#237 Steven Rinella - Founder of MeatEater

Steven Rinella shares captivating accounts of his South American hunting adventures and close encounters with North American wildlife, demonstrating the need for cultural respect and caution when interacting with nature.

Rinella's Hunting and Outdoor Experiences With South American Indigenous Groups, Including Eating Monkey Meat

Rinella Hesitated to Try Monkey Meat but Did So to Respect Cultural Practices

Rinella had life-changing hunting experiences in South America with indigenous groups, including the Makushi, Wapashaun tribes in Guyana, and the Chimane in Bolivia. He learned new techniques and respected local practices, such as using modified shotguns for night hunting. Rinella shared how he witnessed the hunting of a red howler monkey and its baby, and although eating monkey meat was challenging for him, he did so out of respect for the cultural practices, understanding the importance of respecting the context in which monkey meat was consumed. Despite the initial hesitation, he would eat monkey meat again due to the pleasure of spending time with the indigenous people.

Close Encounters With Bears and Dangerous Wildlife While Hunting Demand Respect and Caution

Bear Encounters: Rinella Highlights Unpredictable Charges and Danger

Rinella recounts a variety of bear encounters that underline the unpredictability and potential danger of these animals. He encountered both black and grizzly bears in situations that demand quick thinking and respect for the animals' power. One morning, he woke to find a black bear where a bull elk had been just hours before, and another time he unintentionally approached a sow grizzly with cubs. Rinella's awe for grizzly bears is evident, despite acknowledging their fearsome nature. His experiences demonstrate the delicate balance required to navigate the wilderness, especially wh ...

Rinella on Hunting's Shift From Subsistence to Commercial Threat

Steven Rinella discusses the transformation of hunting in America, from the sustenance practices of the first Siberian immigrants and Native Americans to the commercial hunting that became a threat to wildlife.

Rinella on Boone and Crockett's Market Hunting and Wildlife Decimation

Rinella illustrates the shift from subsistence to commercial hunting by discussing historical figures like Daniel Boone, who transitioned from utilizing resources for survival to recognizing the financial benefits of hunting for deer skins. This practice led to the commercial exploitation of wildlife and the decimation of species in various areas, contributing to what Rinella refers to as the "de-wilding of America." The extensive hunting by figures like Boone and Davy Crockett played a role in the market-driven overhunting that necessitated a change in wildlife management.

Roosevelt-Led Shift to Conservation and Hunting Regulation In Late 19th To Early 20th Century

Significant regulation changes occurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, marking a shift toward wildlife conservation and management.

Rinella on Boone and Crockett Club's Role in Wildlife Management Systems

The Boone and Crockett Club, ironically named after market hunters, and first presided over by Theodore Roosevelt, played a crucial role in ending wildlife markets, which had contributed to the overharvesting of wildlife. Roosevelt, an instrumental figure in the American conservation movement, introduced measures like banning the sale of wild meat in cities and supporting the Lacey Act, which curtailed market hunting by making it federally illegal to transport hunted animals across state lines after breaking state wildlife law ...

Steve Rinella, a multifaceted outdoorsman and entrepreneur, has developed a variety of media and product ventures under the Meat Eater Inc. umbrella, aiming to educate and inspire ethical hunting, fishing, and outdoor living.

Rinella Founded Meat Eater, Producing Tv Shows, Podcasts, Books, and Outdoor Gear on Ethical Hunting, Fishing, and Outdoor Lifestyles

Rinella is known as the founder of Meat Eater Inc., creating content that spans TV, podcasts, digital media, and print about hunting, fishing, and the outdoors. He is the host of the Meat Eater TV series on Netflix and the Meat Eater podcast, the top outdoors podcast and a top 10 sports podcast in America. As an author, he has published 10 books and three audiobooks that cover a vast range of topics, including "The American Buffalo: In Search of a Lost Icon" and "The Meat Eater Fish and Game Cookbook."

Rinella Details the Origins of Meat Eater, Inspired by His Early Readings on Predators

In conversation with Shawn Ryan, Rinella shares how Meat Eater was conceived. Initially a magazine writer, he transitioned to books and TV, having a brief stint on the Travel Channel before partnering with Zero Point Zero to produce "Meat Eater." The inspiration for the name came from stories about predators he read to his child. Rinella retains intellectual property rights over the show, which has expanded into a broader brand, including podcasts, guidebooks, and other media projects like cookbooks and an American history series.

