

[Cal Callahan]

But that mountain lion obviously didn't have full.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah, but when they showed his injuries, those were real injuries.

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah, but they were like, they were.

[Randall Williams]

And that was a real lion.

[Cal Callahan]

Had it been a real lion.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah.

[Cal Callahan]

Or a fully intact lion, the injuries would have been the fact that they.

[Brody Henderson]

Said it escaped production.

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah.

[Randall Williams]

The fact that you guys are not.

[Cal Callahan]

Listen, I think it's amazing you're not.

[Randall Williams]

Enthralled by the idea that that line attack was totally.

[Cal Callahan]

Listen, I have to point something else out here. The fact that that buffalo comes out of Missouri is very telling because you can tell that that thing has a lot of beef. Cow.

[Randall Williams]

Oh, yeah, yeah, for sure.

[Cal Callahan]

Yes.

[Randall Williams]

So just general thoughts on the film.

[Cal Callahan]

It's a beefalo.

[Brody Henderson]

It held my attention for less time than your view of the film did. And I went back to cleaning guns.

[Cal Callahan]

Oh, I think you're crazy, man. I. Listen, I would watch this over Escanaba in the moonlight.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah.

[Cal Callahan]

Nine out of ten. Absolutely. I loved the, you know, if you're, you know, old enough to remember, like, the old. The big long run at Disney movies. Right.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah.

[Cal Callahan]

This is like, right in that genre. And then. Yeah, it has all this, like, very gratuitous, like, you know, nature document. What was that guy's name? Who? Grizzly Adam, the nature guy. Who. They found out, like, a lot of the animals in the nature documentary.

[Brody Henderson]

What's his name?

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah, anyways.

[Brody Henderson]

Yeah, I know who you're talking about.

[Cal Callahan]

Synonymous with. With nature for a long time. But anyway, yeah, I. I mean, and just crazy departures and Bandit the raccoon. To me, it. It's. It's hilarious because there's like some Filmmaking 101, right. Where it's like, well, if you're gonna talk about it, you have to show it.

[Brody Henderson]

Yeah.

[Cal Callahan]

And just be like. So then he got on the track and it looked like that of a mule track. And it's like, oh, there's Jake on the track.

[Randall Williams]

Except I liked the part in the film where they mentioned a character who never appears on stream. He's like. He talked to the sheriff and the sheriff said it was okay. So he went on.

[Brody Henderson]

There's a lot of filling in gaps with the narration because otherwise there would just be no story.

[Cal Callahan]

Right. And it's just constant narration, which is wild.

[Randall Williams]

There is a saying in showbiz, you know, it's show, don't tell. And they took that axiom and flipped it on its head. And it's like, we're actually just going to tell you things that are happening that you won't see happen.

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah.

[Brody Henderson]

Scenery was great.

[Cal Callahan]

Scenery was great.

[Brody Henderson]

Strongest part of the movie.

[Randall Williams]

There's weird wildlife stuff.

[Cal Callahan]

So. Well, that the actors weren't going to carry any part of this. That it's like, just lean on the scenery, the narration and the Animals.

[Randall Williams]

Oh, the line. The line delivery was insane.

[Brody Henderson]

What I want to know is, like, the people who made this movie, was it made, were they serious about, like, this is like a movie, or were they just around?

[Randall Williams]

I believe they.

[Cal Callahan]

I believe there were messing around came before it was an actual movie. And then somebody's like, yeah, we're gonna pay for this. Oh, God.

[Randall Williams]

There was a quote from Rick Gwynn that it was essentially just like, meant to be a fun, silly family wildlife movie with a bit of adventure. So I don't think it was, like, done as a parody. Right. But, yeah, I mean, like, it's just like a fever dream. Like, at one point they go with the rack, they follow the raccoon, and the lion tries to drown it. But then the lion is in the cold, deep water and it can't drown it. So the raccoon gets away and then rides an ice. Rides a ice flow. Yeah, rides an ice flow down the river during breaking.

[Cal Callahan]

And he stinks long and hard before he comes near that river again.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah.

[Cal Callahan]

On to the next scene.

[Randall Williams]

Phenomenal.

[Cal Callahan]

The. The pioneer lady, her acting, I mean, they. They make the decision to stick with her long so you can see her, like, emotional wind up to her line. But they show all of that. I mean, it's. It's really amazing.

[Brody Henderson]

It's like, it seems like so weird and such an outlier now 50 years later or whatever. But really, it's not that unusual for the 70s. They made a lot of weird movies in the 70s.

[Cal Callahan]

Oh, go back and watch Easy Rider. You're like, rancho Deluxe. Rancho Deluxe.

