Ep. 839: 2026 MeatEater Trivia Tournament, Round 3

Summary

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.

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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.

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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)

• 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.

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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]
• 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

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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]

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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]

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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.

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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 |

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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]

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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]

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For fans and newcomers alike, this episode is a masterclass in outdoorsman knowledge, community spirit, and conservation advocacy—plus a whole lot of laughs.

Transcript

[Steven Rinella]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Spencer Newharth]

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[Steven Rinella]

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[Giannis]

Welcome to Meat Eaters 12 and 26 presented by Moultrie Mobile and ONX Maps. 12 of Meat Eater's biggest and baddest haunts from the last year released throughout 2026. These are long form episodes so you get more of what you love. The first one up is my Baited Bear Hunt in Manitoba. If you've ever wondered what a baited bear hunt is like, you'll love this episode. My favorite part was watching a younger bear spend an hour trying to figure out how to get a creatively hung beaver carcass down from a tree. Check it out now on Me Eater's YouTube channel and be on the lookout for more 12 and 26 in the coming months.

[Steven Rinella]

It's a me podcast.

[Spencer Newharth]

Welcome to Meat Eater Trivia, the only game show where conservation always wins. I'm your host, Spencer Newharth, and today we're joined by Steve Giannis, Randall Brody, Seth and Corey. This is episode three of the fourth annual Meat Eater Trivia Championship. This competition will span three episodes. Whoever has the most points after 30 questions will be declared the newest Meat Eater Trivia champion. We will crown that person today. Now, there will be spoilers from the first two episodes, so if you haven't listened to those yet, then pause this show and go back to hear episodes 833-836. Okay, everyone's caught up. Phil, please pull up the scoreboard so we can see where our players stand going into questions 21 through 30 before the last round.

[Phil]

Here we have Corey Calkins in last place with seven points. Next in line are Seth and Giannis with 10. Brody Henderson has 11.

[Seth Morris]

I feel like I had 12 last time.

[Phil]

No, Randall Williams has 13.

[Steven Rinella]

Someone went into there and took one away.

[Seth Morris]

Still messing with it.

[Phil]

And in first place is Steven Rinello with 14 points.

[Steven Rinella]

I wish Randall didn't have 13, whereas he had like a lot less.

[Spencer Newharth]

Anybody's game, but it's kind of a two horse race at this point. Steve and Randall's in there.

[Seth Morris]

Dude, it's good that you're sitting next to each other.

[Spencer Newharth]

Yep.

[Phil]

Yeah.

[Brody]

Steve's got the Can Am hat on today.

[Steven Rinella]

Well, I'm doing this, so it's like poker. This is like. Yeah, like I'm doing like a poker face, dude. Like you're not gonna know if I know it or not.

[Spencer Newharth]

You guys did trade that hat after episode one of the championship.

[Brody]

It didn't serve me well in round one.

[Spencer Newharth]

Worked for Steve in round two.

[Steven Rinella]

When Kevin Murphy dies, I'm gonna be in here with his hat on.

[Spencer Newharth]

Which head is that so?

[Steven Rinella]

His hat. His cowboy hat he always wears. I didn't realize. He told me a long time ago I could have him when he dies. He got it from a dead man.

[Spencer Newharth]

Wow.

[Steven Rinella]

Wow.

[Spencer Newharth]

You got to start thinking about the succession. Then after you're gone, I'll get to my kids.

[Steven Rinella]

Oh, my daughter can have it.

[Brody]

Yeah, but how long does everybody have it? I mean, is it good vibes or bad vibes?

[Spencer Newharth]

No, no, no.

[Steven Rinella]

This guy had it like it was an old man died. An old man? Yeah. He didn't die tragically. You know the Jews, when they'll retire a name.

[Spencer Newharth]

Okay.

[Steven Rinella]

Like for instance, we name our kid our firstborn was James. Well, the three James's, that's a family name. The three James's in our family all had early, somewhat tragic deaths.

[Spencer Newharth]

Oh, no.

[Steven Rinella]

But we still went ahead with it.

[Spencer Newharth]

Okay. Did you think twice about it, though?

[Steven Rinella]

Yeah, we talked about it in Judaism. You would. My understanding is if it's a. If something bad happens, you don't, you retire the name.

[Spencer Newharth]

Sure, yeah. If. If Steve. If we were on a news station right now and Steve was on the camera below him would say, Steve Runella. Judy is an expert.

[Steven Rinella]

Oh, yeah, yeah, for sure.

[Spencer Newharth]

Something you played for sure.

[Steven Rinella]

That's cause you unlikely.

[Giannis]

Are you that gal that was a Jew one?

[Steven Rinella]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Spencer Newharth]

How do you think he knows so much about him? The Shelby index for today is a three. So our winner should get six correct answers. That gives us a total shelby index of 11 for the whole tournament. Meaning our winner should end with a round 22 points. And with that, we're on to the game. Trivia. Play the drop, Phil.

[Seth Morris]

Three on this one.

[Spencer Newharth]

Three. It's a tough round.

[Seth Morris]

We'll see about it.

[Spencer Newharth]

Gonna have to earn it today. How's that?

[Steven Rinella]

It's time to win everything. Man, you really decorated your deal up pretty good there. Game on, suckers.

[Spencer Newharth]

Final round. Question 1. The topic is hunting. And this will be multiple choice.

[Steven Rinella]

Smirking about.

[Giannis]

That's the fact that it said. Oh, you didn't. You don't have headphones anymore.

[Spencer Newharth]

Secret Steve can't join us on question one. The topic is hunting. Which of these states does not have snowshoe hares? Is it West Virginia, Washington, New Mexico or Nebraska? Three of those states has snowshoe hares. One does not. Brody already has his answer, so does Randall. Which of these states does not have snowshoe hares? West Virginia.

[Giannis]

God, this chest sucks.

[Spencer Newharth]

New Mexico. Nebraska. You're referring to the location. How you have to do a 180 to see the question.

[Giannis]

Yes.

[Steven Rinella]

Yeah, that's what I look.

[Giannis]

I should have said the location of

[Steven Rinella]

this chair because I felt. I really felt like it was like, like that move. You kind of lose your answers.

[Spencer Newharth]

Yeah. Which of these states does not have.

[Steven Rinella]

Come over here.

[Spencer Newharth]

Snowshoe hares. Your four choices. West Virginia, Washington, New Mexico, Nebraska. Some confident answers in the room.

[Steven Rinella]

You know, if we had a mirror. No, because then you'd be cheating on me. I had a mirror over here. And he could look in the mirror and see what was going on.

[Spencer Newharth]

But then would it be backwards for him?

[Steven Rinella]

Yeah, we'd have to add answers up for everything.

[Spencer Newharth]

Sounds like we just need another tv. There we go. Is everybody ready? Go ahead and reveal your answer. Seth says New Mexico. Steven says Nebraska. Randall says West Virginia. Corey, New Mexico. Giannis, Nebraska. Brody, Nebraska.

