The MeatEater Podcast – Ep. 768: Sasquatch Calls, Exotic Pets, and English Muffins | MeatEater Radio Live!

Date: September 26, 2025
Host: Spencer (with Randall & Maxwell); Guests: Brandt McDuff, Cheryl Pitti, Paul Bartholomew

Episode Overview

This energetic live episode of MeatEater Radio brings distinctly outdoorsy humor, offbeat debates, and insightful guests. Host Spencer, with regulars Randall and Maxwell, covers quirky in-house food feuds (the "English Muffin War"), interviews taxidermy historian Brandt McDuff, referees a "Hot Tip Off," reviews the wild documentary Elephant in the Living Room on exotic pet ownership, and, in peak irreverent style, chats with the organizers of the 2025 Sasquatch Calling Contest. It’s a blend of natural history, hunting culture, and jaw-dropping tales about people and the outdoors.

Main Discussion Topics & Key Insights

1. Opening Banter & English Muffin War (05:20–11:16)

The crew dives immediately into a passionate, mock-serious debate regarding the best English muffin—a long-simmering office rivalry between Spencer and Maxwell.

• The Contenders:
  • Spencer: Stone & Skillet (dense, doughy, “bagel-like”)
  • Maxwell: Furrow & Fly (“classic” English muffin style with nooks and crannies)
• The Tasting Judges:
  • Randall offers a diplomatic “it depends” verdict based on butter/sandwich use.
  • Phil casts a definitive vote for Spencer’s, loving the thick crust and chewy dough.
  • Result: Debate remains “unsettled," but passions run high.

Memorable Moment:

"Which one was good thing I'm here so someone can take a GD stance in this room... Spencer's takes the cake. It does. Honestly, on every single level. It's what I want." —Phil (09:27)

2. Interview: The Art and Oddities of Taxidermy with Brandt McDuff (11:16–22:16)

Taxidermy historian and author Brandt McDuff joins to share delightfully weird and wonderful stories from animal preservation’s past.

• On Becoming a Taxidermy Historian:

  • “It’s a thing if you make it a thing.” (11:48)
  • Taxidermy as a way for animal lovers to “have elk and bison in a Brooklyn apartment.”

• Heroes, Villains, and Elephant Testicles:

  • Heroes: Martha Ann Maxwell (pioneered lifelike mounts); William Hornaday, Carl Akeley.
  • Villains: Lack of regulation in global taxidermy trade; urges listeners not to buy framed bats from curio shops.
  • Elephant Testicles Story: Carl Akeley’s dynamic elephant mount at Chicago’s Field Museum originally included gigantic testicles. Museum staff forced him to "castrate" them for decorum, but rumor has it the testicles remain stored onsite.
  • Quote:

    "There’s tale that they are somewhere in the back, because what were they going to do? Just chuck them out with the trash?" —Brandt McDuff (16:40)

• Regional Variations & Taxidermy’s Golden Era:

  • Victorian era (mid-1800s to 1940s) was “heyday”; UK had towns with 18+ taxidermists.
  • "Split half mounts" (bisected-animal mounts, common in Colorado) admired for their artistry and space savings.

• Top Museums for Taxidermy Lovers:

  1. American Museum of Natural History, NY
  2. Denver’s Natural History Museum
  3. Wonders of Wildlife Museum (Bass Pro, Springfield, MO)
  4. Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium, VT

Links:

• Brandt’s book: The Shotgun Conservationist
• Website: immortalanimals.com
• Instagram: @stuffinmyapartment

3. Listener Segment: Hot Tip Off (26:05–31:41)

Two listeners compete for the hottest hunting tip and a $100 gift card.

1. Lane: Custom decoy carrier—use PVC pipe and paracord to prevent duck decoys tangling.
2. James: Attach reusable earplugs to hoodie strings for instant hearing protection in the field.

• Panel Verdict: Lane’s tip is more practical for duck hunters, impresses the chat, and wins the contest.
• Quote:

  "Anything that you can do with PVC pipe for a non traditional use, I'm all in." —Randall (29:47)

4. Listener Feedback & Taxidermy Confessions (31:59–37:01)

The hosts answer chat questions and share their own taxidermy and hunting memorabilia mishaps and favorites.

• Notable shares:
  • Maxwell’s disastrous college duck mount (“dead mount hanging by the neck, with a foot-long neck—became a running joke”).
  • Randall’s multiple bear mounts, including a rare shoulder mount.
  • Spencer’s most unique piece: framed raccoon baculums (penis bones).

5. Movie Club: Elephant in the Living Room Documentary Review (37:01–51:34)

A deep-dive, often-dark discussion of the 2010 documentary about exotic pet ownership in America.