[Randall Williams]

The raccoon scene in this film reminded me of the, like, 10 minute sex scene in the middle of Rancho Deluxe. And you're like, why did they do this? Were they just filming time? It didn't need to be in this movie. But Sidney had a theory that the raccoon was important because when Buffalo Jones returned the infant to the ranch, you know that the raccoon would have to nurse the baby to health because they made a big point to say that it was a female raccoon. To everyone's surprise.

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah, that was the big reveal.

[Randall Williams]

He got Cobbler and Stu or something. I mean, it was just.

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah, I would watch this, folks at home. Yeah, I mean, this is going to surprise you. It's great. Like, there's a lot of stuff that you're probably numbing your mind with on Netflix. Check this one out.

[Randall Williams]

And I will say the beginning of it, when they're outlining the historical context, is pretty solid.

[Brody Henderson]

I was going to ask you, like, historically, you're the man. Right. So how accurate is what they were?

[Randall Williams]

I mean, Buffalo Jones is a real person whose life in no way resembles Buffalo Jones.

[Brody Henderson]

In the movie. The whole thing was depicted.

[Randall Williams]

I thought it was interesting for the.

[Brody Henderson]

Conflict in the movie.

[Randall Williams]

Well, they, they. I mean, these guys had one pack animal and they were hide hunters, so they wouldn't have gotten very far. You know, typically I think they would have operated with a few wagons. But the way that they hunted them, like when he's talking about shooting the lead cow and then shooting the whole herd, I mean, a lot of that stuff is straight out of, like the sources that you read. Right. And the stand, hunting, like going up and getting, you know, sneaking up on a herd, getting down, prone. He even had the shooting sticks at one point. Yeah, like that's something.

[Brody Henderson]

So they did some, some solid research and laying out.

[Cal Callahan]

Laying out the cartridges. Yeah, that all seemed.

[Randall Williams]

And the guys, like when the guys, like the narrators, like, then they got the sharps, the big 50 sharps, and they were shooting them. I forget he.

[Cal Callahan]

I think he said set out to 650.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah. I don't know how, you know, accurate that is, but from the beginning of it, I was like, man, if this is like a documentary or something produced for high schoolers, like, this would be pretty informative.

[Phil]

That's exactly what it reminded me of. Like, I'm just old enough to remember, like, the substitute teacher comes in and rents out like an old VHS from the AV department and puts it on.

[Randall Williams]

Mr. Jones has a Fever. And so I'm gonna just play this film for you to continue our lesson on the west and the destruction of the bison.

[Brody Henderson]

I said this earlier, but I do think Steve would take issue with demonizing the buffalo hunters.

[Randall Williams]

Oh, yeah.

[Brody Henderson]

Which is not an uncommon thing in movies.

[Randall Williams]

Sure. And I did like that. They were just like basically 13 year olds who got into wrestling matches at the drop of a hat. But the one guy did have a conscience. He did say at some point he killed the woman. Oh, shoot, you didn't have to do that. And then he says, killing women ain't good. Killing women ain't no good. That comes from Ralph. So, I mean, they did have. There was some depth to those characters, but the main hunter, rather than his skinners, seemed to be sort of an unredeemable figure when they first focused.

[Cal Callahan]

Nobody gets to jump on Frank Nesbitt. Yeah, some line like that. And then the narrator's like, Frank Nesbitt told everybody about a guy riding a buffalo.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah.

[Cal Callahan]

And it's like in the saloon, he's like, there's a guy riding a buffalo. And then he goes up to the bar and he's like, there's a guy riding a buffalo. We saw him two days from here.

[Randall Williams]

Well, there's also these nuggets in there that you wonder, like, where they're going to do something else. Because the camera, when he. When he rides the buffalo into the saloon, the camera makes a point to show you that it knocks over the stove. And we were just waiting for the saloon to go up in flames, you know, And. And. And then there was really no point for the camera to.

[Brody Henderson]

That would be too much plot for this.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah.

[Cal Callahan]

There's also a point where I do wonder if it was a stuffed buffalo head that knocks over the card table in that scene, because it was just a weird cutaway. Yeah. Also odd, like, Frank Nesbitt and the boys are bad people, and Buffalo Jones concentrates 90% of the gunfight on the auxiliary character. And Frank Nesbitt never gets a shot off.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah.

[Cal Callahan]

And I was like, well, okay.

[Randall Williams]

It also seemed that was the only.

[Cal Callahan]

Fly I found in the film.

[Randall Williams]

Well, I think my favorite part of the film was that they ordered gin and tonics, a classic frontier drink. Give me that. Watch. We're getting a couple gin and tonics. And then the fact that they had sort of a dual ending where they filmed the saloon shootout. And then they're like, you know, it shouldn't end here. Why don't we just have one of these guys not be here?

[Cal Callahan]

The narrator, as my dad told it.

[Randall Williams]

Then the buffalo can kill him.

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah. And then, man, the chase scene at the end.