[Steven Rinella]

Wow.

[Spencer Newharth]

Everyone but Washington is represented. The correct answer is Nebraska.

[Giannis]

Yeah, baby.

[Steven Rinella]

Two points ahead of Randall. Why would you put that down? Dude, you know they're all through the Appalachian. The high elevations.

[Spencer Newharth]

He doesn't know that.

[Brody]

Don't know that.

[Spencer Newharth]

About half of the states have snowshoe hares. With their range stretching from New Mexico to Alaska to New England to the Appalachian Gate. The closest snowshoe hairs to Nebraska are in central Wyoming, northern Colorado or central Minnesota.

[Giannis]

Good thing they don't give out or subtract points for sportsmanship in this game.

[Steven Rinella]

What? Gloating? That's not sportsmanly.

[Seth Morris]

Do you ever watch any pro pro football or basketball?

[Steven Rinella]

Those guys tackle the quarterback and they're typically. You think they were like the green Hulk Hogan guy?

[Brody]

There typically is a penalty for touching your opponent during a celebration.

[Giannis]

Direction. They got to do it in direction away from quarterback. If you were to stand over quarterback, taunting is.

[Steven Rinella]

You don't do that, do you?

[Seth Morris]

I think.

[Spencer Newharth]

I think.

[Steven Rinella]

Bill, can you rig up a camera out in the green room so I can go out there?

[Spencer Newharth]

Give me 90 minutes. The threshold.

[Giannis]

Is that our green room?

[Steven Rinella]

That's a wasted space.

[Giannis]

That's a hilarious.

[Steven Rinella]

We actually paid money to close that. Yeah, it's called the junk room. Yeah. This idea that people are going to be out there.

[Seth Morris]

Green room. There's a college dorm fridge in there.

[Spencer Newharth]

That's the best part.

[Steven Rinella]

I had a bid. I had a bid on getting that. The thing we paid to have put up, taken down. I'm already. Just take it down.

[Spencer Newharth]

Question 2. The topic is wildlife.

[Giannis]

Yeah, we can probably get that down.

[Spencer Newharth]

This six letter word is defined as, quote, pests or nuisance animals that spread disease and destroy crops, livestock and property, such as termites, rats or foxes.

[Steven Rinella]

Oh, six.

[Spencer Newharth]

Brody already has his answer. This six letter word is defined as pests or nuisance animals that spread disease and destroy crops, livestock and property, such as termites, rats or fox. Not now. But, Steve, do you like your answer? Well, okay. Randall does not have one. No.

[Brody]

I'm having trouble thinking here, man.

[Steven Rinella]

That'd be great, dude. I'm just gonna like, take a big old nap. He can't come up. Just nailed on that Nebraska deal, you know. What were you thinking when you. When you got to my board and saw the name on there? I saw.

[Spencer Newharth]

Well, I could. I could also.

[Steven Rinella]

First thought popped in your head.

[Spencer Newharth]

I could see beyond yours to Randall's that he had New Mexico.

[Steven Rinella]

What'd you think this is going to be a list that young man, strong game.

[Spencer Newharth]

This six letter word is defined as pests or nuisance animals.

[Seth Morris]

Speaking of young man, happy birthday.

[Spencer Newharth]

And destroy crops, livestock and property.

[Steven Rinella]

Halfway to 104.

[Spencer Newharth]

There you go. Today's also. Is it the Chinese New Year today?

[Seth Morris]

Oh, year of the what? New year.

[Spencer Newharth]

I remember Flaming horse.

[Giannis]

Do I look like Chinese New Year guy?

[Steven Rinella]

Yeah, I know that in Hanoi they're eating a bunch of dogs.

[Spencer Newharth]

And you're not supposed to today. Take a shower, cut your hair, cut your fingernails, take out the garbage. None of that stuff.

[Steven Rinella]

I'm done. I haven't done that yet.

[Spencer Newharth]

Bad luck if you've done that today. This six letter word is defined as, quote, pests or nuisance animals that spread disease and destroy crops Livestock and property such as termites, rats or foxes. Randall still has a blank board. This could be a three point lead for Steve.

[Steven Rinella]

Wow. I think I got it.

[Spencer Newharth]

You must have cut your fingernails this morning, huh? No, I took a shower, son. Oh, I didn't do that either. Bad luck for Corey.

[Steven Rinella]

Yeah.

[Spencer Newharth]

Yanni, you have this one, right?

[Giannis]

I just came up with a six letter word that seems to fit that description.

[Spencer Newharth]

So Seth has not picked up his whiteboard yet for this?

[Steven Rinella]

I don't like his whole leaving it blank. Dude, just put something down like a joke or something.

[Giannis]

You think you would think that the business that you're. I know dad is in, you'd have a. I'm going to see it and hate myself.

[Spencer Newharth]

Wow, Randall, still with a blank whiteboard.

[Brody]

You're not a lot of thinking time here.

[Steven Rinella]

Let's go. That's enough time.

[Spencer Newharth]

There's been a lot of time. Maybe not labeled as thinking time, though.

[Giannis]

Brody and I are gonna catch up with Randall now. It's gonna be a.

[Steven Rinella]

You already called him.

[Seth Morris]

Oh, maybe not. Was he two ahead of me or one two?

[Steven Rinella]

Randall, I'm just gonna play my game, dude. I'm not gonna do anything emotional just like I'm playing my game, man. Quiet, professional. You ready, Damon?

[Spencer Newharth]

Randall, do you give up?

[Brody]

I guess.

[Spencer Newharth]

Go ahead and reveal your answers. Steve says vermin upside down. Randall without an answer. Corey without an answer.

[Brody]

I kept thinking varmint.

[Spencer Newharth]

Giannis and Brody save vermin. The correct answer is verb.

[Seth Morris]

Sorry.

[Phil]

Did Seth get that?

[Spencer Newharth]

What?

[Steven Rinella]

For the first one.

[Phil]

What's that?

[Steven Rinella]

You.

[Giannis]

I got nothing. Down, Phil. Okay.

[Spencer Newharth]

Vermin are simply any animal that creates problems and are difficult to control. From lice to pigeons to feral dogs. The word is often used interchangeably with varmint.

[Seth Morris]

It's a good word.

[Steven Rinella]

Yeah, yeah.

[Spencer Newharth]

Question three. The topic is fishing. This brand sells quote, America's favorite minnow bucket. That's famously highlighter yellow.

[Giannis]

Oh.

[Steven Rinella]

What?

[Spencer Newharth]

Oh, minor bucket. This brand sells America's favorite minnow bucket. That's what they say about it. That's famously highlighter yellow.

[Steven Rinella]

I own that damn bucket.

[Spencer Newharth]

I bet everyone in this room owns that damn bucket. Seth, do you have this one right?

[Giannis]

I don't own it. The thing that's throwing me off is I think several companies make these now.

