The MeatEater Podcast — Ep. 818: Game On, Suckers! MeatEater Trivia CXCVIII

Date: January 7, 2026
Host: Nate Mason (guest-hosting for Spencer Newharth)
Featured Guests: Anthony, Corinne, Corey, Seth, Randall, Brody, Steve, and Phil

Overview

In this energetic and humor-packed episode, Nate Mason steps in as the “Jabroni host” for a fiercely competitive round of MeatEater Trivia. The group battles through hunting, fishing, conservation, wildlife, and wild foods questions, with the winner selecting a conservation organization to receive a $500 donation. The episode is as much about camaraderie and good-natured roasting as it is about outdoor knowledge. The trivia game is peppered with playful banter, a few arguments over rules and semantics, and plenty of jokes.

Main Segments & Key Discussion Points

1. Opening Chaos + Host Change ([00:12–01:59])

• Nate jokingly reveals his lack of preparedness, admitting, “My computer’s about to die. I forgot about that. Oh, that’s a problem.” (00:35)
• Phil teases: “Well folks, he’s already failing.” (00:59)
• The crew discusses trivia player superstitions, ranging from elaborate board borders to attempts with upside-down sunglasses.
  • Randall: “For a while I was making elaborate borders around my board and I won a few times. And then the power of that failed me.” (02:34)

2. Fact Check & Regional Food Debates ([03:04–05:20])

• Nate reads a corrective email about South Carolina barbecue sauce traditions, highlighting the regional divides over vinegar, ketchup, and mustard-based sauces.
  • Audience learns: Mustard is mostly hated in the Midlands, vinegar rules the coast, and ketchup is for the upstate.
  • Quote: “Mustard does not and never will represent the good citizens of South Carolina... I demand a correction to the record. — Jake Thompson” (03:57)
• Panel riffs on regional barbecue and pizza styles. Phil muses about a US map for barbecue sauces and pizza specialties.

3. Game On: The Trivia Rounds ([06:06–46:33])

Round Structure & Question Highlights

The game consists of ten questions, each covering a different outdoor topic. Key questions include:

• Q1 (Wildlife): What’s a group of wild pigs called?

  • Correct answer revealed after deliberation: “Sounder.” (08:20)
  • Trivia fact: Wild sows can produce 1–2 litters/year with 4–12 piglets each. (08:33)

• Q2 (Navigation): How many types of 'north' are on a USGS topo map?

  • Answer: “Three — True, Magnetic, Grid.” (11:15)
  • Geoscience tangent: The “north-south switch” in Earth’s polarity is explained.
  • Nate’s pet peeve: “People saying orientated.” (12:58)

• Q3 (Natural History): Which animal did Samson kill, later finding honey inside?

  • Speculation, friendly hints, and some bickering.
  • Answer: “Lion.” (15:05)
  • Seth: “Killed that lion with bare hands.” (15:49)

• Q4 (Hunting Dogs): NAVDA term for a pointing dog staying put until released?

  • Debate over terms like “hold”, “steady”, “freeze.”
  • Correct answer: “Steadiness/Steady” (18:42)
  • Phil explains: “North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association” (19:10)
  • Running joke: It sounds like a trade agreement, not a sporting org.

• Q5 (Bird Trivia): Largest wingspan of any living bird?

  • Guesses: condor, crane, eagle, seahawk, albatross.
  • Nate: “The correct answer is albatross...up to 11.5 feet.” (22:51)
  • Bird nerd notes: Condor is larger by weight, but albatross wins for wingspan.

• Q6 (Fishing): Chicken _____ — Key bait for handlining blue crabs in Chesapeake Bay?

  • Answers: neck (correct), wing, liver, heart.
  • “The answer is neck.” (27:07)
  • Steps on how to catch crabs with chicken necks detailed. (27:35)

• Q7 (Pop Culture): 2004 film protagonist who hunted wolverines in Alaska with “a frickin 12 gauge”?

  • Nate can’t resist doing a Napoleon Dynamite impression, spoiling it for some.
    • “A freaking 12 gauge! What do you think?” (30:30)
  • Most get answer with the help of the impression: “Napoleon Dynamite.” (31:53)
  • Mixed reactions; Randall: “That’s some of the worst hosting.” (30:51)

• Q8 (BBQ Science): Five-letter term for when meat’s temp plateaus in a smoker?

  • Stumped group. Nate confirms answer: “Stall.” (37:03)
  • He explains evaporative cooling and why smokers dread “the stall.” (37:27)

• Q9 (Gear): Four-letter acronym for "forever chemicals" banned in California textiles/apparel?

