The MeatEater Podcast: Episode 710 Summary
Title: MeatEater Radio Live! Noodle the Morel Dog and Kayak Bassing
Host: MeatEater (Steven Rinella)
Release Date: May 30, 2025
Garden Updates
The episode kicks off with Spencer catching up with Steve Rinella, Cal, and Brody about their respective gardens.
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Steve Rinella [02:34]: Steve shares that they're planting corn this year, a new addition requested by his boys, alongside standard vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, strawberries, pole beans, and various herbs. He emphasizes his reliable gardening success by meticulously watering and mulching, ensuring the garden thrives even if he’s away for fishing trips.
"I just water the shit out of it and then put mulch down. And it's good." [03:10]
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Cal [03:30]: Cal announces that he and his partner have decided against a full garden this year due to overlapping travel schedules and low productivity from their setup. Instead, they’re focusing on garlic and onions. Cal also mentions his mother's farm in Montana for sale, highlighting its suitability for hunting geese with ample cottonwood trees for stands.
"It's a sweet spot. Kill geese there all the time." [04:13]
MeatEater Radio Live: Noodle the Morel Dog and Kayak Bassing
Spencer introduces the live segment hosted from Meteor HQ in Bozeman, featuring discussions with Ellen and her mushroom-hunting dog, Noodle.
- Interview with Ellen and Noodle [09:03]:
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Ellen [09:11]: Ellen introduces Noodle, her four-and-a-half-year-old half Labrador, half Border Collie, whom she rescued from a children's rodeo in Northern California. Noodle is trained to find various mushrooms, including morels, chanterelles, matsutake, porcini, candy cap, and black trumpets.
"She just cracks the code and was off running 200ft away, just waiting for me to throw the ball for her." [10:22]
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Training Process [10:27]: Ellen describes her spontaneous training method, emphasizing positive reinforcement with sticks and balls. She notes that distinguishing between edible and non-edible mushrooms was initially a challenge, but Noodle adapted quickly.
"If she sniffed the wrong kind of mushroom, I'm like, no, that's not a mushroom. You don't get a stick." [11:16]
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Mushroom Season Insights [15:05]: Ellen discusses a varied mushroom season in Northern California, affected by low snowpack and drying conditions, particularly at lower elevations. Noodle’s foraging success includes selling significant quantities of chanterelles to restaurants.
"Over 50 pounds in... sold some to a restaurant. It was great." [15:00]
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Safety Note [13:18]: Ellen warns that morels are toxic when raw, advising thorough cooking to prevent poisoning in both humans and dogs.
"Morels are not toxic, but they're toxic raw." [13:18]
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Meat Pole Trivia Game
A spirited trivia game tests Cal and Brody's knowledge about MeatEater listeners, with notable participation from the audience.
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Question 1: Percentage of Listeners Who Have Washed Their Pickup in the Last Month
- Answers: Brody: 71%, Cal: 41%
- Correct Answer: 30.5%
- Result: Cal earns the first point.
"30.5% of media listeners have washed their [pickups]" [20:15]
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Question 2: Percentage of Listeners Who Have Ever Bitten into a BB
- Answers: Brody: 88%, Cal: 63%
- Correct Answer: 65.9%
- Result: Cal earns the second point.
"65.9% have bitten into a BB." [23:30]
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Question 3: Percentage of Listeners Who Have Fishing Bait in Their Fridge or Freezer Right Now
- Answers: Brody: 50%, Cal: 38%
- Correct Answer: 34.9%
- Result: Cal secures a clean sweep.
"34.9% have bait in their fridge or freezer right now." [25:32]
Notable Quote:
"Cal dominated today, very close on every one of these questions." [25:52]
One Minute Fishing with Christine Fisher
Christine Fisher, a seasoned kayak angler, participates in the One Minute Fishing challenge aiming to catch a fish within sixty seconds to earn a $500 donation for the Muskies Inc. Wisconsin chapter.
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Setup and Strategy [28:00]: Christine details her Hobie Pro Angler 14, 360 kayak setup with a motor and multiple rods, focusing on standing while fishing to enhance her reach and efficiency.
"I can stand up and use these two little foot pedals... it's pretty effective for me." [29:12]
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Fishing Attempt [32:18]: Christine attempts to catch a white bass but doesn't secure a catch within the time limit. Despite the lack of a catch, she remains optimistic about the season.