[Spencer Newharth]

Knockoffs. But do they make Americas?

[Giannis]

Does it come with a little aerator or what?

[Steven Rinella]

I can't think of it.

[Spencer Newharth]

Seth.

[Giannis]

Yeah.

[Spencer Newharth]

Quietly, player.

[Brody]

Quiet. So that our competitors can think on this one.

[Spencer Newharth]

This brand sells America's favorite minnow bucket. That's famously highlighter. Yellow.

[Giannis]

What'd you put?

[Steven Rinella]

Do you really want to know?

[Giannis]

I'm not changing mine.

[Spencer Newharth]

Yes. His answer locked in. Do you agree with him, Seth?

[Steven Rinella]

Something similar. He just spelled it different

[Spencer Newharth]

again. This is question three.

[Steven Rinella]

Same basic idea.

[Spencer Newharth]

The topic is fishing. This brand sells America's favorite minnow bucket. That's famously highlighter yellow. But everyone here can picture it. Most of the room probably owns one.

[Giannis]

I can remember meeting some of the first, like, serious fishermen outside of my family and being in the dude's house. It must have been in his garage. But, like, he didn't even have any fishing plans for days. But there was, like, minnows in coolers and buckets, you know, being aerated. And I was like, oh, this is interesting.

[Spencer Newharth]

Yeah, he's ready to go.

[Steven Rinella]

He hears about a hot bike written down.

[Giannis]

Huh?

[Steven Rinella]

You got an answer?

[Spencer Newharth]

Yeah. Randall, do you believe it's right?

[Giannis]

I got an answer.

[Spencer Newharth]

Okay.

[Steven Rinella]

He's like that quad God figure skating dude in the gold medal Olympics.

[Giannis]

Get in your head.

[Seth Morris]

I was all worried because I thought you had it.

[Steven Rinella]

He's like. He's like Kyle Shiffron in the Olympics, dude. Like, he chokes up and the big champ comes.

[Spencer Newharth]

I feel like I've heard Steve declare in the past that his favorite time of day for working and being productive is like 10:00am to noon o' clock, and we're at 11 shooting turkeys. 11:00am right now. So we're right in his sweet spot.

[Seth Morris]

I don't know.

[Spencer Newharth]

This brand sells America's favorite minimum. Why are we going so long every time lighter yellow?

[Brody]

Because you asked for thinking time earlier.

[Seth Morris]

Because people are here for the chit chat, not the actual trivia.

[Spencer Newharth]

I don't know.

[Steven Rinella]

That'd be an interesting survey. You should do a survey of listeners. Would they prefer if no one said anything and it was just the show, or do they prefer that there's any kind of talk?

[Spencer Newharth]

I'll tell you this. Giannis has proposed this question in the past. Are people annoyed that we're talking so much? People will chime in and say, no, they like that. So I never hear the inverse of it. Nobody's ever saying, please shut up.

[Brody]

They also do complain when there's no chit chat.

[Seth Morris]

Plus, it would only last 10 minutes if there was no chit chat.

[Spencer Newharth]

That's right. Is everybody ready in the book, too? Go ahead and reveal your answers. Seth says Plano.

[Giannis]

Oh, yeah, baby.

[Steven Rinella]

Let's go.

[Spencer Newharth]

Says Randall.

[Seth Morris]

He was the one with us.

[Spencer Newharth]

Plano. Brody says Berkeley. The correct answer is frable.

[Steven Rinella]

Oh, no.

[Spencer Newharth]

That's right.

[Giannis]

That see a new. Several companies make them the bait

[Phil]

and

[Spencer Newharth]

is designed to give your minnows non stop natural aeration. The Six Quart option holds four dozen minnows and retails for 11.99. Frable was founded in Wisconsin in 1938 and acquired by Plano in 2012. So Plano is the mother company. We're not going to give it to you, though. You will not find Plano's name on that.

[Steven Rinella]

They kept Frable. I know. Yeah. You know what? I'm not saying I knew it, I didn't know it and you could have given me three days and I would have come up with it. But you know, it's the kind of thing, hearing it, I'm like, damn it,

[Spencer Newharth]

you'll never forget it. That highlighter, yellow.

[Giannis]

See the Plano logo on one of those.

[Spencer Newharth]

Minnow parent company.

[Steven Rinella]

That's what I was thinking of. I was.

[Spencer Newharth]

Question 4. The topic is gear. Ducks Unlimited defines this as, quote, a soft coating that is used on the head, tail and body of decoys which makes them more realistic and expensive. Seth, quick to answer. Yanni and Steve joining him. No, no, no, no. Okay. Steve's thinking a little harder. Ducks Unlimited defines this as, quote, a soft coating that is used on the head, tail and body of decoys which makes them more realistic and expensive.

[Steven Rinella]

Did you get it? I know what letter it starts with.

[Spencer Newharth]

Okay. Randall with a blank whiteboard. Yanni, do you have this one?

[Steven Rinella]

Right. What do you got? Well, do you know it?

[Brody]

No, I'm afraid I have no idea.

[Giannis]

Say too much.

[Spencer Newharth]

Okay.

[Giannis]

But I got it.

[Seth Morris]

Do they put it on turkey decoys too?

[Spencer Newharth]

Not gonna help you there. Ducks Unlimited defines this as soft coating that is used on the tail and body of decoys which makes them more realistic and expensive. Hasn't changed much since last week, to be honest. Steve really enjoying himself just holding court in here. Wow.

[Steven Rinella]

I just feel like I'm winning.

[Giannis]

Have you been watching.

[Steven Rinella]

Might have got this.

[Giannis]

Have you been watching the Olympics much?

[Steven Rinella]

No, but the other night I kind of had a look,

[Spencer Newharth]

Had a little

[Steven Rinella]

skirmish with the Mrs. And we wound up down in the restaurant and there was. There was. She was there, but we wound up in a restaurant that was playing the Olympics. So we were watching some bobsledding. It was split screen, the curling and the bobsledding. And I was sharing with my family that it's two games that I don't think would exist were it not for the Olympics. No, like, there's no like, other, like, you know, like skiers. They're always Competing.

[Giannis]

I think you're right about the bobsled. I think you're not correct. And that about the curling. Because there's, like, people love to curl.

[Spencer Newharth]

Yeah.

[Steven Rinella]

Oh, so there's, like, other, you know, like.

[Giannis]

Yeah, there's like, beer leagues all over the. I say the beer.

[Steven Rinella]

No, I mean, like, seriously, you read about a skier, and it'd be like, you're. You're reading about a skier, and you realize that, like, the one woman, she's won, like, you know, like seven of the eight World Cups, which is a major.

[Giannis]

Right.

[Steven Rinella]

And then you get into these other disciplines. Or I'm like, I don't know. I think it's four years of nothing. Like there's, you know, I mean, maybe I'm wrong, but. But I don't. I don't know. What are they doing?

