Bear Grease

Brent's heading to Louisiana to fish the Ouachita River with Bradley Smith, a lifelong outdoorsman who's keeping the old ways alive. From hoop nets to bank poles baited for flathead catfish, the trip becomes more than a night on the river. Included is a lesson on tradition and the details that separate a likely spot from the right one. We're talking family, friendship, and the importance of p...

In this final chapter of our Civil War series, we once again hear from historians J.D. Huitt, Dr. Brooks Blevins, and Dr. Louis Gallo to trace the final eighteen months of the conflict—from Gettysburg and Vicksburg to Grant's relentless Overland Campaign and Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House. Along the way, host Clay Newcomb examines how Ulysses S. Grant transformed modern...

Brent’s still in the wilderness of northern Saskatchewan, where a filled bear tag opens up the door for an unforgettable fishing adventure. Look out! This country boy has a fly rod and he’s not afraid to use it. Bring your safety glasses, we’re going fishing on MeatEater’s “This Country Life” podcast. Thank you to our sponsors,  Case Knives and Stor-Mor . S...

Clay Newcomb and Render Crew members Dr. Misty Newcomb, Brent Reaves, Bear Newcomb, and Josh "Landbridge" Spielmaker dig into latest episode of the Civil War Summer on Ulysses S. Grant. They unpack the surprising life of a man who went from repeated failure to becoming the Union's most important general, discussing Grant's struggles with alcohol, remarkable horsemanship, complicated family ties to...

Humans eating crawfish is nothing new. In fact, in North America alone it's been going on for several thousands of years. However, the craft of deliberately farming crawfish is relatively new in the grand scheme of things. Jason Roberts, a Mississippi native, walks us through the story and process of starting up his crawfish farm. What all went into it, how he figured it out, what type of crawfish...

The week long wait is over! Brent is finally getting to the meat he left on the bone from last week's episode on his Saskatchewan black bear hunt. It was a grand adventure for him and he took away lessons from that he didn't see coming. It's time for the second part of Brent's trip north of the border, but whether it will be the final installment is yet to be determined, you're just gonna have to...

Continuing on with Bear Grease's Civil War Summer series, Clay Newcomb travels to the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library in Starkville, Mississippi, to uncover the story of the Union general who may be the most misunderstood figure of the war. Alongside Grant historian Dr. Louis Gallo, Clay traces Grant's unlikely journey from a quiet Ohio farm boy and gifted horseman to a failed farmer, strugg...

Flying is always stressful for Brent. He says he likes being in different and remote places, he just doesn't always enjoy the process of getting there. A fear of flying isn't the issue; trusting his possessions to strangers is. You're allowed to carry backpack with a shaving kit and extra change of clothes on the plane with you, but you can't carry a bow and arrow and store it in an overhead...

As Civil War Summer continues, host Clay Newcomb along with Dr. Misty Newcomb and Josh "Landbridge" Spielmaker are joined by guests former history teacher Ben Lagrone and host of The End of History podcast J.B. Shreve as they swap stories about Osage orange trees, neighborhood mailbox projects, , bulldozers, and the simple satisfaction of moving dirt. The group then turns their attention to the Em...

Without a doubt, crawfish, or crayfish, are the most well-known, and tastiest crustacean in all of North America- but how much do we really know about them? Where did they come from? How many of them are there? What role do they play in the ecosystem? We’ll all learn by the end of this that these tiny shellfish have more to offer than a what comes out of a boiling pot. Connect with Lake Pick...

This week Brent's sharing two stories where the only thing they have in common is that he's telling them in English. Well, his version of English anyway. The first is from a father son scouting trip with his son, Hunter, when Hunter was six. The follow up tale is from one his father shared with him about a man who was difficult to work with back in the 1980s. While he may have had a reason to be d...

In Part 4 of Bear Grease's Civil War Summer series, Clay Newcomb continues the conversation with JD Huitt and sits down with historian Dr. Brooks Blevins to examine one of the most consequential decisions of the war: Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. Following the bloodshed at Antietam—the single deadliest day in American history—the Union president made a bold political, mi...

In this bonus drop of Backwoods University, we have the opportunity to hear from a man named Joshua Lawes, who spent several years in the wild lands of Africa, working in antipoaching teams. As you can imagine, he has some pretty wild and fascinating tales, along with some insight on how conservation works in Africa and how it dippers for North America. Connect with  Lake Pickle and MeatEater...