[Randall Williams]

Oh.

[Cal Callahan]

Goes like.

[Randall Williams]

It's phenomenal.

[Cal Callahan]

It's great. I would watch this again.

[Randall Williams]

It takes that mule a little while to get going, though. Like, the first two minutes, the chase. The mule just seems to be.

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah, there's an interesting. Interesting deal there, too. Where'd the mule come? No. Did they steal the mule from the wagon train? I guess. But no. No saddle.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah.

[Brody Henderson]

I think you're asking too many questions for the plot.

[Randall Williams]

I thought it was very strange that they didn't take the wagon at itself, because the primary. Their primary motivation in all this was just logistics. They wanted to be able to transport more hides. And so they.

[Cal Callahan]

They kill this family hide hunter and.

[Randall Williams]

Then they leave the wagon there. But, like, the reason that they first tangle up with Buffalo Jones is because he looks at the buffalo and he says, boy, that could carry a lot of stuff. Let's kill that guy and take his take, his mode of transportation.

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah. Yep.

[Randall Williams]

Um, and the whole time, the costumes, I just kept thinking I was watching, like, a Jethro Tull documentary. It was just like. Yeah, it was like.

[Cal Callahan]

Yep.

[Randall Williams]

You tamed back the fringe just a little bit and added, like, a feather in the hair. We're at Woodstock all of a sudden.

[Cal Callahan]

Well, no, I mean, yeah. Or they're in Easy Rider. Yeah, Like, I mean, that's.

[Brody Henderson]

Yeah, man. The 1970s wasn't that much different from the 1870s. Right.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah. No, I mean, the fashion was pretty.

[Brody Henderson]

People wore the same kind of shit.

[Cal Callahan]

It all.

[Brody Henderson]

It all long hair, dirty, like.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah, yeah. I thought that Buffalo Jones really had a very striking resemblance to, like, 1970s, you know, portrayals of Jesus. The long hair, the beard, the. And he's just always sort of has this contemplative look on his face. I. There was a lot to unpack here.

[Doug Durkin]

There.

[Cal Callahan]

Was there real buffalo being shot?

[Randall Williams]

Yes.

[Cal Callahan]

And definitely real dogs being kicked. And definitely a real mountain lion getting punched in the face.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah. That first buffalo that gets shot in the neck.

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah.

[Randall Williams]

I read somewhere someone claimed that they had trained them to fall when they were hit.

[Cal Callahan]

Rubber bullets, but I. Yeah, that's not true.

[Randall Williams]

I have no doubt it would be.

[Brody Henderson]

Interesting to find out when Hollywood really started cracking down on that stuff because, like, animals got shot and, like.

[Cal Callahan]

Like those big stampede scenes, like, somebody's breaking a leg somewhere.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah. A lot of horses get killed in Hollywood. Yeah, boy. Thanks for indulging me and taking an hour and 28 minutes of your time to review that film, because that just tickled me to death.

[Cal Callahan]

Oh, again, I'd watch that over Escanaba in the moonlight.

[Randall Williams]

And thanks to our audience for the recommendation. That one did come to our inbox as a. As a suggested film for discussion. So thanks very much for that. It was just a real pleasure. Phil, I think that's about time for today, but do we have any more items from the chat that you'd like to share?

[Phil]

We've got a few. Not a whole lot came in. John's just asking a general bow question. What bows did you all guys use this year, if any, and are you excited for any new ones?

[Randall Williams]

A 6 millimeter Creedmoor.

[Cal Callahan]

I got a Rob Lee bow out of Texas, New recurve. That is absolutely badass. I love it. It's the first new bow I've had in a long time. Really, really awesome, awesome bow. And I'm not looking for another one.

[Brody Henderson]

Yeah, I can't add anything to that.

[Phil]

Great. Mountain Bucks is asking if You've ever eaten bobcat? And what's better, mountain lion or bobcat?

[Cal Callahan]

I have had mountain lion tacos a couple of times, and, yeah, I mean, it's. It's good.

[Randall Williams]

I don't. I don't think I've eaten bobcat.

[Brody Henderson]

I have. It's very similar.

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah.

[Brody Henderson]

I think you can. You get the right line. You're gonna. It's gonna be a little fattier.

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah. And then you just have more to work with, you know, like those loins and stuff on these animals have a lot more sinew. And so, yeah, you probably get more.

[Brody Henderson]

Meat off of a wild turkey gobbler than you'd get off of a bobcat.

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Phil]

Cal, what's your beer of choice? You know, some typos in this. In this question, so I'm kind of just making an assumption that that's what.

[Cal Callahan]

You'Re asking, you know? Right.

[Phil]

Beer or lights of your choice?

[Randall Williams]

Right.