[Giannis]

You know, you're right. If they took away the Olympics, it's hard to see that box.

[Steven Rinella]

Right. I know that people recreationally curl, but I don't know if they have, like, the. The. The examples of, like, in figure skating and skiing.

[Seth Morris]

I'm sure they have world championships every.

[Spencer Newharth]

I went to the curling mixed qualifier in Denver last year.

[Steven Rinella]

Oh, you did?

[Spencer Newharth]

I was in Denver.

[Steven Rinella]

An Olympic qualifier.

[Spencer Newharth]

I saw the Corys compete. Who represented the United States there? Ducks Unlimited defines this as a soft coating that is used on the head, tail, and body of decoys, which makes them more realistic and expensive. Is everybody ready? Go ahead and reveal your answer. Seth says flocking. Steve, what's that say? It's upside down.

[Giannis]

Flocking, dammit.

[Spencer Newharth]

Steve says flocking. Randall without an answer. Corey says lacquer. That's right.

[Steven Rinella]

Why would that be fuzzy?

[Spencer Newharth]

Yanis? That would be shiny and hard blocking. Brody says over mold.

[Steven Rinella]

Lacquer.

[Spencer Newharth]

The correct answer is flocking.

[Steven Rinella]

Why would lacquer?

[Spencer Newharth]

Seth and I got that.

[Steven Rinella]

But it says soft.

[Seth Morris]

So do you say, throw those flocking decoys out there?

[Giannis]

Flock.

[Spencer Newharth]

Flocking. Flocking is typically.

[Steven Rinella]

He's not reading the question.

[Spencer Newharth]

Flocking is typically made of nylon fibers that. That's applied to a specialized adhesive. Ducks Unlimited says it's most beneficial on dark surfaces, such as the black necks of Canada geese or the green heads of drake mallards. The advantages of flocking are extra noticeable on sunny days or when your decoys get wet. There's a Dave Smith that has flocking on the black part of the back.

[Steven Rinella]

I forgot about that when Tory said that. I was going to ridicule him, but I would have been wrong.

[Spencer Newharth]

So, yes, some turkey decoys do have flocking on them. Doesn't that look nice out in that cut corner?

[Giannis]

Yeah, I was thinking of only the heads. I forgot about the.

[Steven Rinella]

My whole spread is now fully flocked. All flocked.

[Spencer Newharth]

Professional question. Five tops. Conservation. This man who married the daughter of Walmart's founder became America's largest landowner after a 2025 purchase.

[Seth Morris]

Yeah, just saw it.

[Steven Rinella]

Yeah, I just saw it too.

[Spencer Newharth]

We have six blank whiteboards in the room. This man who married the daughter of Walmart's founder, became America's largest landowner after a 2025 purchase.

[Steven Rinella]

Be like Seth, not write anything down.

[Giannis]

Come on.

[Spencer Newharth]

He ridicules something over 2 million acres.

[Steven Rinella]

I think everything was named. I'll write down a different.

[Giannis]

The piece that he just bought.

[Seth Morris]

Well, I'm sure he owns.

[Spencer Newharth]

I'll share it with you in the flavor text.

[Giannis]

But that's the piece. Oh, you're going to tell us how big?

[Spencer Newharth]

Tell you in the.

[Giannis]

Let's get on with it. No one knows it.

[Spencer Newharth]

This man got information of Walmart's founder married.

[Steven Rinella]

Go ahead.

[Spencer Newharth]

Became America's largest landowner after 2025 purchase.

[Seth Morris]

I'm sure Spencer's already rit I was

[Spencer Newharth]

gonna say that same exact joke afterwards. I'm gonna ask.

[Steven Rinella]

He's like, you know no one's ever asked you. Go ahead, come on in.

[Seth Morris]

Bring your friends.

[Steven Rinella]

My only rules. Get them all.

[Spencer Newharth]

I've been in the same room as this man a few times.

[Brody]

Oh, geez.

[Giannis]

Oh, there's a little hot tip maybe.

[Spencer Newharth]

I'm not gonna tell you.

[Giannis]

He's been the same room with everybody.

[Spencer Newharth]

Ready?

[Steven Rinella]

Did he say many times?

[Giannis]

A few times.

[Spencer Newharth]

Is everybody ready?

[Steven Rinella]

So it's kind of like a little pet question. Relevant only suspense.

[Brody]

I'm trying to think about.

[Steven Rinella]

I read this, though.

[Seth Morris]

I read this likely means it's got something to do with.

[Spencer Newharth]

Go ahead and reveal your answer, Seth. Without an answer. Steve says Cox, Randall says Arthur, Blank, Corey says Murdoch, Giannis and Brody. Without an answer. Nobody got it. The correct answer is Stan Kroenke. Stan Cron's purchase of a million acre New Mexico ranch in December moved him from number four to number one. As the country's biggest landowner, he now has about 2.7 million acres of land spread across the west. His portfolio also includes the Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, Los Angeles Rams, Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel, and more than a dozen outdoor magazines.

[Steven Rinella]

Man, now I'm bummed because I remember making that connection when I read that article. It wasn't going to come.

[Spencer Newharth]

Stan Cronk. I used to work for him for some of those outdoor magazines. Plus bended Denver Nuggets games that he was also attending. Phil, give us a scoreboard update. We're halfway through the final round of trivia. You don't even have to really a

[Seth Morris]

battle for second at this point, boys.

[Phil]

Corey is yet to get a point this third round. He's still at seven points. Seth Morris is up next with 11 points. And now all tied up are Giannis Brody and Randall Williams with 13 points apiece and with a four point commanding lead at halftime.

[Spencer Newharth]

Five questions.

[Phil]

Even Renell is in first place with 17 points.

[Giannis]

I could, I could see him choking.

[Brody]

Yeah, I mean, it's around where I've gone over five, so who knows what's going to happen. I think that's the first for me.

[Steven Rinella]

Hey, you ever had that problem when you're, when you're laying in bed and you can't get comfortable and you can't fall asleep and you just can't get comfortable, but you know at a certain time you got to get up and so when you start doing math in your head about even if I fell asleep now, I'd only get blank hours of sleep and it just gets worse and you fall into a sleep deprivation spiral. Let me tell you something. The Helix Sleep Quiz can match you with the perfect mattress based on your personal preferences and sleep needs. Okay, so you can get a perfect mattress for yourself so you'll fall asleep easy. Helix is the most awarded mattress brand, tested and reviewed by experts like Forbes and Wired. And with a limited lifetime warranty, you can sleep better knowing your Helix mattress is built to go the distance. Go to helixsleep.commeater for 27 off site wide exclusive for listeners of Me Eater. That's helixsleep.com me eater for 27 off site wide. Make sure you enter our show name after checkout so they know we sent you helixsleep.com meater welcome to Meat Eaters

[Giannis]

12 and 26, presented by Moultrie Mobile and Onx Maps. 12 of Meat Eater's biggest and baddest hunts from the last year released throughout 2026. These are long form episodes so you get more of what you love. The first one up is my Baited Bear Hunt in Manitoba. If you've ever wondered what a baited bear hunt is like, you'll love this episode. My favorite part was watching a younger bear spend an hour trying to figure out how to get a creatively hung beaver carcass down from a tree. Check it out now on Meat Eater's YouTube channel and be on the lookout for more 12 and 26 in the coming months.