Whether you call them lessons or just simple observations, Brent thinks there’s no better example of good ones than those presented in “Where the bred Fern Grows”. Come along as he points out a few of the ones that have been the most meaningful to him. It’s time for MeatEater’s “This Country Life” podcast. Thank you to our sponsors,  Case Knives and S...

Bear Newcomb and Josh “Landbridge” Spielmaker stage a Bear Grease hostile takeover and head to the river to do some fly fishing without Clay Newcomb. The two talk fly fishing, Bear’s river rafting abandonment, building Bear Grease YouTube Channel content, mule training, and the value of getting outside and simply “moseying” around. Thank you to our sponsor, Tecovas ....

Host Clay Newcomb along with Render crew members Dr. Misty Newcomb, Bear Newcomb and Josh "Landbridge" Spielmaker unpack Part 3 of the Civil War series with special guest Dr. Brooks Blevins. The conversation explores why people fought in the Civil War, how different generations have remembered the conflict, and what it means to discover your own family's connection to history. Along the way, the c...

In our final chapter of our series with Antonin Scalia, we will be taking a close look at why this man was so loved and respected by everyone that knew- including people that completely disagreed with him. On top of that, we'll learn how hunting, wild game, and the outdoors played a critical role in it. Connect with Lake Pickle and MeatEater Lake Pickle on Instagram MeatEater on Instagram , Facebo...

Settle in for a guided trip to iconic landmarks from Brent’s life. Bridges, trees, and even old homesteads serve as places of importance. Recognition of them sometimes comes after they’re gone but their importance remains the same. As a bonus, Brent’s sharing a couple recordings of his father that are his and fan favorites.  National Champion Loblolly Pin: https://youtu.be/g...

Host Clay Newcomb continues his personal exploration of the Civil War with historian J.D. Huitt of The History Underground YouTube channel. J.D. surprises Clay with historical documentation of his own third-great-grandfather, Thomas Newcomb, a Confederate soldier from southwest Arkansas. As they continue through the history of the war, Clay attempts to answer one of the most challenging questions...

Join us for an eclectic group of facts and memories about fishing bait from Brent's storied upbringing. You'll hear how bait that was purposed for a fish's mouth ended up in his. He's also sharing an impromptu lesson he used to calm his oldest daughter's fear of insects. You may want to try it yourself, but we doubt it. All that and more on this week's episode of "This Country Life"...

Host Clay Newcomb and Render regulars Bear Newcomb, Dr. Misty Newcomb, and Josh "Landbridge" Spielmaker are joined by Michael Rosamond of Sun Spot Lights and retired Missouri game warden and Renaissance man Kyle Carrol as they continue their Civil War discussion by examining the lives of Abraham Lincoln and Robert E. Lee. The conversation also highlights just how recent Civil War history really is...

Antonin Scalia, whether you agreed or disagreed with him, was inarguably one of the most influential Americans in modern history due to his position as supreme court Justice for almost 30 years. However, in this part 1 of this series we will get the rare opportunity to see this man in way you may have never seen him before. Come along as we journey down to the place where Scalia first found his lo...

Summer is just heating up and Brent's talking about duck hunting. Actually he attended an event in the Rice and Duck Capitol of the World in Stuttgart, Arkansas. He's gonna share how that event, "The Callapalooza", was started and detail his involvement. He's also sharing a listener story about an old tractor that'll warm your heart. All that and more on this week's "This Country Life" p...

In Part 2 of Bear Grease's Civil War series, host Clay Newcomb examines the rise of Abraham Lincoln, the secession of the Southern states, and the complicated legacy of Robert E. Lee. Alongside historian J.D. Hewitt of The History Underground, Clay explores the ideas, personalities, and decisions that pushed the nation toward its bloodiest conflict, and discovers that history's heroes and villains...

With one last trip, Brent's 2026 Turkey Season is over. In this episode, he relates how a statement he made two years ago in New York City has come back around and will more than likely prove him wrong. Then it's an Arkansas wrap up with some sneaky gobblers before ending the season in Pennsylvania for Brent's first hunt in the Keystone State with his friends at Case Knives. We know you'll enjoy t...