MeatEater Podcast Ep. 466 | Dire Wolves and Ancient Hunting Dogs 

I know a falconer that uses his pointer to show his redtail where birds and squirrels are. Pointer points them out, hawk swoops down for the kill. Its a work of art watching them.

1:36:40 In the hound world, at least for european hunting with dogs culture (driven hunts on Boar, Stag, Roe Deer etc), we have a saying that goes like this: 4 years your dog learns, 4 years your dog hunts, every year after that is a gift. It goes along with my experience so far. Roughly 4 years you have a rookie that will make mistakes and hopefully learns from them. 4 years, you have a dog in its prime that just works like a damn clock and you just get to enjoy peak performance. After that you notice the physical level go down but oh boy do they make up for it in experience. My last dog retired at age 10ish (a couple of hunts in year 11 but nowhere near what we were doing before). At the end he wasnt the fastest anymore but he was a weapon. If he didnt seem interested in a certain thicket than there was nothing there. If there was something in it, he would methodically empty it until there was nothing in it anymore, long after the rookie thought it was empty. He was there, done that, got the Tshirt, all multiple times. The last statement "every year after is a gift" has a double meaning. It is physically demanding work with a relative risk attached to it. So on the one hand the dog making it to age 8 isnt a given. Also if he makes it that long, you have the dog equivalent of a Brady-type GOAT. Needless to say, I miss that dog.

I LOVE listening to the anthropologist talk about all things dogs so passionately. She is awesome!!!

I love how Steve stands up for big game dog hunters!!

Man these are some of the best podcasts. Love when they have these archeologists on. Super interesting.

I was always blown away how my old water dog could turn ‘it’ off with the prey choice! You know he has the ability to take that animal aside and tear it into a feather pile like he did as a pup with the wife’s feather pillow, but he knows that his job is to bring it as gentle as possible under the current conditions! Just insane.

I read the novel series "Clan of the Cave Bear," when i was a teenager, and have been fascinated with early human interactions/domesticattions with wild animals ever since. I'm glad i found this podcast

This podcast instantly went to the top of my list once they started posting videos. It’s so much more impactful and entertaining to be able to put a face to the voices. The trouble is, now I don’t know what I’m going to do this deer season, as my previous practice of not listening to episodes for several weeks so that I had plenty to listen to while in a tree will clearly not be happening this year.

Dr. Angela Perri is awesome - this was a great episode.

Id love to see her go to The Alaskan Boneyard and talk to that guy/look over his specimens

Man, if you don't like Brent Reaves... i dont think we can be friends. The guy just seems like a down to earth, genuinely good human.

Grew up around working dogs. Labs, Retrievers and Airedales, seen a lot of different behaviors. My roommate brought home this lab mix he rescued from his kids. Thing has webbed feet, so I was all about doing some basic training and taking her out in the boat with me. Not hunting, but figured water dog, right? Damn dog won’t get three feet near water. Damn near refuses to piss outside if it’s raining, won’t step on wet sand on a beach and loves to sit in a boat on dry land but won’t get out of the truck at the ramp. 😆. Tried scent training, just noses around until she gets bored and then watches me. Taken her out to the range a few times, pulls on lead or just runs back to the truck at the first shot to get the hell away. Won’t fetch or retrieve anything you want. It’s like she’s a contrarian, if you want it, she ignores it. I’d say she’d make a great bush diver, flushing game out the way she sprints after chickens, doves, birds in general and rabbits, but again, fire a shot and she’ll disappear back to the truck. She won’t grab anything she’s chased down, maybe give it a feel with her mouth once, but no grab and shake to kill. She’s not a lap dog, has no real interest in petting or scratches. Most useful thing I can find about her is she’ll bark at any strange noise inside her “territory” at home or in the woods camping. Loves to play tugs and chase, fast and strong as hell. Takes commands pretty easily, smart enough to heel and follow me around. Won’t get but about a mile before she just lays down and refuses to move, no matter her conditioning. The only reward she is really interested in is tugging on a toy with me, she’ll take a treat or food, but will just hold it in her mouth and spit it out when you’re not looking. Give her a bone or pigs ear and she’ll chew on it and not let you near it, even once she has walked away from wherever she has set it down. Not aggressive with her food bowl, just those bones or ears. Also like to eat out of the fire pit, burnt wood and the like. If you are dragging or carrying wood around, she’ll grab the other end and try to run ahead of you, but won’t carry anything on her own anywhere near where you want her to take it. Been with us since she was 9 months old, it’s been a year since he brought her home and I’ve just taken to playing keep away with most things. She’ll run down a tossed ball, get it about halfway back at a good pace and throw it a few feet between us. If I go for it she’ll run it down and toss it another few feet away. When I get to it, if she overruns it, I just bat it a few feet in another direction. We’ll keep that up for 20 minutes or so and then it’s time for her to roll in the grass and go sit inside, or she’ll just lay panting and look at you like “whenever you’re ready to head in”.

