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Ep. 907: Yellowstone Wolf (Mis)Management, Betting on Wildfires, and Bears Ear

The MeatEater Podcast

Hosted by Steven Rinella

1h 51m
Transcript

Original podcast

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

  1. 0:00
    Podcast Intro and Host Greeting

    The episode opens with the host welcoming listeners and setting the stage for the discussion.

  2. 1:41
    Wildlife News Segment Begins

    Host Steven Rinella launches the main news segment, previewing stories about Yellowstone wolves, policy changes, and wildlife management issues.

  3. 18:38
    Wildlife 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.

  4. 25:23
    Bison 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.

  5. 39:37
    Endangered 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.

  6. 50:32
    Closing 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.

  7. 53:37
    Daylight Savings Time Origins and Current Debate

    Explores the historical roots of DST, its evolution, and the modern push for permanent daylight saving time.

  8. 55:00
    Impact of Permanent DST on Hunters and Livestock

    Analyzes how permanent DST would affect hunting schedules, energy use, and rancher routines across different time zones.

  9. 1:00:00
    Colorado 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.

  10. 1:10:00
    Wolf 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.

  11. 1:20:00
    Wildfire 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.

  12. 1:26:40
    Wrap‑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.

  13. 1:45:07
    Wildfire Prediction Markets and Headwinds

    The host discusses the challenges of wildfire prevention and the rise of prediction markets for fire outcomes.

  14. 1:46:55
    Gambling 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.

  15. 1:50:35
    Bears' 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

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
  • 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

0:00
1:51:09

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