Bear Grease
219 episodes - English - Latest episode: 17 days ago - ★★★★★ - 6.7K ratingsThe Bear Grease Podcast with host Clay Newcomb delivers compelling storytelling through documentary-style episodes exploring the culture, traditions, and history of rural America. He’ll dive in deep with hunters, biologists, anthropologists, and hillbillies to learn about human nature and our ancient connection to the land. Bear Grease explores unique people, topics, and stories that reveal the incredible value of life lived close to the land. Part of the MeatEater Podcast Network.
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Episodes
Ep. 18: Daniel Boone - American Woodsman (Part 3)
September 08, 2021 10:00 - 1 hour - 69.8 MBThis is part three and our final episode in our series on Daniel Boone. On this episode, we'll go in depth about his life from when he was 35 years old to his death at age 86. We’ll again interview acclaimed writers Steve Rinella and Robert Morgan about Boone’s impact on American identity and culture. We’ll explore the highlights of Boone’s life including the rescue of his daughter, rumors of his wife’s unfaithfulness, his stint as a Virginia legislature, and the controversy around where Boo...
Ep. 17: Bear Grease [Render] - White Panthers, Black Roosters, and Danny-Boy Boone
September 01, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 71.7 MBOn this episode of the [Render], Gary Newcomb is back. He tells us how to not get canceled and waxes about Clay's fairly average story telling ability. Clay reveals his mother is upset with him because of his reaction to podcast feedback. Misty and Josh cover a famous song about the Cumberland Gap. The crew has an enlightening discussion on the second Daniel Boone podcast. It's action packed and fun, as usual. Connect with Clay and MeatEater Clay on Instagram MeatEater on Instagram, Faceb...
Ep. 16: Daniel Boone - The Legend of Cumberland Gap (Part 2)
August 25, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 73.7 MBWe're on to part two of our series on the incredible life of the American backwoodsman, Daniel Boone. We’re going to dive deep into a topographic feature in the Appalachian Mountains that was a major player in the identity of Daniel Boone and America – we’re talking about the Cumberland Gap. We’ll interview two New York Times best-selling authors and Boone experts - Steven Rinella and Robert Morgan, we’ll nerd out with a geologist, we’ll talk about the potential of historical revision of Boo...
Ep 15: Bear Grease [Render] - Mule Kicked, Scandals and Boone Mythology
August 18, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 74.4 MBOn the episode of the Bear Grease [Render], Clay and the gang discuss an array of riveting topics including getting ninja kicked by a mule. They discuss how Clay got it wrong on the game warden story, and Kolby Morehead of Bear Hunting Magazine squeezes in a legitimate "bears, beets and Battle Star Galactica" reference. The guys are joined by writer Seth Haines, who was also a guest on the first episode of the Daniel Boone series. They discuss the tension created by Boone potentially having ...
Ep. 14: Daniel Boone - Foundations of an American Archetype (Part 1)
August 11, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 57.8 MBOn this episode of the Bear Grease Podcast, we’ll be exploring a story as American as cornbread and black-eyed peas, we’re talking about one of America’s first heroes--Daniel Boone. We’ll sift through the myth and truth and discuss why the heck we’re still talking about him 200 years after his death. We’ll learn about the mechanism of archetypes, and Clay Newcomb will interview two New York Times best-selling authors Robert Morgan and Steven Rinella about their fascination with Boone. We'll ...
Ep. 13: Bear Grease [Render] - Cobras, Bulldozers, and Immortal Roosters
August 04, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 67.4 MBOn this episode of the Bear Grease [Render], the crew starts out with a discussion on Clay's recent brush with the intoxicating power of a D6 Caterpillar bulldozer. They'll jump into a wild story of the Newcomb's near immortal rooster, which comes with a song. Finally, they discuss the "Snake Bit" episode and all the wild stories on the podcast. The crew learned a lot from Dr. Chris Jenkins of the Snake Talk Podcast, were shocked by Fred Lally's life, and were deeply impacted by Lisa Damron'...
Ep. 12: Snake Bit - The Original Fear
July 28, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 64.8 MBWhether you like it or not, snakes are a unique part of the human experience. We've had an unusual fear of them since humans started recording their lives in ways we can now study. In this episode, we'll talk with a man who's been bit so many times by venomous snakes he's lost count. We'll dive in deep with a Dr. Chris Jenkins of the Orianne Society trying to understand Timber Rattlesnake biology -- he calls them America's snake. He also tells us what to do if you get bit by a snake. We'll e...
Ep. 11: Bear Grease [Render] - Moonshiners and the Land Bridge
July 21, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 55.6 MBOn this episode of the Bear Grease [Render], we'll talk about an alarming influx of black panther evidence from listeners, and introduce a new hashtag: #landbridge. You'll hear about Brent's family "borrowing" raccoon hounds, and we'll introduce a new character into the Render who's a Navy pilot who once stiff-armed Clay on a podcast partnership. Mainly, you'll hear the guys discuss episode 9 of the Bear Grease Podcast called "Moonshine, NASCAR and Bear Hunting." The episode is high energy a...