I currently have a female black mouth cur that will go from treeing squirrels to blood trailing deer or hogs, to retrieving doves without tearing them up and it took years to fine tune everything as far as what to hunt and what to ignore, and how to hunt the way I wanted but its very rewarding in the end and I can absolutely understand why dogs were so useful to our ancestors and why they are sometimes found buried in a ceremonial way. I think back on some of my dogs most amazing moments and the food she helped provide and it gives a glimpse into how ancient man would've felt about a good dog when every day was a struggle for survival. Awesome stuff

I'm so pumped you're doing video now for your podcasts! I didn't know until listening to this episode today on Spotify

One of the best podcast I have ever listen to thank you mediator for bringing on such an expert panel

So.. when can we expect to see Angela Perri's new mini-series on the MeatEater RU-vid channel?

What a great episode - Dr Perri is an amazing guest - and I didn't think I would enjoy the video as much as I did - adds a new dimension to the guest and host interaction.

I always enjoy Brent and Ronnie! Love the hunting dog podcast and this country life both very much.

Don't know how you get so many knowledgeable people to come on your podcast but keep doing it if I am going to waste time in this life listening or watching other people this is the place to be besides entertainment there is actual usable knowledge Thank you thank-you (p.s. come from family with montra if you weren't working at something you were wasting time)

Sweet, something to listen to while at work! These podcasts are awesome!

THAT WAS A DAMN GOOD PODCAST.....really interesting..well done 👍👍

Awesome conversation!! I have listened to her lectures on YT but this was more informative with all the input from Rinella et al.

It"s funny that i live on the different fricking continent and yet Meateter crew is always doing topics that are perfectly aligned with my intrests. THANK YOU!

What a good podcast should bring her on again

This is the first podcast I’ve seen from Meat Eater, but I think it’s a good one to watch. Angela Perri brought a lot to the table I think. The conversation was super interesting.

This might be the longest Ron has ever gone without smoking a cigar

I love that they have women on the show too that are super knowledgeable and successful in their field!

This is probably my favorite episode ever

My bladder would never make it through a podcast.

This is so fascinating......Thank you. We are really enjoying this......

I had heard a rumor that a Dire Wolf was found at a archeological site on the north west coast of canada. The story goes is that a ancient hereditary leader from Haida gwai had a Dire wolf as a pet and allegedly this site was carbon dated to 22,500 years ago.

“King of Dogs” by Andrew Edwards is a dystopian novel that has some commentary of the historical dog/human relationship in it. Great podcast thank you.

This was awesome! Great discussion and information/history

Been waiting for an episode like this for awhile now

one of the best episodes yet

I read somewhere once about the cheetah being possibly the first domesticated hunting animal. In Africa, before dogs, before modern humans. I'll try to come back with the source on that but included something about the genetics of the cheetah showing that it was domesticated long ago and then became wild.

I enjoy just about everything Steve does, but him citing Joan Didion AND Slouching Towards Bethlehem right on time just tied it up for me. Fantastic show, and wonderful content throughout the entire show.

Listening to this today. A year after i had to put down my faithful friend Argos. Named after Odysseus' dog.

This one is fascinating. I love the study of dogs. My high school wrestling coach had a coydog or a dingo as a dog. It was pretty feral lol but it was super attached and protective of him (as if he couldn’t protect himself, he was built like John Henry)

I learned so much on this one, thank you!

Didn't know about this podcast and didn't know Steve would be such a good host, nice.

I just finished "A Dog's History of the World". This is such a fascinating subject.

Great podcast! Good to see Ronny Boehme back on. And Brent is always a great guest

I'd be shocked if AT LEAST 50% of Steve's fan base didn't list their top 3 hobbies as: -Hunt -Fish -Golf ***I know you're reading this Phil- tell him***

Top tear episode I gotta say. Great call having her on!

I lived in Ketchikan for 3 years. Can confirm its the best airport ever. Small, easy to navigate, nice bathrooms, bunch of good food, great view and you can converse with almost anyone there.

I can listen to Angela Perry for hours.😊

Perked up a little when she mentioned boar hunting in Japan 😂😂

Really enjoyed the content of this podcast. If more researchers were on this form of podcast, their work would be more enjoyed and appreciated.

Great Podcast keep them coming 👍👍👍

I absolutely love this topic. I think it’s great and educational and eye opening and makes me think that n it all in so many different ways. Thank you so much for this.

So worth the watch

Nice work everyone, good job Steve.

There was some recent examples of baboons, don't remember which African country, domesticating dogs. They were reportedly taking puppies back into the tribe. I'll have to find the source again. It would be very interesting to see how that process plays out in real time to find analogs in our history.

I love love that you all do video now 😄

The word for strangling someone with a thin ligature is a garrote or garote, pronounced "gar-rot" in French and English. You're welcome! Great podcast! Incredibly informative and really well presented. The thought of migrating across the frozen Atlantic from flow to flow taking seals to eat is as incredible as the migration East over the Baring Sea.