[Spencer Newharth]

Question six. The topic is cooking. This nine letter word which is commonly used to describe scallops or a sliced pork tenderloin is defined as, quote, a small round or oval serving of meat or fish. This nine letter word which is commonly used to describe scallops or a sliced pork tenderloin, is defined as a small round or oval serving of meat or fish. Yanni, do you have this one right?

[Giannis]

I believe I have a nine letter word.

[Spencer Newharth]

Okay.

[Giannis]

Fits this description kinda.

[Spencer Newharth]

Steve, do you like your answer?

[Steven Rinella]

Oh, yeah. I don't want to brag, but it's nine letters. I know. And I had it without even realizing. I didn't even pay attention to the nine letter part. Not to toot my own horn.

[Spencer Newharth]

This nine letter word which is commonly used to describe scallops or a sliced pork tenderloin is defined as a small round or oval serving of meat or fish.

[Giannis]

Will sit around saying, you know, we were in that same room with that genius, Stephen R. You remember those performances of his trivia 26.

[Steven Rinella]

You know, that's what I didn't appreciate at the time.

[Spencer Newharth]

Yep,

[Giannis]

the mood in this room has soured. Well, Randall's just awfully quiet, which takes, takes it out of us, the rest of us.

[Steven Rinella]

He took a real kick to the nuts back there after the second or third question. Man.

[Brody]

Yeah, the vermin question really just. I don't want to use the F word again on this show. I met some folks who said their daughter, their 8 year old daughter watches every episode while they prepare dinner on repeat. And I just thought, well, you could

[Steven Rinella]

get, you could use the F word. Like where it's not the main part, but like deflated.

[Brody]

Yeah, it really D word. It really shocked me.

[Steven Rinella]

Appearance deflated.

[Brody]

Second question really shucked me up.

[Spencer Newharth]

This nine letter word which is commonly used to describe scallops or a sliced pork tenderloin, is defined as a small round or oval serving of meat or fish.

[Steven Rinella]

Are you not getting this?

[Giannis]

You gotta answer Corey.

[Phil]

What?

[Spencer Newharth]

Making sure I spelled my name right here.

[Giannis]

Come on, you're a cook.

[Spencer Newharth]

I know, I know what I'd call it. Didn't end up being nine letters. Cory, D. Give up. Yeah. Go ahead and reveal your answers. Seth and Steve and Ray. Did Steve get that spelling medallion without an answer?

[Giannis]

I just threw an E at the end.

[Spencer Newharth]

The correct answer is medallion. Spell that.

[Steven Rinella]

French.

[Spencer Newharth]

M, E, D, A, L, L, I, O, N. Medallion. A medallion is something that's hockey puck shaped, similar to a filet mignon. If you took a deer's back strap and then cut it into two inch pieces. Those individual steaks would be medallions. Other wild food turn into medallions, include puffball mushrooms, tuna or lobster. Question 7. The topic is hunting. This next great question is via Hayden Randall. This hunter, who has a national park named after him in India, is most famous for targeting man eaters. Oh, Brody and Randall have an answer. This hunter, who has a national park named after him in India, is most famous for targeting man eaters. With Steve getting that last one right, he would need to get every question wrong.

[Steven Rinella]

Well, I'm starting right here.

[Spencer Newharth]

And he has a blank whiteboard.

[Steven Rinella]

How many questions are left?

[Spencer Newharth]

We have four questions left.

[Seth Morris]

You might be right.

[Spencer Newharth]

And you have a four point lead. This hunter, who has a national park named after him in India, is most famous for targeting. This is a quote, man eaters.

[Seth Morris]

See, that's what I got.

[Giannis]

Yeah, I don't. I don't think that.

[Steven Rinella]

Look, Brody.

[Seth Morris]

Yeah, no, you don't have an answer.

[Spencer Newharth]

Randall, do you have this one right?

[Giannis]

I do.

[Spencer Newharth]

Okay.

[Steven Rinella]

And that's.

[Brody]

That's the kind of question I'm after.

[Spencer Newharth]

Giannis and Brody have answers that disagree with each other.

[Seth Morris]

I think Giannis is problem.

[Giannis]

Did you listen to those telepathy tapes podcast? Are you going to. This would be a good moment that if you had telepathy, I'd say there's

[Spencer Newharth]

a 30% chance I will tune into those.

[Steven Rinella]

You could send me the message through telepathy.

[Giannis]

Well. Or if I was thinking of the right answer, you could just read my mind. That's a bummer.

[Spencer Newharth]

How long are they?

[Giannis]

I don't know. Each episode's 30, 45 minutes, maybe. I mean, just listen to the first one and just see if you can still be a. A skeptic.

[Spencer Newharth]

Okay.

[Steven Rinella]

Who it is? You just can't think of the name. Oh, yeah.

[Brody]

What's the explanation for telepathy?

[Giannis]

There is. I don't think they have come to an explanation, but she has some very impressive examples of telepathy where you're. It's. As long as it's not a complete hoax. It's very impressive.

[Spencer Newharth]

I'll listen to it, Giannis. Not because I think it's going to make me a believer. Just so I have some banter with you. You about the subject.

[Seth Morris]

That'd be good.

[Spencer Newharth]

This hunter, who has a national park named after him in India, is most famous for targeting man eaters.

[Giannis]

Oh, I can't wait for the flavor text.

[Spencer Newharth]

Is everybody ready?

[Steven Rinella]

Steve, I don't have it. I was gonna write something dumb down.

[Giannis]

Write down a what Is that dude's name?

[Spencer Newharth]

Go ahead and reveal your answers, Seth without an answer. Steve says Seton. Randall says Jim Corbett. Corey says Val Kilmer. That's right. Giannis says Corbett.

[Steven Rinella]

I like. Yeah.

[Spencer Newharth]

Brody says Capstick. The correct answer is Jim Corbett.

[Giannis]

That's what I was gonna put. Capstick.

[Steven Rinella]

But.

[Spencer Newharth]

Corbett targeted his first man eater in 1907 when he went after a Bengal tiger that supposedly killed over 400 people. The female tiger was claiming a victim once every three weeks, with its final kill being a 17 year old girl. To find the man eater, Corbett organized a Drive using 298 people that eventually flushed the after a post mortem. Corbett theorized that the tiger was wounded by a gunshot to the jaw years prior, which hindered its ability to hunt and caused it to target humans. Jim Corbett getting revenge. That's right. He went on to target all kinds of man eaters across the globe. Leopards, more tigers. Here's question eight. We'll get another scoreboard update after this. The topic is fishing. This is our listener question of the week, which was won by Aaron Cross for sending this great question. Aaron is going to get a board game signed by the crew. If you want a chance to win our listener question of the week and send your question to Trivia at the com.

