Ep. 907: Yellowstone Wolf (Mis)Management, Betting on Wildfires, and Bears Ear
Hosted by Steven Rinella
- 1h 51m
- Transcript
Summary
Written by a model from the transcript; not yet reviewed.
Steven Rinella and the team discuss news from the outdoors, starting with the release of the Bear Grease bibs after years of workplace drama. The crew covers a viral video of a 65-year-old man thrown eight feet in the air by a bison in Yellowstone, examining historical fatalities and human behavior in the park. The episode then dives into recent policy changes, including the Trump administration altering the definition of harm under the Endangered Species Act by removing habitat destruction, permanent daylight savings time proposals and their impact on hunters, Colorado rejecting a fur ban while imposing strict daily bag limits on furbearers, and a wandering Yellowstone wolf pack leaving the park. Finally, the show examines the controversial rise of betting on natural disasters like wildfires on prediction markets.
- Wear a sleeping pad in the shower during a norovirus recovery if you need extra comfort during long soak cycles. 8:02
- Check local conservation commission updates on daily bag limits for furbearers to ensure compliance with sudden regulatory changes. 1:16:57
- Understand that shifting to permanent daylight savings time increases afternoon hunting visibility at the expense of dark morning commutes. 1:04:56
- Recognize that individual animal tracking in wildlife management often overlooks the broader ecological health of the habitat tree. 1:36:20
Chapters
- 0:00Podcast Intro and Host Greeting
The episode opens with the host welcoming listeners and setting the stage for the discussion.
- 1:41Wildlife News Segment Begins
Host Steven Rinella launches the main news segment, previewing stories about Yellowstone wolves, policy changes, and wildlife management issues.
- 18:38Wildlife Management and Compensation Programs
Discussion of Wisconsin wolf depredation payments, the role of hunters, and how federal and state funding mechanisms differ for wildlife protection.
- 25:23Bison Attack Video Discussion
The hosts analyze a viral video of an elderly man attacked by a bison in Yellowstone, exploring safety guidelines and historical context of bison incidents.
- 39:37Endangered Species Act Rule Change
A detailed explanation of the Trump administration's new rule rescinding the definition of “harm” under the ESA, its legal implications, and potential Supreme Court challenges.
- 50:32Closing Remarks and Final Thoughts
The episode concludes with reflections on wildlife policy, the importance of habitat protection, and a brief recap of key points discussed.
- 53:37Daylight Savings Time Origins and Current Debate
Explores the historical roots of DST, its evolution, and the modern push for permanent daylight saving time.
- 55:00Impact of Permanent DST on Hunters and Livestock
Analyzes how permanent DST would affect hunting schedules, energy use, and rancher routines across different time zones.
- 1:00:00Colorado Fur Regulations and Trapping Limits
Details Colorado's new daily bag limits for fur species, the political context, and the implications for trappers and hunters.
- 1:10:00Wolf Management in Yellowstone and Shoshone National Forest
Examines the movement of Molly's Pack, conflicts with cattle grazing, and the debate over hunting quotas and park jurisdiction.
- 1:20:00Wildfire Prediction Markets and Perverse Incentives
Discusses the rise of betting markets on wildfires, the ethical concerns, and the potential for financial incentives to influence fire behavior.
- 1:26:40Wrap‑Up and Final Thoughts on Wildlife Policy
Concludes with reflections on wildlife management challenges, the role of public opinion, and the future of hunting and conservation.
- 1:45:07Wildfire Prediction Markets and Headwinds
The host discusses the challenges of wildfire prevention and the rise of prediction markets for fire outcomes.
- 1:46:55Gambling on Streaking and Legal Implications
The conversation turns to a Super Bowl streaker who bet on his own streak, raising questions about regulation and legality.
- 1:50:35Bears' Ears Monument and Political Back-and-Forth
The hosts explain the history of the Bears' Ears monument, its recent reductions, and the ongoing political tug-of-war.