Very cool show. Had me wondering about Carolina dogs and blue Lacy hounds .

I remember growing up my Dad had a tracking deer hound/fox hound was a Walker breed. To this day the best I ever seen. Ended up living 15 years hunted most of his 14th. I remember the last day of his life hunting was also the last day of deer hunting season. We put him on an older track he got out trailed a couple hundred yards came back and jumped in the dog box. My Dad said well Sam has retired everyone over the radio. He carried hunting season after hunting season. Placed in the Florida open fox trial. I'll never forget that dog or his time with us. He was like our go to lets kill a deer dog. It's tough with dogs in Florida with the Gators, Bears, Panthers, and snakes. A dog making it that long is wild.

Back in 2004 i did community service for Texas Surplus Property Adjency . The got ALL the confiscated goods from DFW and Love field..... and we made 10lb bags out of it and sold it back out. 90% of it was scissors. But there were some awesome knives in there.

Best episode yet

Wow. Great❤ Thank you very much😊

Can't wait for ronny's show!

I am a proud hunter, fisherman and golfer. There's plenty of us here, most likely in the lower latitude states. Gotta have something to do in the blazing summer, Steve.

Steve’s laptop sticker is awesome!

Very interesting podcast.

Great show!!!

Thank you DR. Angela p

Great episode

Steven produces another killer product! Angela Perry seams like a cool person.

Dam I wish I took that anthropology class in college seriously… this is some interesting stuff.

Best podcast ever!!

Lost a bench made folder!? Cheapest one I’ve seen is $150!! As much as $400!? Crazy. That a big loss.

finally! someone who acknowledges coydogs exist! i have had so many arguments over this.

Man, my blue tick named Waylon passed a few months ago. Damn good dog

I’m a golfer… I don’t hunt…. Never have. But I love to learn about things I don’t go actively to do so I can learn. But in Maine I play Golf with a lot of dudes who hunt…..

Well done!

love the new version of the podcast ❤ It seem more unedited! The polish shit is in the past , who wants that? I hope meat eater tv show goes in the same direction

Wow that was great!

Steve absolutely hates golf !! He says it many times

My kid got a wooden goalie Colorado Avalanche mini stick taken from him in Seattle after flying from Denver to come back to Alberta. Got given to him from doing the junior announcer at his first NHL for his favourite team. Can’t buy a replacement online either.

It's absolutely criminal that yall didn't have Clay Newcomb on this podcast to talk about Plott Hounds....

Steve .... You're not a Golfer. You foresee your shot. You gauge your distance. You incorporate your obstacles. Plus, especially beat yourself up for your mistakes. Obstacles are always outside of your control. I can't believe you don't see the similarity. I'm a Bull Elk AZ Hunter.

I live in American Falls Idaho and never knew that they found direwolves here😮

You can get your stuff back from tsa if go through the online process

I started watching, began losing interest and before going elsewhere something was said that kept me listening. Happened a few times but made it to the end, so thanks for expanding my knowledge I never considered or thought about.

The behind the dog films logo tells ya they know what they’re talking about. Got the Ferrari of the field featured in the logo.

Brian Jonestown Massacre as Steven favorite band totally caught me off guard. Great choice in music.

The crew of Meateater should browse through Palaeocast's library of topics.

They are finding tons of dire wolfs skulls in Alaska at the boneyard.

How have I never known that a Woolly Rhino was a thing?!?!

Steve is the man

Also...iconic Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip have a song called The Dire Wolf.

Take them on a hunt!! Amazing story@

Man I've missed Ronnie

I hope you are also listening to the Dandy Warhols as well Steve!

"And after thousands of years one dog was developed that could learn every task asked of it with ease...it would become referred to as the German Shepherd..." I have hunted with a shepherd for 14 years,Gunner my first and Ishi now. Both hell on rabbit, woodcock/grouse and Gunner would do turkey. Like having a remote control coyote that retrieves! I use Ishi for trapping and tracking now too...

Wild that I wrote an academic paper on ancient dogs and for the first time other than that paper, and the few sources for it, I see something like it out in the wild

Steve you need to look up Jack L. Childs he was the (Project Coordinator Borderlands Jaguar Detection Project) here in Tucson Arizona. He is the guys that photographer MACHO B during training of his lion dogs. You would love this old cowboy great personality and beautiful voice. Lots of knowledge. He is friends with Warner Glenn of New Mexico. Warner took the picture of the jaguar 🐆 in New Mexico and a couple of months later Jack took the pictures of a different jaguar in Arizona. It would be amazing to have his story and knowledge for the next generation of people with the same interest in wild life as ours. This is the 1st time I listen you your post cast and is right on with everything I have seen and read from you. Always very educational. 👍

This was much more interesting than watching the GOP presidential debates. Thank you!

Need a podcast on Drathaars by itself