[Steven Rinella]

You guys, he's vulnerable.

[Spencer Newharth]

This freshwater bottom bottom dweller, which is also known as a pleco, arrived in Florida via aquarium trade in the 1950s.

[Steven Rinella]

This is like a fish question, not fishing.

[Spencer Newharth]

And Randall answered with some confidence.

[Brody]

This is a word.

[Spencer Newharth]

If it's what it.

[Brody]

I think it is. It's a word that I'll never forget.

[Spencer Newharth]

This freshwater bottom dweller, which is also known as a pleco, arrived in Florida via aquarium trade in the 1950s. Pleco is P, L, E C O. Randall the only player with an answer. Again, Steve would need to get every question wrong and Randall and Giannis would need to get every question right for these final three. This freshwater bottom dweller, which is also known as a pleco, arrived in Florida via aquarium trade in the 1950s.

[Giannis]

I just need any aquarium bottom dweller feeder to come into my head and I'll be very happy.

[Spencer Newharth]

Randall, how confident are you that you have this one right?

[Brody]

110.

[Spencer Newharth]

Okay. The word you'll never forget is pleco. Is that what you're. You're saying?

[Brody]

No, the answer.

[Spencer Newharth]

Oh, okay. This freshwater bottom fun word, which is also known.

[Giannis]

I would not have said that if I was trying to climb up the leaderboard.

[Brody]

I don't think there Are a lot of aquarium men here?

[Spencer Newharth]

Arrived in Florida.

[Giannis]

Oh, I know that you're a fan and an aquarium.

[Spencer Newharth]

There's an aquarium in every room. It's Steve's house.

[Steven Rinella]

No, all that.

[Giannis]

It's.

[Steven Rinella]

We're done with this business. They're all gone.

[Seth Morris]

You don't have a menagerie anymore.

[Steven Rinella]

We had to get rid of all that junk.

[Giannis]

I'm getting ready to get back in

[Steven Rinella]

the fish aquarium business. No, we. It got out of control. And then we had like, a big spill. And just like,

[Spencer Newharth]

how did the spill happen? Worst case scenario?

[Steven Rinella]

Trying to remember how that.

[Spencer Newharth]

Is there a broken tank?

[Steven Rinella]

Did it take, like a pump put in the wrong way or something? It's like, it's. We hadn't put. We still haven't replaced all the, like the, you know, the carpet baseboards.

[Seth Morris]

Just, you know, how we inherited your gecko or your kids geckos. Yesterday I was walking around the house. I'm like, what's that burning plastic smell?

[Steven Rinella]

Oh, you know, the room. Put the heat.

[Seth Morris]

Put the lamp, like, too. Like, it wasn't on the metal screen. It was on the edge.

[Steven Rinella]

That was another thing is the model almost fires. The kids create by setting those lamps down on tables and stuff. And you dig downstairs, you, like, smell like, burnt. Yeah, we gotta get rid of all that junk then. One of their lizards is still at large.

[Spencer Newharth]

Maybe. You think it's still alive?

[Phil]

No.

[Giannis]

No.

[Seth Morris]

Okay.

[Giannis]

It's not at large.

[Steven Rinella]

Every time I move something, I'm like, expected to something your nose is gonna find.

[Seth Morris]

It is that large.

[Steven Rinella]

In the same way that someone who

[Brody]

went missing 70 years ago is still at large.

[Giannis]

I one time put a bunch of salamanders in the fish tank and they all got out. And I'd find them, like, throughout the year, just like, pull out something and it's back there all shriveled up again.

[Spencer Newharth]

Question 8. This is our listener question of the week via Aaron Ross. This freshwater bottom dweller, which is also known as a pleco, arrived in Florida via aquarium trade in the 1950s. Is everybody ready? Brody, do you like your answer?

[Giannis]

He just came up with something.

[Spencer Newharth]

Okay,

[Giannis]

that's a much longer word than I wrote.

[Spencer Newharth]

Go ahead and reveal your answer, Seth, without an answer or no. Seth says lg eater. Steve says arowana.

[Steven Rinella]

That's not right.

[Brody]

Randall says plecostomus.

[Spencer Newharth]

Corey without an answer. Giannis says guppy. Brody says armored catfish. The correct answer is an armored catfish or sucker mouth catfish or sail fin catfish. Now, pleco is short for their scientific name, which I'm going to look it up right now.

[Brody]

It's a plecostomus.

[Spencer Newharth]

It could be.

[Seth Morris]

Oh, come on. That's not what he meant.

[Brody]

It's a plecostomus.

[Spencer Newharth]

No, that. I mean, that's.

[Brody]

If you go into a pet store and buy one of these, it's called a plecostomus.

[Spencer Newharth]

It is a plestomus. That is what pleco is short for. So we're. Yeah, no, Brandon was the most correct.

[Steven Rinella]

Randall almost got real. That was like me with that cordwood deal, which could wind up being the something I need to revisit.

[Spencer Newharth]

Yeah. Armored catfish are native to Central and South America, but have shown up in about a dozen states, including the Carolinas, Texas, Louisiana, Nevada, California, and Hawaii. They have no natural predators here and increase shoreline erosion by burrowing into banks. Armored catfish are popular in home aquariums for algae control.

[Giannis]

And they don't also call them guppies,

[Seth Morris]

do they call them cleaner fish, too?

[Spencer Newharth]

Phil has a photo of an armored catfish for us.

[Brody]

Yeah, it's a plecosmus.

[Steven Rinella]

Yeah, we just call those algae eaters.

[Seth Morris]

You call them cleaner fish. Is that.

[Spencer Newharth]

I mean, I don't think that would be what you would specifically refer to the mad. But maybe there is in a group of cleaner fish or algae, that is.

[Brody]

Yeah, my buddy had one of those that got pretty big, and whenever we caught weird in the river, we'd just be like, that's a goddamn plecostomus.

[Spencer Newharth]

Phil, we have two questions left. Give us a scoreboard update.

[Giannis]

Well, the game is still not over.

[Phil]

Randall's doing everything he needs to do to stay in it, and Steve is also doing that. Corey, he's here. We've got seth Morris with 12 points.

[Steven Rinella]

My problem, Like, I don't think I would have known those. I don't think it's just psychological, dude. I think I didn't know.

[Spencer Newharth]

Okay.

[Phil]

Giannis and Brody have 15, and the two players. Yes. Two that are still left in the game are Randall Williams, who has pulled up with 16 points, and Steve. Is that written on his board?

[Spencer Newharth]

Here is question nine. The topic is butchering. I'm.

[Seth Morris]

I can't believe the confidence that Steve has lost. You're still winning by two because those

[Steven Rinella]

questions, I didn't even kind of know

[Spencer Newharth]

that's part of truth.

