Bear Grease - Introducing: Backwoods University with Lake Pickle

Episode Date: June 2, 2025

Backwoods University explores wildlife biology and the people who dedicate their lives to studying animals and their habitats. Guided by host Lake Pickle’s curiosity, you’ll hear insights from wildlife biologists and outdoorsmen, while gaining an intimate perspective on North American wildlife, habitat, and the impact humans have had on them. You’ll learn from the experts how to understand the wild. After all, you can’t love what you don’t understand.  Connect with Lake Pickle and MeatEater Lake Pickle on Instagram MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and YouTube Clips MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you ever wonder what happened to the hundreds of thousands of buffalo that used to call the eastern U.S. home? Or what caused the rise and fall of Bob White Quill? Or who in the world is Fannie Cook and why should we care? Welcome to Backwoods University, the latest addition to the Bear Grease Feed on Meat Eat Eaters Podcast Network. I'm your host, Lake Pickle. At Backwoods University, we'll explore the land and learn from the people who have dedicated their lives to wild animals and their habitats. Where do grizzly bears fit into the modern landscape? How did all those exotic species of wildlife end up in Texas?

What led to the demise of the once thriving population of bison east of the Mississippi? The most common evidence that we have a bison in the east are the most common historical documentation with people killing them. How one woman single-handedly saved the natural resources of her home state through introducing wildlife conservation. Could we bring Bob White Quail back if we learned how to better manage the land? We need plants that are going to produce food in June, July, August, September, etc. And so the plant community needs to be diverse enough that is producing food 12 months out of the year and cover 12 months out of year and thermal cover 12 months out of year.

Monotypic plant communities can't do that. The question then becomes how do we get it? How do we create those resources and conditions? Join me at Backwoods University to seek out a deeper understanding of wildlife, wild places, and the people who have dedicated their lives to conserving both. Pencils down. Let's get outside. Find us in the Bear Grease feed on Meat Eat Eater's Podcast Network. Look up Bear Grease wherever you listen to podcast and hit the follow button to enroll in Backwoods University.