The MeatEater Podcast – Ep. 826: "Like Nuts on a Cat"
Date: January 26, 2026
Host: Steven Rinella
Guests: Kevin Murphy, Seth Morris, Max Barda
Overview
In this lively and wide-ranging episode, Steven Rinella and co-hosts welcome legendary Kentuckian Kevin Murphy, “the madman from the LBL,” along with regulars Max Barda and Seth Morris. Broadcasting from South Texas, the group dives into topics like hunting traditions, conservation efforts, wild foods, and the often-surprising world of trapping. The episode blends humor, deep-dive discussions, and a passionate plea to support hands-on conservation—most notably Kevin’s ambitious cypress tree restoration project. From skunk lore to bobcat fur auctions and the quirky details of animal monogamy, the show is a blend of laughter, camaraderie, and deep love for all things wild.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Introductions, Fruitcake, and Gunsmithing Lore
- [03:00] Kevin shares the story behind the fruitcake in front of him—a Christmas gift tradition from his gunsmith/duck call maker friend, Hambone, whose family embodies a multi-skilled, old-school outdoors ethos.
2. Wake Boats vs. Habitat: Kevin’s Conservation Crusade
- [04:39] Steven asks Kevin to pitch his "habitat restoration project," which Kevin clarifies is not a war, but a "conflict against recreational boating" that’s destroyed button bush habitat along Lake Barkley.
- Kevin: “Your wake boat is killing Kevin’s fishery. Let’s call it like it is.”
Steven: “I’m gonna make a T-shirt that says, ‘Your wakeboard is killing my fish.’”
–[05:14] - The group discusses the environmental impacts of marina management and recreational boating, including wakeboarding and water skiing, and how drawdowns from the Corps of Engineers changed shoreline habitat.
3. New Podcast Format Announcement
- [08:32] Steven announces a split in the MeatEater podcast starting in March:
- News & Commentary Show: More frequent, response-driven, covering listener corrections, hunting/fishing news, and social issues.
- Interview Show: Deep-dive interviews with experts—biologists, authors, researchers.
- Legacy show "Radio Live" will sunset as the news format integrates its urgent, rapid-fire style.
4. On Audience Feedback and Internet Complaints
- [12:24] Steven discusses the danger of "audience capture"—how excessive focus on complaints can warp content.
- Steven: “There’s a thing called being captured by an audience. … You hear people bitching about stuff and then you change your ways.”
Max: “You can’t make everyone happy.”
–[12:24]
5. Corrections of the Week: Skunks, Trapping, and Law
- [15:34] Introduction of the “Correction of the Week” segment, rewarding listeners for catching errors or omissions in previous shows.
- Skunk trapping lore: Although some states list year-round seasons, only a few months yield prime, valuable pelts.
- Jeremiah Johnson myth: Steven disputes the idea that the character is a legendary trapper—humorously, with pushback from a listener.
- Real correction: Texas law does NOT allow unarmed crossing of property lines to retrieve game—you must have landowner permission.
6. State-by-State Game Retrieval Laws
- [22:11] Detailed breakdown of retrieval rights across states using hunting and trapping anecdotes, including a Kentucky story where out-of-state hunters claimed a buck that crossed onto their lease.
7. Skunk Lore: Water Witching, Odor Remedies, and Tall Tales
- [28:11] The panel riffs on water witching (divining for water), skunk essence, and home remedies for skunk spray (e.g., hydrogen peroxide, Dawn, baking soda mixtures).
- Kevin: “My dad could smell that skunk on me from the back of the house as soon as I walked in the door.”
–[33:26] - Steven shares the legendary resilience of skunk odor and dreams up using skunk essence as the ultimate prank.
8. The Fur Market & Bobcat Boom
- [41:09] The current bobcat fur market is “crazy,” with high prices for cats with the prized white belly and black spots, especially those from the West and South Texas.
- The group humorously details their upcoming “Steve and Seth Get Rich” project: auctioning bobcat pelts and giving the proceeds to Seth’s unborn child’s college fund.
9. Predator Calling & Bobcat Tactics
- [54:29] Steven recounts calling eight bobcats in with predator calls—all in Texas. Group discusses success strategies, the differences between cats and coyotes, and the quirks of calling at different times of day.
10. Animal Monogamy, Gray Squirrel Invasions, and Ancient Poison Hunting
- [59:26] A quick review of a new Cambridge University study on monogamy in mammals:
- Humans are “in there with meerkats and beavers”—less monogamous than some rodents, more than sheep.
- California deer mouse is most monogamous; killer whales and whitetail deer are at the bottom.
- [64:29] Discussion of Britain’s invasive gray squirrel problem and the use of contraceptive-laced hazelnut butter to control populations.
- [70:27] Archaeological news: 60,000-year-old African arrowheads with plant toxins—showing early humans’ sophisticated hunting knowledge.
11. Kevin Murphy’s Habitat Restoration Project
- [81:09] Kevin appeals for volunteers to help plant 2,000 cypress trees along Lake Barkley to restore lost shoreline habitat crucial for crappie and other fishes.
- Kevin: “I need tree huggers, tree planters, wake boarders, people that like to fish... We’re going to plant 2,000 cypress trees.”
–[81:16] - The technique has evolved with smaller saplings and staking for survival.
- Biggest threat to saplings? Not beavers—“it’s the deer,” says Kevin; bucks rub their antlers and kill 60% of trees.
12. Announcements & Goodbyes
- Steven wraps with heartfelt appreciation for Kevin’s stories and accomplishments.
- Steven: “Every time— I learn a lot. I love you.”
–[86:02] - Optimism for restoration efforts and a (mostly) gentle ribbing about who inherits whose hat when “the day comes.”
Notable Quotes & Moments
- Steven (on splitting the show format): “We’re drawing in all the brain power and story-making power...to do this more urgent news show.” [10:50]
- Kevin (on wake boats): “Your wakeboard is killing my fish.” [05:14]
- Max (on feedback): “You can’t make everyone happy.” [12:24]
- Steven (on skunk odor): “I don’t think in a lab you could make as pugnacious or resilient of an odor in a laboratory.” [33:29]
- Kevin (on restoration): “I want to do 22 miles [with cypress trees]...My goal in life is to get this started, which I already have.” [82:05]
- Steven (on local deer): “He says they want to rub their antlers on them. They kill them all.” [84:52]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 00:00-02:00 – Sponsor messages, upcoming event announcements
- 03:00 – Introductions, Hambone’s fruitcake tradition
- 04:39 – Kevin’s habitat project and the wakeboarding debate
- 08:32 – Announcement of new podcast format
- 12:13 – Audience feedback and complaints discussion
- 15:34 – Corrections of the Week
- 22:11 – Game retrieval stories and law differences
- 28:11 – Skunk remedies, tall tales, and water witching
- 41:09 – Bobcat fur market and trapping stories
- 54:29 – Predator calling and bobcat tactics
- 59:26 – Monogamy in mammals, squirrel news from UK
- 70:27 – Ancient toxin-tipped arrowhead discovery
- 81:09 – Kevin’s cypress tree restoration appeal
- 86:02 – Goodbyes, Kevin’s legacy, closing camaraderie
Tone & Language
The tone throughout is warm, irreverent, and deeply knowledgeable—a blend of good-natured ribbing, folk wisdom, expert insights, and grassroots activism. The hosts’ exchanges weave storytelling, actionable conservation, and their signature outdoor humor—making this episode both educational and entertaining.
For more or to volunteer with Kevin’s restoration project, reach out to Kevin Murphy at Small Game Nation on Instagram.