  • Quick group consensus: “PFAS.” (40:01)
  • Used for water/grease resistance, not yet banned in cookware; group ponders why.

• Q10 (War Animals): Animal used by Polish soldiers at Monte Cassino to carry artillery shells?

  • Answers: ox, dog, camel, bear.
  • Correct: “Bear” (specifically Wojtek, the Syrian brown bear).
  • Nate tells story: Wojtek, officially enlisted, drank beer, smoked, carried crates, and became the 22nd artillery company emblem. (44:59)

Score Updates & Side Conversations

• Mid-game and final scoreboards updated regularly.
• Running tally of who’s ahead and playful jabs.
• Ongoing arguments over semantics, especially after Napoleon Dynamite question.

4. Tiebreaker: Ohio Public Land Percentage ([46:27–50:33])

• Finalists: Randall & Brody tied at six points.

• Question: “What percent of Ohio is public land (to two decimal places)?”

  • Closest: Randall — 4.73%; correct answer: 2.59% (50:18)
  • Corey honored for being only 0.08% off.

• Nate explains why Ohio has so little public land due to early privatization post-Revolutionary War.

5. Winner’s Circle & Reflections ([51:08–54:32])

• Winner Randall donates the $500 to Ohio BHA, applauding their work in creating more public land.

  • Randall: “They do a lot of important work with creating access...so it’s overdue.” (51:45)

• Discussion about the difficulty of hosting, and reaction to the episode’s “hot wash”.

  • Randall: “I think you did a great job. We can take the tape and look for areas to improve for next time.” (53:20)

• Steve laments: “I did beat on the bonus question...it would have tied me up for the win.” (53:02)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Randall on trivia hosting:
  “Spencer’s a five. You just want me to be better than zero.” (01:49)
• Phil on regional food mapping:
  “I wouldn’t mind having a barbecue map...like wheat over Kansas, an agricultural map. I wouldn’t mind having a barbecue map.” (05:20)
• Nate, deadpan on hosting:
  “As your first and probably last Jabroni host, I’m going to give some love to a fellow Jabroni.” (06:01)
• Nate on dog commands:
  “NAVDA uses this term to describe a pointing dog’s ability to remain in place until released.” (16:40)
• Phil (joking after the ‘stall’ question):
  “That’s where I go to the bathroom.” (37:06)

Trivia Question Timestamps & Answers

| Question Topic | Timestamp (approx) | Winner / Correct Answer | |-------------------------------|--------------------|------------------------------| | Group of wild pigs | 07:02–08:20 | Sounder | | USGS types of “north” | 09:03–11:20 | Three (True, Magnetic, Grid) | | Samson’s honeyed animal | 13:23–15:05 | Lion | | NAVDA pointing dog term | 16:40–18:42 | Steadiness/Steady | | Largest bird wingspan | 19:46–22:51 | Albatross | | Crab “chicken ______” | 24:00–27:07 | Neck | | Napoleon Dynamite hunting | 28:36–31:53 | Napoleon Dynamite | | “Stall” in BBQ (five letters) | 33:12–37:03 | Stall | | PFAS chemicals ban acronym | 39:18–40:01 | PFAS | | Polish war animal (Monte Cassino) | 42:00–44:59 | Bear (Wojtek, brown bear) | | Tiebreaker: Ohio public land | 46:53–50:18 | 2.59% |

Noteworthy & Humorous Moments

• Host Antics:
  The group loves to roast Nate for his “Jabroni” hosting, and he plays into it with self-deprecation and chaos.
• Napoleon Dynamite Impression:
  Nate’s impression helps (or ruins) the question for some: “A freaking 12 gauge! What do you think?” (30:30). The crew piles on: “Terrible hosting.” “I feel dirty.”
• Educational Tangents:
  Phil shares geoscience trivia re: Earth’s magnetic field reversal (12:16).
• Animal War Heroes:
  The story of Wojtek the beer-drinking, shell-carrying bear is a highlight; Randall wishes he could have won on that.

Final Scores

• Randall Brody: Winner (6 points, tiebreaker)
  • $500 donated to Ohio BHA
• Brody: Runner-up (6 points)
• Corey: Honorable mention for tiebreaker precision
• Everyone else: spirited participation, plenty of ribbing and laughter

Closing Tone

The trivia round closes with a classic “after action review.” All concur the episode was rowdy, the rules a little loose, and the learning (and roasting) top notch. “You just gotta keep playing, keep swinging, and eventually you’ll connect and find your winning ways.” — Randall (54:02)

If you’re a MeatEater or trivia fan, this episode proves you don’t need a perfect host—just a raucous group, good questions, and a love for wild game and even wilder conversations.