Highlights
- 3:21
Bear Grease Bibs Workplace Dramastory
The team celebrates the release of the Bear Grease bibs after seven years of intense development and household arguments over perfection.
- 11:43
Teddy Roosevelt Nickname Debateinsight
A listener correction points out that Theodore Roosevelt did not appreciate being called Teddy, sparking a discussion on the interestometer.
- 31:45
Historical Yellowstone Bison Fatalitiesdata
Looking back at the book Death in Yellowstone, Rinella notes there have only been two recorded bison-related fatalities in the park's history.
- 39:37
Redefining Harm Under the ESAinsight
The administration issues a rule rescinding the definition of harm under the Endangered Species Act to exclude habitat destruction.
- 1:08:27
Deer Vehicle Collisions Statisticsdata
A study shows that year-round daylight savings time could prevent over 36,000 deer-vehicle collisions and save millions in annual costs.
- 1:16:57
Colorado Furbearer Daily Bag Limitsstrategy
The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission rejects a fur ban but institutes a strict two-animal daily bag limit on 17 furbearer species.
- 1:41:41
Betting on Wildfires and Disastersinsight
Prediction markets like Polymarket now allow users to gamble millions of dollars on the progression and outcomes of natural disasters like wildfires.
Quotes
“In the nineteen eighties, Yellowstone averaged six bison related injuries per year. In nineteen eighty three alone, there were eleven injuries.”
Steven Rinella · 34:59 “The money for wolf depredation payments comes from Wisconsin's Bureau of Natural Heritage and Conservation.”
Steven Rinella · 19:03 “Daylight savings time, permanent daylight savings time, means one hunter's legal shooting light comes at 7:05 a.m. and another's at 9:12 in the same time zone, in this case, Central Time.”
Steven Rinella · 54:29 “The first official adoption is 1916 in Germany, which was an effort to conserve coal for the World War I war effort.”
Steven Rinella · 57:13 “Year round DST would prevent approximately 36,550 deer deaths, 33 human deaths, 2,054 injuries and 1.2 billion dollars in costs annually.”
Steven Rinella · 1:08:40 “And now there's a financial incentive for someone to go out and perhaps leave a campfire smoldering.”
Steven Rinella · 1:42:38 “I mean, the, the, like, there's proposed legislation right now that prohibits betting related to terrorism, assassinations, wars, crimes.”
Steven Rinella · 1:44:15 “Just a weird, we have enough headwinds in terms of wildfire prevention and fighting in this country.”
Steven Rinella · 1:45:07 “If you're, if you're that passionate about streaking and you've fully committed to doing it, it would be silly to leave that money on the table.”
Steven Rinella · 1:48:16
Sponsored segments
- Granger 0:00–0:56
- OnDeck 1:12:44–1:13:05
- Lincoln Rejuvenate 1:13:17–1:13:32
- OnDeck 1:39:51–1:40:12
- Lincoln Rejuvenate 1:40:24–1:40:41
- bet365 1:58:54–2:00:07
About this episode
Steven Rinella https://www.instagram.com/stevenrinella/?hl=en and the MeatEater crew discuss: Monumental changes to Bears Ears, Wildfires on prediction markets, CO ain’t your trapping friend, Permanent Daylight Savings hunting, changes to the Endangered Species Act, and more! Connect with Steve https://www.themeateater.com/authors/steven-rinella and The MeatEater Podcast Network https://www.youtube.com/@MeatEaterPodcastNetwork Steve on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/stevenrinella and Twitter https://twitter.com/stevenrinella?lang=en MeatEater on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/meateater, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/StevenRinellaMeatEater/, Twitter https://twitter.com/MeatEaterTV?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor, and YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@MeatEaterPodcastNetwork See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcript
20,630 words · 6 speakers
Speaker names marked are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.
Topics
- Colorado
- Endangered Species Act
- Lincoln
- Nashville
- North Dakota
- Dope Smoker
- Yellowstone National Park
- Wyoming
- Super Bowl
- Shoshone National Forest
Page updated · transcript and summary are machine-generated