[Giannis]

There's no humunculus.

[Spencer Newharth]

No.

[Steven Rinella]

There's no, like, oh, I should.

[Brody]

They're pretty close.

[Spencer Newharth]

This next great question is via Andy Harrington. This bone, which is named after the Greek God who's portrayed carrying a sphere on his Back is the first vertebrae of the neck behind a deer's skull. Randall already has his answer. This bone, which is named after the portray carrying a sphere on his back, is the first vertebrae of the neck behind a deer's skull. Yeah.

[Brody]

Plecosus is just a fun word to say. It was probably like.

[Giannis]

Say it again.

[Brody]

Seriously, Everybody at my high school knew the word plecosmus.

[Spencer Newharth]

I'm not basically your mascot.

[Brody]

It was like one of our. It was like one of our funniest

[Steven Rinella]

words to say trap for a second.

[Giannis]

No.

[Brody]

And we just would be sitting around just placostomus.

[Spencer Newharth]

Again, question nine. Randall has his answer. He. He put it down before I finished the question. Steve with a blank whiteboard. He is panicked.

[Steven Rinella]

Yo, Corey.

[Brody]

God, this is getting weird, isn't it?

[Spencer Newharth]

Dude, I need a bone here. This bone, which is named after the Greek God who's often portrayed carrying a sphere on his back, is the first vertebrae of the neck behind a deer's skull. We have two questions left. On the line is the title of Meat Eater Trivia champion and a two thousand dollar conservation donation. We have never gone to overtime in the Meat Eater Trivia championship. If Randall can get these last two right and Steve can get them wrong,

[Giannis]

weird that will happen.

[Brody]

I'm still kicking myself about vermin.

[Steven Rinella]

I mean, I feel like my head

[Giannis]

was just to read all of these books about the gods.

[Brody]

I couldn't even get a thought in my head during the question.

[Seth Morris]

You got to be living in the future, not the past, Randall.

[Brody]

I know. Well, I also feel liberated.

[Steven Rinella]

I'm a man.

[Brody]

I'm a man with nothing to lose now.

[Spencer Newharth]

Brody, do you like your answer?

[Seth Morris]

I mean, it doesn't make a lot of sense to me, but it popped into my head.

[Spencer Newharth]

Yanni, do you like your answer?

[Giannis]

Yeah.

[Spencer Newharth]

Do you think Steve has this one right?

[Giannis]

No, no. Just judging by his posture. What? His life.

[Steven Rinella]

He's always easy breezy.

[Spencer Newharth]

Steve, are you ready?

[Steven Rinella]

Oh, I'm ready, buddy.

[Spencer Newharth]

Go ahead and reveal your answer to Seth. Without an answer, Steve says Atlas. But damn it, without no is.

[Steven Rinella]

Which got me thinking.

[Spencer Newharth]

What's it say?

[Steven Rinella]

What was Sisyphus always rolling up? Boulder.

[Seth Morris]

Yeah, that's different.

[Steven Rinella]

But who is? Because of it.

[Spencer Newharth]

But who is?

[Brody]

Damn it.

[Spencer Newharth]

Randall says Atlas. Corey Atlas. Giannis Atlas. Brody Atlas. The correct answer is Atlas.

[Steven Rinella]

So yeah, Sisyphus. He wasn't rolling the planet up the hill.

[Brody]

No, no, just a boulder.

[Spencer Newharth]

That gives Steve the victory. Really? One question left. The Atlas, which is also known as C1, is what you cut in front of to detach a deer's head from its spine. Although most think that Atlas is carrying the Earth on his back, it's actually the heavens. This is his eternal punishment from Zeus for leading the Titans against the Olympians during the ten year battle of the gods.

[Giannis]

I could swear though that I've seen statues where it is depicted as the Earth.

[Seth Morris]

Yes.

[Spencer Newharth]

That those are supposed to be.

[Giannis]

Isn't that celestial, that weightlifting competition, their trophies that right? Yeah.

[Seth Morris]

Carrying the world on your back saying or something.

[Giannis]

Brody showed me to. Instead of going right through there where you do the detachment to come in from the bottom this year. And I gotta say, it's. I haven't done enough times to say for sure if it's faster.

[Seth Morris]

Oh, it's fast.

[Giannis]

It's definitely.

[Spencer Newharth]

That was one of Brody's hot tips. I think.

[Brody]

Ye come from the bottom, huh?

[Seth Morris]

Yeah, you just follow that jawline and it takes you right to where you. There's no like digging, finding, just.

[Brody]

That's one of those things where I'm like. It's like taking the femur out of the hip socket. It's like when you get it on the first try, it just.

[Seth Morris]

And then I can do it.

[Steven Rinella]

Come in from the. Coming from the underside that we're going to do.

[Seth Morris]

Yeah.

[Steven Rinella]

A lot of people are sawing away from the top. Was he not listening when you said come in from the jaw?

[Seth Morris]

Yeah, like that.

[Steven Rinella]

Oh, yeah.

[Giannis]

What about when I said.

[Steven Rinella]

Yeah, but I was just thinking about winning. Yeah.

[Spencer Newharth]

I think the best way to do

[Steven Rinella]

it, I mean, there's not a lot of celebration from anybody else over here.

[Seth Morris]

And the great thing is if it's like a buck or a bull, you can prop that.

[Steven Rinella]

It's like one guy gave me a handshake.

[Giannis]

You know, it's like visions of grandeur over there.

[Spencer Newharth]

All right, here's the correct answer.

[Steven Rinella]

You know, it could have been a little more like

[Giannis]

let's finish the game.

[Phil]

He did.

[Spencer Newharth]

All right, here's the correct answer review so far. Number one, hoping confetti was gonna fall. Nebraska doesn't have snowshoe hares. 2 was vermin. 3, frable. 4, flocking. 5, stan crocky. 6. Medallion. 7, jim corbett. 8. Armored catfish or placostomus. 9, atlas bone. Here is question 10. The topic is conservation. This seven letter chemical is what M44 bombs spray in the face of coyotes that activate the trap. This seven letter chemical is what M44 bombs spray in the face of coyotes that activate the trap. Brody. Excuse me, Steve, do you have this one right?

[Steven Rinella]

Yeah, I got it right who cares, Snog. Emory's gonna be happy.

[Spencer Newharth]

I'm glad you won.

[Seth Morris]

I'm happy for you, man.

[Steven Rinella]

Oh, you are?

[Phil]

Yeah.

[Spencer Newharth]

Where your two thousand dollar donation goes. See this final, I wasn't gonna win.

[Seth Morris]

So, you know, why not have fun. Root for the guy.

[Spencer Newharth]

Brody, do you have this one right?

[Seth Morris]

I got a seven letter poison.

[Spencer Newharth]

Yeah, I need. You have a seven.

[Giannis]

So, yes, I'm in the same boat.