• Film Insights:
  • Explores Ohio's wild subculture via “public safety officer” Tim Harrison and lion-owner Terry Brumfield.
  • Themes: Cognitive dissonance; “rationality itself might be nothing more than a shared hallucination.”
  • “The documentary doesn’t try to bridge the gap. It lets you chew on the discomfort.” —Randall (37:32)
  • Aftermath: Many central figures have passed away; the magazine Animal Finders Guide (a classified for exotic animal sales) ceased publishing in 2018.
• Broader Debate:
  • Is Ohio uniquely plagued by exotic animal subculture, or is that just the film’s focus?
  • “The market...was the vibe I got from that scene, except instead of selling weapons to murderers, it’s just people in tank tops going ‘oh, that’s cool, how much?’” —Randall (48:23)
• Cultural Impact:
  • Echoes of Tiger King, Zanesville Massacre, increased regulation.
  • The crew reflect on seeing beautiful animals in “tortured situations.”

6. Interview: 2025 Sasquatch Calling Contest Organizers (54:19–69:08)

Cheryl Pitti (festival organizer) and Paul Bartholomew (Bigfoot researcher/author) from Whitehall, NY, give an inside look at the famed event, Bigfoot belief, and ongoing local fascination.

• Event Details:
  • 9th annual Sasquatch Festival (Whitehall, NY), draws 3,000–4,000 people—more than the town’s population.
  • Features: 150 vendors, lecturers, music, children’s area, and the main event: Sasquatch Calling Contests (kids and adults).
  • Winners “just get the title,” but the reputation is “very meaningful.”
• Bigfoot Belief:
  • Cheryl: “There’s castings of footprints. I think there’s one out there somewhere. At least one, if not a lot more.” (55:29)
  • Paul:

    “Whatever this phenomena is, it’s real and it has been sighted by reputable people.” (58:50)

  • No personal sightings but both cite numerous credible accounts and a thriving Bigfoot network.
• Regional Sasquatch Characteristics:
  • New England “Bigfoot” is typically 7–8ft tall, dark, photophobic, with “gait like a man, but looks more like a gorilla.”
  • There are regional variants (e.g., Skunk Ape in Florida, Yeti in Nepal).
  • Omnivorous, opportunistic feeders sometimes observed sifting through garbage.
  • “The most common sighting is the creature crossing the road in three steps.” (66:48)
• Sasquatch Calls & Evidence:
  • Referenced the Sierra Sounds (link via Ron Morehead): guttural noises, high-pitched screams, and grunting.

7. Panel Reflections: Do You Believe in Bigfoot? (69:13–77:22)

Consensus:

• None of the hosts believes in Bigfoot, but all value the cultural tradition and the spirit of the search.
• Spencer:

  “I do not believe in Bigfoot...But I love the folks dedicated to finding them and keeping this a thing.” (70:43)

Fun Moment:

• Randall performs an impromptu, much-requested Bigfoot call for the audience (70:30).
• Discussion of what would happen if someone “harvested a Bigfoot”—some states have made it illegal, others offer tags or “seasons,” but Spencer and Randall joke that “you’re probably going to prison...not a wildlife management issue, it’s homicide.” (76:15)

8. Closing Listener Q&A (72:09–77:22)

• What would keep the team outdoors if hunting and fishing were banned?
  • Spencer: “Looking at the ground for rocks and mushrooms.”
  • Maxwell: “Walking my dog.”
  • Randall: “Just being outside. Dogs got me to the river yesterday.”
• Tips for cooking upland birds; advice is to “let Cal cook for you,” specifically pheasant pho.
• Final play of a genuine Bigfoot vocalization from the Sierra Sounds (77:02–77:13).

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• "There’s tale that [the elephant testicles] are somewhere in the back, because what were they going to do? Just chuck them out with the trash?” —Brandt McDuff, 16:40
• "The documentary doesn’t try to bridge this gap for the viewer. It lets you chew on the discomfort..." —Randall, 37:32
• “I have a story about the time I killed 180 inch whitetail. And then the other guy said, I have a story about the time I saw bigfoot. I would say bigfoot story. Give me that one first.” —Spencer, 71:20

Episode Structure & Timestamps

• 00:05–05:20 – Announcements, Live Tour & Whitetail Week Plugs
• 05:20–11:16 – The English Muffin War
• 11:16–22:16 – Interview: Taxidermy with Brandt McDuff
• 26:05–31:41 – Listener Hot Tip Off
• 31:59–37:01 – Listener Feedback & Taxidermy Mishaps
• 37:01–51:34 – Movie Club: Elephant in the Living Room
• 54:19–69:08 – Sasquatch Calling Contest Organizers Interview
• 69:13–77:22 – Bigfoot Belief Debate & Listener Q&A

Tone & Style

The episode is both irreverent and informative, peppered with dry humor, good-natured panel bickering, rich natural history stories, and a love for the oddities of outdoor culture. Quotes and extended stories channel the original voices, staying true to the podcast’s lively, communal spirit.

For Further Exploration

• The Shotgun Conservationist by Brandt McDuff
• Sierra Sounds: Ron Morehead’s Bigfoot Recordings
• Sasquatch Calling Festival Info

This episode is a must-listen for:

• Anyone who loves offbeat hunting camp debates
• Fans of natural history, taxidermy, and the stranger side of wildlife
• Curious souls who wonder just how weird outdoor America can get, and the folklore that keeps it alive