[Cal Callahan]

Now, there always used to be, like, all these good seasonal dark beers that come out around Christmas time. And for whatever reason, and here in Bos Angeles, you know, cultural mecca, you can't get any of them.

[Randall Williams]

So that's the only part of the war on Christmas that's succeeding.

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah. Phil found Jubal, and that's good stuff. Ninkasi had. I think it's. Ninkasi had Slayer.

[Phil]

Oh, yeah.

[Cal Callahan]

There was some drama.

[Phil]

So Ninkasi used to distribute to Southwest Montana. Montana. And then there was some. Some distribution war happening and. And someone pissed someone off, and then they stopped distributing Nkasi out here.

[Cal Callahan]

Slayer was good.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah.

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah. So I like. I like both ends of the spectrum. Love Rainier when it's hot and, you know, you just want a refreshing, very light, generic lager. But other than that, it's got to have some. Some flavor, like a really good pilsner or get into the dark beers.

[Randall Williams]

Got a six pack of the Bhavik super pills.

[Cal Callahan]

The Bavik super pills.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah.

[Cal Callahan]

That's good stuff.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah.

[Cal Callahan]

Yeah.

[Phil]

And then just for the freaks out there, another plug for the meat eater Dungeons and Dragons session. I'm saying this on record. It will happen in 2025. I don't know if you will ever see it.

[Randall Williams]

It might not be official.

[Phil]

No, it will not be official. It will probably be me in Spencer's kitchen. Hopefully Randall's there and a couple other people.

[Randall Williams]

When you asked me to join your dungeon or whatever it's called, I did say yes.

[Phil]

You did.

[Randall Williams]

I preface that with the caveat that I don't know what I'm doing. But I'm down.

[Phil]

Yeah. And if any of you know any sort of outdoor hunting, animal tracking centered one shots, let me know because I'm probably not going to write my own because I'm lazy and not that good. So hit me up.

[Randall Williams]

I'm going to ask you to explain one shots for me once we sign off here.

[Phil]

Yes, sounds good. And yeah, I think that's all we got for questions. Well, we're already, we're already running a little long.

[Randall Williams]

Yeah, it was a meaty episode. Before we go, I would like to make a couple of quick announcements. We are in fact going to do a great American venison jerky competition and we will have more details for you in the new year. In the meantime, start perfecting your venison jerky recipes. And thanks to everyone who already emailed us about their jerky. The inbox has been overwhelmed with interest from prospective contestants and we appreciate your enthusiasm. Also, as we mentioned last week, we will be pre recording episodes for the holiday break and we would like to address listener questions. So if you have a burning hunting and fishing question that you'd like the crew to answer, send it along to radio atthe meat eater.com that's radio themeat.com and looking forward to recording that episode. It should be a fun, fun little hour of discussion with that. I'll just remind you to get those holiday orders in quickly so your gifts arrive in time for Christmas. Keep an eye out for a restock of the fucked up old shitters calendar and we'll sign off from Bozeman, Montana. Thank you for joining us.

[Cal Callahan]

Thank you.

[Brody Henderson]

Happy Holidays.

[Steve Rinella]

There's nothing more important than spending time out in nature, which involves making lifelong memories and, you know, in the right circumstances, feeding our families. Well, Pendleton Whiskey knows that too, which is why they are the official whiskey of the Rocky Mountain Elk foundation, where I am a lifetime member. Pendleton is bottled to honor true Western traditions and there's nothing more Western than supporting organizations like RMEF and their work in conservation. And there's nothing like a glass of Pendleton Whiskey. If you enjoy whiskey when you're winding down around the fire back at home cleaning your game, Pendleton has a smooth taste, made to be enjoyed on the rocks or with your favorite mixer. It's the whiskey you want for toasting a good hunt with great friends, camaraderie, self sufficiency, respect for the land and the animals that we depend on for our lifestyle. That's what you're toasting to every time you raise a glass of Pendleton Whiskey, the official whiskey of the after the hunt moment. It's not just poured, it's earned. Pendleton Distillers Lawrenceburg, Indiana. Please drink responsibly. Pendleton is a registered trademark of Pendleton Woolen Mills. Hey guys, earlier this year we launched Meat Eater Kids Podcast and we made a deal where if you guys liked it and loved it and listened to it, we were going to make more. And you did. And we did. And we're dropping a bunch. New five new Meat Eater Kids podcast episode starting November 25th. Again, it's a kids show. You listen to it with your kids. It occurs in three acts. There's a little history lesson or a wildlife ecology lesson. There's a animal call game that you play by listening to animal calls and trying to guess what animals you're hearing based on some clues. And then real live kids come in the studio and play kids trivia and work together to build up a little pot of money to donate to kids focused conservation organizations. So Meat Eater Kids Podcast coming back.

[Phil]

Round two Meat Eater Kids Find Meat Eater Kids wherever you get your podcasts.