Meat Eater Inc. has grown to include gear companies like First Light and has acquired apparel companies, and American-made accessories, game calls, and decoys, with the original founders still actively involved.

Rinella Explores Impacts of Commercial Hunting in American History Series Through Meat Eater

Rinella's involvement in Meat Eater is primarily in media. He is working on an American history series that examines the impact of commercial hunting on various wildlife populations throughout U.S. history.

Key Eras and Industries: Deer Skin, Beaver Pelt, Buffalo Hide Hunting and Near-Extinction

He plans to cover several key eras and industries, discussing the depletion of wildlife due to commercial hunting. Rinella touched on the displacement after the Civil ...

Rinella, while juggling travel, work, and family commitments, finds ways to enrich his family life through his passions for hunting, fishing, and nature exploration.

Rinella Balances Travel, Work, and Family Commitments

Strategies to Keep Rinella Engaged In Family Life

Rinella discusses the challenge of balancing his business with family life, likening it to having an angel and devil on his shoulders—reflecting the tension between work and family commitments. Despite missing significant parts of his children’s lives due to work and travel, he cherishes impactful times such as intensely immersing himself with his family at their fish shack for two weeks. Cooking for his family when he's home and taking on tasks like calling them to dinner are ways Rinella remains "all in" during his time at home. Additionally, Rinella and his wife have embraced a policy of not dramatizing his departures and arrivals, facilitating smoother transitions into family life.

Rinella Engages His Kids In Hunting, Fishing, and Nature Exploration

Rinella actively mentors his children, introducing them to hunting at the age of 10 and guiding them through specific hunts like youth waterfowl and deer seasons. While he hopes his children carry these experiences throughout their lives, he acknowledges their interests may evolve. His children's familiarity with the source of their food, such as knowing the deer they are eating, speaks to their deep involvement with nature.

Rinella shares how his family’s diet is steeped in their lifestyle, with wild meat exclusively on their table—a testimony to the importance of engaging with nature. He speaks of taking his children on outdoor adventures, like fishing in a creek and understanding the imp ...

Steven Rinella discusses various aspects of wildlife management, conservation, and public lands, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach to managing eco-systems and preserving public resources.

Rinella On Managing Wolves and Grizzlies: Advocating Balanced Recognition of Their Ecological Importance

Steven Rinella stresses the need for realistic management of large predators such as wolves and grizzly bears. He argues against eradication, suggesting that these animals should be removed from Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections and managed sustainably. Rinella highlights that both wolves and grizzlies have exceeded recovery targets for breeding pairs and distribution in some areas over 20 years ago and advocates for managing them as game animals. He states that the perception of human risk from predators is exaggerated, and populations of wolves in areas such as the upper Great Lakes need to be managed by hunting to maintain ecological balance.

Rinella Cites Challenges From Invasive Species and Non-native Plants Impacting Ecosystems and Wildlife Habitats

Discussing invasive species, Rinella points to feral horse populations in the arid West, which compete with native wildlife for habitats and are managed via legislation that increases the use of contraception. He acknowledges that non-lethal methods such as this may seem more palatable to the public than hunting. Rinella asserts that non-native plants pose a greater threat to hunting in America than non-native wildlife, citing examples like Asiatic carp disrupting game fish populations and zebra mussels affecting the Great Lakes. He outlines how invasive plants are transforming ecosystems, creating environments inhospitable to native wildlife. He emphasizes the severity of noxious weeds such as leafy spurge and Canadian thistle, which are a current and future problem for native species.

Rinella on Public Lands: Balancing Access and Stewardship for all Americans

Rinella's dialogue then transitions to the discussion of public lands, elucidating that attempts to sell these lands often encounter strong resistance from outdoor enthusiasts, hunters, and conservationists who view them as valuable national resources. He touches on the cyclical nature of debates around the ownership of federal public land, acknowledging perspectives that view these lands as an enormous gift that supports various recreational activities. However, he also notes contrasting views that perceive public lands as lost potential revenue, since development on such lands is limited.

Rinella mentions the political aspect of this issue, drawing attention to Utah's delegation with anti-public land sentiment and their push to sell three million acres of p ...