Ep. 10: Moonshine, NASCAR, and Bear Hunting (Appalachian Culture, Part 2)
July 14, 2021 09:00 - 57 minutes - 52.9 MBOn this episode, Clay continues to explore southern Appalachian culture. He interviews Roy Clark about his bear hunting and Plott hounds. You’ll hear both laughter and tears. Then we dive in with Dr. Daniel Pierce to learn about the complex history of moonshine, prohibition, and it’s interesting connection to NASCAR. Lastly, we explore with a curious eye the snake handling churches of Appalachia. We’re not making heroes or villains, we’re just telling an American story. Learn more about y...
Ep. 9: Bear Grease [Render] - Ol' Slew Foot
July 07, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 59.2 MBOn this episode of the Bear Grease [Render], Clay Newcomb is joined by the regular crew, minus Gary Newcomb -- however, the empty chair is filled by his wife Misty and her banjo. The crew has fun by playing some live music including a cow bell and bear baculum. They talk about Clay's inaccurate pronunciation of the word "pronunciation" and have a conversation about acorn soup. They give Dr. Daniel Rupp the floor to expound on his contribution to the "Searching for Akerns" podcast and discus...
Ep. 8: Fifty Years in the 'Baccer Field (Appalachian Culture, Part 1)
June 30, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 59 MBOn this podcast, we’ll explore southern Appalachian culture through the life of a family of farmers, musicians, and bear hunters. The Clark family in East Tennessee are relics of the region’s past. Clay also interviews national expert, Dr. Daniel Pierce of the University of North Carolina Asheville, who will take us a on a guided tour of the regions storied past, helping us understand both fact and fiction. You’ll hear some bluegrass music, and we’ll even talk about Dolly Parton. This is par...
Ep. 7: Bear Grease [Render] - MeatEater South
June 23, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 55.6 MBOn this episode, we introduce you to a new weekly podcast called Bear Grease [Render], where we dissect and distill the documentary-style Bear Grease Podcast. You’ll meet a cast of people, some of whom you’ll be familiar with if you listen to our podcast. This week, Clay is joined by Brent Reaves, Dr. Dan Rupp, Dr. Malachi Nichols, Josh Spielmaker and Gary Newcomb. These guys have an enlightening conversation about the Bear Grease Podcast. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.i...
Ep. 6: Searching For Akerns
June 16, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 55.7 MBIn this podcast, we're going to get a PHD in acorns, or as 20% of the country says, "akerns." We're going to do a biology deep dive with the nation's leading expert in oaks and acorns, Dr. Craig Harper of the University of Tennessee, but the main thing we're trying to understand is how we use language to define cultural identity--we all do it everyday. We talk with anthropologist Dr. Daniel Rupp about language, dialects, and how important they are in forming social groups. This is a winding ...
Ep. 5: Understanding Our Irrational Connection to Dogs
June 02, 2021 09:00 - 51 minutes - 47.5 MBOn this episode of the Bear Grease podcast, I’m in pursuit of understanding my irrational connection to dogs. I’ll talk about Lewin Newcomb -- my grandfather -- and his internal hierarchy of important things (of which dogs ranked very close to the top). I’ll interview anthropologist David Ian Howe, who specializes in the dog/human relationship, and we’ll discuss dog domestication, the impact of human selection on dogs, and how canines have affected the trajectory of our civilization. We’ll a...
Ep. 4: Death of a Bear Hunter
May 19, 2021 09:00 - 56 minutes - 51.6 MBOn this episode of The Bear Grease Podcast, we’re exploring the gruesome death of Erskine, an Ozark Mountain bear hunter killed by his quarry in the 1840s. You’ll hear the firsthand account of the incident from his comrade, Frederick Gerstacker. We'll also interview the leading historian of Ozarks (Dr. Brooks Blevins), hear from the man who found the only clue leading to Erskine’s grave, and go in search of the grave ourselves. This is one of my favorite stories of all time and its contents ...
Ep. 3: The Shed Horn Buck of 1962
May 05, 2021 09:00 - 49 minutes - 45.3 MBJames Lawrence is a master public land whitetail hunter and his favorite tactic is called "still hunting." In this episode of Bear Grease, you'll hear James' family story and about the buck that altered the trajectory of his life. The story has many twists, turns, and some family drama. For many years, James has been an influential figure in Clay Newcomb's life and he explores why relationships are so valuable. You'll be entertained by a great story, learn some techniques for hunting, and yo...
Ep. 2: The Thing About Owl Hooters
April 21, 2021 09:00 - 53 minutes - 48.9 MBHuman inventiveness is displayed in our ability to mimic other animals using only our natural voice. In this episode, we’ll explore the "why" of natural voice calling, how it’s become ingrained in our hunting culture, and talk to a PHD economist to discover if there's really a correlation between an ability to owl hoot and increased overall woodsmanship. We’ll also interview a human voice expert and some of the best natural voice callers around (including one of the world’s best). This episo...
Ep. 1: The Myth of the Southern Mountain Lion
April 07, 2021 09:00 - 52 minutes - 47.9 MBThere are two types of people in the South -- those who have seen mountain lions and those who haven’t. Supposedly extirpated from the South, the native species has lived on through backwoods lore and many believe they never left. Did they? Clay Newcomb explores the touchy topic by interviewing biologists, investigating two eye-witness sightings, and talking with a psychologist about people seeing things that aren’t real. This is a lesson in biology and human nature, and a great story that g...
Introducing: Bear Grease
April 01, 2021 19:20 - 1 minute - 1.49 MBConnect with Clay and MeatEater Clay on Instagram MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube Shop Bear Grease Merch Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.