The MeatEater Podcast – Ep. 843: Game On, Suckers! MeatEater Trivia CCVI

Date: March 4, 2026
Host: Brody Henderson (guest hosting for Steven Rinella)
Participants: Giannis Patelis, Spencer Newhor, Randall Williams, Alyssa Smith, Seth Morris, Corey Calkins

Episode Theme:

Nature Meets Game Show: A Trivia Throwdown with Conservation at the Heart

The heart and humor of the MeatEater Podcast shine in this lively trivia contest, where outdoor expertise, conservation curiosity, and a bit of competitive banter drive the show. Each correct answer turns knowledge into action, with a $500 donation to a conservation charity chosen by the winner.
This episode features a crew of familiar MeatEater voices tackling brain-teasers across hunting, fishing, conservation, ecology, cooking, and more. It’s smart, irreverent, and full of the camaraderie fans expect.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Kicking Off the Trivia (01:23–06:39)

• Host Introduction & Format:
  • Brody Henderson guest-hosts a 10-question, multi-category trivia game.
  • The group jokes about past sales of gear (rifles, bear rugs) on potential classifieds segments for the show.
• Showmanship & Banter:
  • Immediate playful ribbing sets the tone.
  • “This is the only game show where conservation wins.”
    — Brody Henderson (01:54)
• Trivia Stats:
  • Brody shares that when he guest-hosts, the average correct answers per person drop (04:14–04:51).

2. Early Rounds: Conservation & Ecology (06:39–13:06)

Question 1: Most Fish and Game Wardens (07:00–08:20)

• Q: Which state employs the most fish and game wardens?
• A: Florida (Approx. 700–800 officers, more than Texas or Pennsylvania).

Question 2: Alpine Tundra States East of the Mississippi (09:32–12:12)

• Q: Name two of the only four states east of the Mississippi with alpine tundra.
• A: New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine.
• Insight: These rare ecosystems are remnants of the last ice age, typically only found above 4,000 feet, now under significant pressure.
• Quote:
  “These fragile sky island ecosystems are remnants of the last ice age… shrinking, not doing well. So they need to preserve it.”
  — Brody Henderson (13:06)
• Memorable Banter:
  Spencer admits his answer was almost Minnesota, with fact-checking tension from others (11:25–11:40).

3. Wildlife & Field Skills (13:06–19:37)

Question 3: Grouse Breeding Grounds (14:02–15:24)

• Q: What are sage and sharp-tail grouse mating areas called?
• A: Lek (“from the Swedish word for child’s play/game”).

Question 4: Fly Fishing Hack (16:07–19:12)

• Q: What pantry item prevents rod guides from icing?
• A: Pam cooking spray.
• Discussion:
  Chapstick and Crisco are debated, but Pam is cited as the standard.
• Quote:
  “Fly fishermen use… Pam cooking spray primarily as an anti-icing agent…”
  — Brody Henderson (19:12)

Question 5: Tarpon Behavior (20:04–22:13)

• Q: What’s the two-word term for tarpon’s circular pre-spawn swimming?
• A: Daisy chain.
• Trivia Context:
  The answer stumps many—emphasizing how often niche field experiences yield trivia gold.

4. Halftime Standings & Field Stories (22:24–24:27)

• Scoreboard at Half (22:28):
  • Giannis & Randall: 3
  • Seth, Spencer, Alyssa: 2
  • Corey: 0
• Field Tales:
  Spencer describes upcoming tarpon flats fishing, noting most people “don’t eat tarpon” and they were once used for cat food (24:11).

5. Deeper Knowledge: Conservation, Ducks, Evolution (26:07–34:36)

Question 6: CWD “Endemic Zone” (26:07–29:30)

• Q: Seven-letter word for the area where chronic wasting disease was first documented?
• A: Endemic.
• Educational Dive:
  Brody provides a mini-history of CWD origins (29:00).

Question 7: Gray Duck ID (29:31–31:32)

• Q: Dabbler duck aka “gray duck”?
• A: Gadwall.
• Fun Fact:
  Gadwalls are “pirates of the lakes,” known for stealing food from other ducks.

