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:
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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.
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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.
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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)
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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)
- Nate can’t resist doing a Napoleon Dynamite impression, spoiling it for some.
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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)
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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.
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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])
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Finalists: Randall & Brody tied at six points.
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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.
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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])
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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)
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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)
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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.
