The MeatEater Podcast — Ep. 839: 2026 MeatEater Trivia Tournament, Round 3
Date: February 25, 2026
Host: Steven Rinella
Trivia Host: Spencer Newharth
Guests/Contestants: Giannis, Brody Henderson, Seth Morris, Corey Calkins, Randall Williams
Main Theme: Grand finale of the 2026 MeatEater Trivia Tournament—a freewheeling, competitive, and humor-filled trivia battle focusing on all things hunting, conservation, nature, gear, and wild foods.
Episode Overview
This episode concludes the annual MeatEater Trivia Championship. Ten challenging, often surprising trivia questions about the outdoors form the final round of a three-part series. With camaraderie, teasing, and the signature blend of irreverence and depth, the crew battles for the 2026 championship title and a $2,000 conservation prize, all while exploring knowledge and stories from across the outdoor spectrum.
Key Discussion Points & Trivia Breakdown
Tournament Stakes & Score Update
[01:56-03:04]
-
Contestants are introduced; scoreboard set before the final 10 questions.
- Standings:
- Corey: 7 pts (last)
- Seth & Giannis: 10 pts
- Brody: 11 pts
- Randall: 13 pts
- Steve Rinella: 14 pts (first place)
- Standings:
-
Quote (Steve, on wishing he had a bigger lead):
- “I wish Randall didn’t have 13, I wish he had, like, a lot less.” [03:04]
-
Shelby Index: Target score for this final round is six correct answers.
Notable Trivia Questions & Answers
1. States without Snowshoe Hares [05:40–07:26]
- Q: Which state does NOT have snowshoe hares?
- Choices: West Virginia, Washington, New Mexico, Nebraska
- A: Nebraska
- Memorable Moment:
- Steve gloats about narrowing the lead:
- “Two points ahead of Randall. Why would you put that down? Dude, you know they’re all through the Appalachian, the high elevations.” [07:27]
- Steve gloats about narrowing the lead:
- Score swings: Randall misses; Steve, Giannis and Brody gain.
2. Six-letter pest word [09:03–10:54]
- Q: Six-letter word: “pests or nuisance animals that spread disease and destroy crops, such as termites, rats, or foxes.”
- A: Vermin
- Common miss: “Varmint.”
- Notable quote:
- Giannis: “You would think that the business that your dad is in, you’d have a…” [11:23]
- Randall blanked—a key turning point.
3. Highlighter Yellow Minnow Bucket Brand [12:41–16:13]
- Q: Which brand sells “America’s favorite minnow bucket” (highlighter yellow)?
- A: Frabill
- Many guessed: Plano (parent company, but not branded as such; answer not accepted).
- Quote:
- Steve, on missing the brand: “Hearing it, I’m like, damn it, you’ll never forget it.” [16:53]
4. Decoy Coating for Realism [17:01–20:35]
- Q: Ducks Unlimited calls this “a soft coating used on decoys’ head/tail/body, making them more realistic and expensive.”
- A: Flocking
- Chatter:
- Giannis: “My whole spread is now fully flocked. All flocked!” [21:27]
5. America’s Largest Landowner [21:32–23:44]
- Q: Which man, married to Walmart’s founder's daughter, became America’s largest landowner after a 2025 purchase?
- A: Stan Kroenke
- Note:
- Explanation of his vast holdings—sports teams, media, 2.7 million acres.
- Steve missed it despite remembering reading the article; all contestants whiffed.
(Halftime Score Update) [24:15–24:38]
- Steve: 17 pts (4-point lead)
- Giannis/Brody/Randall: 13
- Seth: 11
- Corey: 7
6. Meat/Fish Serving (9 letters) [26:34–29:15]
- Q: Nine-letter word for small, round serving of meat or fish (used for scallops, sliced pork tenderloin).
- A: Medallion
- Notable banter:
- Steve: “Oh, yeah. I don’t want to brag, but it’s nine letters.” [27:16]
7. Hunter with Indian National Park Eponym [29:20–32:32]
- Q: Indian national park named after famous hunter of man-eaters.
- A: Jim Corbett
- Quote:
- Brody: “That’s the kind of question I’m after.” [30:50]
- Flavor text: Corbett hunted a Bengal tiger that killed over 400 people.
8. Bottom-dwelling Invasive Fish (“Pleco”) [33:34–37:42]
- Q: Freshwater bottom-dweller, aka “pleco,” arrived in Florida via aquarium trade in the 1950s.