Question 8: Pronghorn’s Closest African Relative (32:30–34:36)

• Q: Closest living African relative to the pronghorn?
• A: Giraffe.
• Quote:
  “Giraffe, brother. Pronghorns are the last remaining member of the family Antilocapridae, with their closest living relatives being giraffes.”
  — Brody Henderson (34:40)

6. Machines, Records, & Endgame (35:01–46:48)

Question 9: Legendary Bush Plane Manufacturer (35:48–39:22)

• Q: Who made the Beaver and Otter float planes?
• A: de Havilland Aircraft Company.
• Discussion:
  Participants share stories of riding these legendary northern bush planes, noting the mix of classic controls and modern tech (38:28–39:28).

Question 10: World Record Smallmouth Bass States (42:07–45:27)

• Q: Which two states claim the world record smallmouth?
• A: Tennessee and Kentucky (Dale Hollow Lake, 11lb 15oz, caught 1955).
• Scandal:
  The original catch was contested with allegations of added weights, later dismissed, so both states get bragging rights (45:27–46:23).

7. Highlights, Quotes & Moments of Note

• On the Difficulty of Guest Hosts:
  “It’s probably going to be hard. So just, like, bite the bullet and suck it up.”
  — Brody Henderson (04:50)
• Grouse Mating Grounds:
  “Lek is the correct answer…which refers to child’s play or a game.”
  — Brody Henderson (15:24)
• Wild Disbelief:
  “Giraffe, brother…that’s a wild animal.”
  — Randall Williams (34:31–34:32)
• Unique Fact:
  “Gadwall…the pirate of the lakes, derived from their behavior of stealing food from other birds.”
  — Brody Henderson (31:32)

8. Closing & Winner Announcement (46:48–48:15)

• Randall Williams clinches the win with 7 out of 10, donating $500 to Coastal Conservation Association:
  • “Let’s send this money to the Coastal Conservation Association…a group that works on fisheries issues, I believe specifically in the Gulf.”
    — Randall Williams (47:12)
  • Randall’s victory speech is tinged with humility, noting it’s been a long time since he won a round (47:47–48:15).

9. Bonus Tiebreak — Mount Marcy, NY Elevation (48:17–49:57)

• Fun Finale:
  The crew humorously fakes a tiebreak.
  • Mount Marcy’s elevation: 5,344 feet (Randall gets closest).

Top Memorable Quotes

• “This is the only game show where conservation wins.” — Brody Henderson (01:54)
• “Mount Marcy…Randall might be running away.” — Giannis Patelis, ribbing Randall on his knowledge (34:36)
• “I’ve drowned and then settled into the bottom of the lake, and sediment has landed on top of me…Very close to fossilization.” — Randall Williams, on his long trivia dry spell (48:00)
• “Lek is the correct answer. The term comes from the Swedish word lek…child’s play or a game.” (15:24)
• “Gadwall…pirate of the lakes, derived from their behavior of stealing food from other birds.” (31:32)
• “Giraffe, brother…pronghorn’s closest living relatives are giraffes.” (34:40)

Scoreboard Recap

| Participant | Correct Answers | |---------------------|----------------| | Randall Williams | 7 | | Seth Morris | 5 | | Giannis Patelis | 4 | | Spencer Newhor | 3 | | Alyssa Smith | 2 | | Corey Calkins | 0 |

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:23 – Show/Trivia format intro, roster, banter
• 07:00 – Q1: Most Fish/Game Wardens
• 09:32 – Q2: Alpine Tundra States
• 14:02 – Q3: Grouse Lek
• 16:07 – Q4: Pam for frozen guides
• 20:04 – Q5: Daisy Chain tarpon
• 26:07 – Q6: CWD Endemic Zone
• 29:31 – Q7: Gray Duck = Gadwall
• 32:30 – Q8: Pronghorn Relative
• 35:48 – Q9: Beaver & Otter Bush Planes
• 42:07 – Q10: Smallmouth Bass Record States
• 46:48 – Winner announced, charity chosen

Tone & Final Thoughts

The banter is playful, competitive, and sometimes self-deprecating. Participants poke fun, share trivia-adjacent field stories, and remind listeners that—win or lose—having deep, sometimes arcane knowledge of the outdoors is its own reward. Randall gets a triumphant return to the winner’s circle, and conservation wins again.

For fans of trivia, conservation, and smart outdoor talk, this episode delivers a fun, fact-packed ride.