"I had a little group of them right there and yeah, I didn't catch them." [33:32]
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Advice for Kayak Fishing [30:14]: Christine advises anglers to fish within their strengths and preferences, emphasizing the importance of enjoying the fishing experience.
"Fish your confidence, fish your strength... fish how you like to fish, that makes it a lot more fun." [30:14]
Interview with Brock Wall: North American Pronghorn Foundation
Brock Wall, founder of the newly established North American Pronghorn Foundation, discusses conservation efforts aimed at protecting pronghorn populations across North America.
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Foundation's Mission and Initiatives [41:25]:
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Brock Wall [41:39]: Highlights the foundation’s nationwide focus, emphasizing habitat restoration, migration corridor designations, and fencing projects to aid pronghorn movement.
"We're super excited... utilizing GPS collar data from pronghorn." [43:17]
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Challenges Facing Pronghorn [44:22]: Brock outlines declining pronghorn populations due to habitat loss, fencing barriers, and increasing winter mortality exacerbated by degraded forage landscapes.
"Western United States was losing a million, just over a million acres of sagebrush per year." [46:47]
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Policy Actions [46:56]: Discusses the foundation’s support for removing feral horses from BLM lands in Wyoming to reduce competition for resources and restore native habitats vital for pronghorn.
"There are a lot of, you know, published peer-reviewed research that supports this idea." [46:56]
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Supporting the Foundation [50:52]: Encourages listeners to support through memberships, merchandise, and donations via pronghorns.org.
"You can buy memberships there... would love for you to give us $35 and let us prove that we are." [50:52]
Notable Quote:
"The sagebrush ecosystem is the most imperiled ecosystem in the world, not just the United States." [52:34]
Hot Tip Off: Parenting in the Outdoors
A playful segment where listeners share competing parenting tips related to outdoor activities, judged by Steven Rinella.
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Contestants:
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Benjamin Hunter: Advocates for DIY fishing lures made from thrift store spoons, enhancing engagement and creativity with children.
"Not only can this be an effective lure, but it is also fun to catch fish on a lure you've made." [54:58]
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Matt Short: Introduces "kid poop bags" to manage bathroom emergencies during family outings, emphasizing preparedness and cleanliness.
"Don't let your kids' incontinence or lack of judgment of when is a good time to drop a load end your next family adventure." [55:02]
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Judging: The chat votes overwhelmingly in favor of Benjamin's lure-making tip, citing its practical and engaging nature.
"Ben wins with 72% of the vote." [63:55]
Notable Exchange:
"It's going to be hard to beat that... the kid's cute, all the way." [55:23]
Listener Questions and Final Discussions
The show wraps up with final Q&A segments addressing topics such as upland hunting, preparing rainbow trout, and coexisting with bears.
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Preparation Tips:
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Steve Rinella [65:03]: Shares a French technique of "blue trout" preparation involving heavy vinegar to turn fresh trout electric blue when stunned.
"It's like, it's really fun just to watch the thing happen." [65:43]
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Coexisting with Bears:
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Cal [66:43]: Recommends removing deer feeders to prevent bears from tearing them down, stressing the importance of learning to live alongside wildlife.
"If you love having them on your land, you're just going to have to learn to coexist with them." [67:19]
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Final Quote:
"Today's kids are tomorrow's enemies." [59:40]
Key Takeaways
- Garden Management: Maintaining a thriving garden requires consistent care, especially when balancing outdoor activities like fishing.
- Training Hunting Dogs: Positive reinforcement and selective training help dogs like Noodle excel in specialized tasks such as mushroom hunting.
- Conservation Efforts: The North American Pronghorn Foundation is pivotal in addressing habitat loss and ensuring pronghorn populations recover through targeted initiatives.
- Engaging Family Outdoors: Creative and practical parenting tips enhance the outdoor experience for families, fostering both safety and enjoyment.
- Coexisting with Wildlife: Effective strategies are essential for living harmoniously with wildlife, ensuring both human activities and animal populations thrive.
Notable Quotes with Timestamps
- "I just water the shit out of it and then put mulch down. And it's good." — Steve Rinella [03:10]
- "We're super excited... utilizing GPS collar data from pronghorn." — Brock Wall [43:17]
- "Today's kids are tomorrow's enemies." — Dan Flores [59:40]
This episode of The MeatEater Podcast offers a rich blend of gardening insights, hunting dog training, wildlife conservation, engaging trivia, and practical parenting tips, all delivered with the signature humor and expertise that listeners have come to love.