- A: Armored catfish (plecostomus)
- **Debate between “plecostomus” (accepted) and aliases like “algae eater”; Brody: “Seriously, everybody at my high school knew the word plecostomus.” [40:20]
9. First Vertebra Named for Greek God [39:28–42:33]
- Q: First vertebra of the neck (behind deer’s skull), named for a Greek god.
- A: Atlas
- Brody, Giannis, Corey, Randall, Steve all get it; Steve clinches victory here; flavor text about the myth’s misinterpretations.
- Quote:
- Steve (on clinching): “So yeah, Sisyphus, he wasn’t rolling the planet up the hill.” [42:33]
10. M44 Bomb Poison [44:32–47:02]
- Q: Seven-letter chemical M44 bombs spray into coyotes’ faces.
- A: Cyanide
- Discussion: Danger and controversy of these traps; story of a 14-year-old in Idaho.
- Quote:
- Steve: “Cyanide. Of course it is. Randall’s comeback just fizzled.” [47:02]
Banter, Notable Quotes, and Memorable Moments
- On playing styles:
- Steve: “I knew I wanted to play a strong game. I knew I wanted to get ahead early and maintain that win… this isn’t a team sport." [48:27]
- On the winner’s prize donation:
- “I would like to split it between the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership—where I’m a board member—and… Sharing the Land.” [49:25]
- “Sharing the Land… pairs landowners with access seekers, who do habitat work as payment for hunting or fishing permission.” [49:54]
- Banter about decoys: Steve and Giannis on fully “flocked” spreads, discussing turkey and waterfowl realism.
- Chit-chat and humor:
- Playful jabs about sportsmanship, celebration etiquette, and friendly trash talk.
- Giannis: “Good thing they don’t subtract points for sportsmanship in this game.” [07:54]
- Meta moments:
- Spencer surveys whether listeners prefer the trivia uninterrupted or with side conversations—verdict: audience enjoys the banter. [15:26–15:48]
Scoreboard & Championship Results
| Player | Final Score | | -------------- | ---------- | | Corey Calkins | 8 | | Seth Morris | 12 | | Giannis | 17 | | Brody | 17 | | Randall | 17 | | Steve Rinella | 20 | (Winner)
- Steve clinches his second MeatEater Trivia Championship, splits the $2,000 conservation donation between Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership and Sharing the Land.
- Notable milestone: First two-time winner; Brody and Randall both have one title each.
Summary Table of Final Round Questions
| # | Category | Question Highlight | Correct Answer | Time | |---|--------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|-------------------|-----------| | 1 | Hunting | State w/out snowshoe hares? | Nebraska | 05:40 | | 2 | Wildlife | Six-letter pest word | Vermin | 09:03 | | 3 | Fishing | Yellow minnow bucket brand | Frabill | 12:41 | | 4 | Gear | Decoy coating for realism | Flocking | 17:01 | | 5 | Conservation | Largest landowner, married to Walmart’s founder’s daughter| Stan Kroenke | 21:32 | | 6 | Cooking | Nine-letter word: small round/oval serving | Medallion | 26:34 | | 7 | Hunting | India national park hunter, man-eaters | Jim Corbett | 29:20 | | 8 | Fishing | “Pleco” fish, invasive | Armored catfish | 33:34 | | 9 | Butchering | First vertebra, named after Greek god | Atlas | 39:28 | |10 | Conservation | M44 bomb 7-letter poison | Cyanide | 44:32 |
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Tournament Standings and Stakes: [01:54–05:30]
- First Half of Trivia (Questions 1–5): [05:40–23:47]
- Halftime Score Update: [24:15–24:38]
- Second Half of Trivia (Questions 6–10): [26:34–47:59]
- Final Scoreboard & Victory Banter: [47:59–51:45]
- Closing reflections on charity, access & conservation: [49:45–50:57]
Final Thoughts & Tone
MeatEater Trivia delivers both competitive excitement and an abundance of good-natured ribbing. Steve Rinella emerges as a confident champion, mixing humility, sly gloating, and a clear passion for the subjects at hand. Guest camaraderie and improvisational humor abound, offering a blend of arcane knowledge and classic MeatEater field wisdom—chit-chat that longtime listeners savor, with lessons and laughs threaded throughout.
Closing words (Steve dedicating victory):
“I’ll dedicate this to my wife… I’d like to split it between the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership—a board I’m on—and Sharing the Land, where the access seekers do habitat work in exchange for hunting or fishing.” [49:00–49:54]
Spencer wraps it:
“Join us next week for more MeatEater Trivia, the only game show where conservation always wins. Congratulations.” [51:23]