Ep. 914: Bounties on Wolf Hunters, A Jeopardy Contestant Exposes Himself, and Leprosy from Armadillos

August 6, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

In mid-2026, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service finalized a new rule—the "4D rule"—that formally authorizes state wildlife agencies in Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho to take on significantly more on-the-ground management of grizzly bears while the bears remain listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The rule is the biggest structural change to grizzly bear management in decades and has generated both cautious optimism and fierce opposition, depending on whom you ask.

What the 4D Rule Actually Does

The 4D rule invokes Section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act, which gives the Fish and Wildlife Service flexibility to write special rules for threatened species. The new rule exempts certain state-led management activities from the Act's normal "take" prohibitions—meaning state personnel can now legally haze, translocate, or lethally remove conflict grizzlies without waiting for federal sign-off on each incident. It also covers things like dispatching a bear injured by a vehicle or conducting scientific research.

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What you'll learn

1 (02:13) **Show Intro and Host Changes** - Host Randall explains Steve is away in the Arctic and introduces the panel: Seth, Spencer, Cal, Nate, and Brody.
2 (05:49) **American History Volume 4 Announcement** - Randall announces the upcoming release of *MeatEater’s American History, Volume 4: The Alaskans, 1896 to 1941* on October 20th.
3 (09:28) **Alpha Gal Treatment and Acupuncture Debate** - The crew revisits listener emails about alpha-gal syndrome, a red meat allergy caused by tick bites, following Steve’s interview with Burkhard Bilger.
4 (13:03) **Illinois Waterfowl Blind Lottery Frustration** - A listener named Drew describes a broken public waterfowl blind lottery system in Illinois where non-hunters and solo groups claimed multiple blinds, locking out legitimate hunting parties.
5 (24:25) **Grizzly Bear Management: The 4D Rule Explained** - Steve’s pre-recorded interview with Dave Wilms, an attorney and expert from the National Wildlife Federation, breaks down the new “4D rule” for grizzly bears in Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho.
6 (40:48) **Panel Reaction to Grizzly Bear Interview** - The crew discusses Steve’s interview with Dave Wilms and the implications of the 4D rule.
7 (48:37) **Habitat, Tribal Rights, and the Path Forward for Grizzlies** - The crew analyzes the grizzly bear distribution map and the importance of habitat connectivity and wilderness designations.

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Show Notes

The MeatEater Crew discuss: state management of grizzly bears; a forward facing sonar study; treating Alpha-Gal Syndrome with acupuncture; wolf watchers are at it again; a carp for the record books; and more!

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