[Spencer Newharth]

This seven letter camel is what M44 bombs spray in the face of coyotes that activate the trap. Randall, do you have this one?

[Brody]

I've got a seven letter poison.

[Spencer Newharth]

Okay, Steve is now going to be the two time meat eater trivia champion. The only player.

[Seth Morris]

Imagine, just not anyone can get their hands on an M44 bomb.

[Steven Rinella]

I'm guessing no.

[Spencer Newharth]

It's outlawed in multiple states by multiple federal agencies as well.

[Phil]

Was this round intended to be so difficult?

[Steven Rinella]

Yes, Shelby, we're in. The meat eater champion.

[Giannis]

Maybe Shelby just didn't know.

[Steven Rinella]

Yeah. Oh yeah. Were you thinking I'm gonna make a real doozy?

[Spencer Newharth]

No, I just want to, you know, keep it very core to the meat eater. Four pillars. Hunting, fishing, conservation, cooking. Everybody ready? Go ahead and reveal your answer, Seth. Without an answer, Steve says cyanide. Oh God. Randall falters even more arsenic. Corey says strict nine. Giannis. Cyanide. Brody? Cyanide. The correct answer is cyanide. Of course it is.

[Steven Rinella]

Randall's comeback was just fizzled.

[Phil]

Well, this.

[Brody]

I thought about leaving that blank as a statement.

[Steven Rinella]

Come back, create the final scoreboard up

[Spencer Newharth]

there just to let me give you some flavor. Text first, M40.

[Steven Rinella]

Pay attention.

[Spencer Newharth]

M44 bombs are spring loaded spikes that are driven into the ground. They have a plunger at the top which is baited with scents that coyotes find attractive. When a coyote pulls the plunger, a cloud of cyanide explodes in their face and kills them shortly thereafter. But these traps are highly controversial and have been banned by several state and Federal Agencies. In 2017, a 14 year old in Idaho came across one that he thought was a sprinkler head. He accidentally triggered it, which temporarily blinded him and killed his dog. And there is a diagram showing you how these traps work. If you ever come across one on some public lands in the west, don't go messing with it. Art. Phil, give us a final scoreboard update after 30 questions to determine the meat eater trivia champion.

[Phil]

Final scores for this year are Corey Ckins with eight points, Seth Morris has 12, all tied up with 17 points a piece for Giannis, Brody and Randall. And with a three point lead and 20 points. Stephen Rinella is the winner.

[Steven Rinella]

Congrats.

[Spencer Newharth]

Steve Dominic didn't even need to argue his way.

[Steven Rinella]

Just a runaway victory.

[Spencer Newharth]

What force $2,000. Steve, you know, do with that $2,000.

[Steven Rinella]

I knew that I wanted to play a strong game. I knew I wanted to get ahead early and maintain that win.

[Spencer Newharth]

Yep.

[Steven Rinella]

You know, this isn't a team sport.

[Giannis]

Maintain the lead.

[Steven Rinella]

So you maintain that lead. It's not a team sport.

[Spencer Newharth]

Right.

[Steven Rinella]

You know, mano a mano.

[Spencer Newharth]

Very lonely out there.

[Brody]

Mano e mano. Emano e mano a mano. Yeah, technically.

[Steven Rinella]

So I can't thank the team.

[Giannis]

You know, who do you think? Steve?

[Steven Rinella]

I'll dedicate this to my wife.

[Spencer Newharth]

Wow. This might change the dynamic at home now after having the argument that led to you going to watch the Olympics fix the other night.

[Steven Rinella]

She was there. You know what?

[Giannis]

I actually. I actually like those fleas.

[Spencer Newharth]

$2,000 that Steve is dedicating to his wife. Where would she like that money to go?

[Steven Rinella]

Can I split it?

[Spencer Newharth]

Sure. Yeah. You can split it four ways.

[Steven Rinella]

I would like. No, no, I just want to split it two ways. I would like to split it between the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.

[Spencer Newharth]

Okay.

[Steven Rinella]

Where I'm a board member. And I would like to put. Send the other half where I recently joined the board of Sharing the Land.

[Spencer Newharth]

Doug will love that.

[Steven Rinella]

Doug made a board. Doug is getting official. Doug has established a board.

[Spencer Newharth]

Right.

[Steven Rinella]

I am on that. That inaugural board. And so I'd like half my jingle to go there.

[Spencer Newharth]

$1,000 to TRCP. $1,000 to sharing the Land.

[Steven Rinella]

And Sharing the Land, of course. An organization that pairs landowners with access seekers where the access seekers have an opportunity to do habitat work on that land as payment for hunting, fishing, permission.

[Giannis]

They so badly need the land owners more of them.

[Steven Rinella]

So that that's what needs to be tackled.

[Spencer Newharth]

Stan Cronkey should get you a hold of Doug.

[Steven Rinella]

Yeah, yeah. Obviously you got a lot. There's a lot of access seekers. What we need to. What will. A thing that the organization will have to tackle is finding landowners who have conservation projects. Putting in stream crossings, invasives work. Planting willows along streams, tearing up old fence that doesn't serve any purpose anymore. Thinning, burning, burning.

[Spencer Newharth]

1000 habitat work.

[Steven Rinella]

Putting in. Putting in wood, duck nesting boxes, whatever.

[Spencer Newharth]

$1,000 going to TRCP. $1,000 going to Sharing the Land.

[Giannis]

Fix and fence.

[Spencer Newharth]

Steve. First. First person to claim two meat eater championships. That's right. Poor Randall and Brody only have one good job, Steve.

[Giannis]

I don't think I'm Yeah, poor them.

[Spencer Newharth]

Yeah, we'll see if Steve, we'll see Steve again in a year when he joins us for the next the fifth.

[Steven Rinella]

I'm excited about it.

[Spencer Newharth]

All right. Join us next week for more Meat Eater Trivia, the only game show where conservation always wins. Congratulations.

[Giannis]

Thanks, Spencer.

[Brody]

Thanks, Spencer.

[Seth Morris]

Yeah, Spencer from South Dakota.

[Steven Rinella]

He's the host. Using those smooth, mellow tones, he lays them questions down. And he likes taking those two and

[Seth Morris]

three year old bucks. And he's an avid amateur rockhound.

[Giannis]

Welcome to Meat Eaters 12 and 26, presented by Multri Mobile and OnX Maps, 12 of Meat Eater's biggest and baddest hunts from the last year released throughout 2026. These are long form episodes so you get more of what you love. The first one up is my Baited Bear Hunt in Manitoba. If you've ever wondered what a baited bear hunt is like, you'll love this episode. My favorite part was watching a younger bear spend an hour trying to figure out how to get a creatively hung beaver carcass down from a tree. Check it out now on Meat Eater's YouTube channel and be on the lookout for more 12 and 26 in the coming months.

[Steven Rinella]

This is an I heart podcast. Guaranteed human.