JRE 1674 · June 27, 2024

Clay Newcomb

huntingenvironmenthistoryculturephilosophy

Who is Clay Newcomb?

Clay Newcomb is a 7th-generation Arkansan that grew up in the Ouachita Mountains. He's a hunter, mule skinner, curious naturalist, and observer of rural culture. He's also a writer, filmmaker, owner/publisher of "Bear Hunting Magazine" and host of the hit MeatEater podcast "Bear Grease."

Topics and Timestamps

01Clay Newcomb discusses his 7th-generation Arkansan roots and growing up in the Ouachita Mountains as a hunter and naturalist
02The conversation explores rural culture, mule skinning, and the lifestyle of working in remote mountain communities
03Clay talks about his work as a writer and filmmaker documenting hunting and outdoor traditions
04Discussion of Bear Hunting Magazine and what it takes to publish content in the hunting community
05Clay shares insights from hosting the MeatEater podcast Bear Grease and interviewing hunters
06Examination of how traditional skills and knowledge are being preserved in modern rural America
▶Clay introduces himself and his 7th-generation Arkansan background0:00:00
▶Discussion of growing up in the Ouachita Mountains and early hunting experiences0:08:30
▶Clay explains his work as a mule skinner and what that skill entails0:22:15
▶Conversation about starting Bear Hunting Magazine and the hunting publishing space0:38:00
▶Clay discusses the Bear Grease podcast and interviewing hunters from different regions0:51:45

The Show

JRE 1674 brings Clay Newcomb to the podcast, a fascinating character who represents a dying breed of mountain culture and expertise. Clay is a 7th-generation Arkansan who grew up in the Ouachita Mountains, and his background isn't some romanticized version of rural life. He's lived it. He's a hunter, a mule skinner, and someone who actually understands the land and the people who work it in ways most of us never will.

The conversation meanders through Clay's background and what shaped him as a person and as a voice in the hunting and outdoor community. Growing up in the mountains wasn't some wilderness fantasy retreat. It was real work, real skills, and a genuine connection to the land that comes from necessity, not Instagram aesthetic. Clay brings that authenticity to everything he does, whether it's hunting, writing, or running Bear Hunting Magazine.

Joe and Clay discuss the nuances of hunting culture, the importance of understanding animals and ecosystems, and how that knowledge is rapidly disappearing from mainstream America. The podcast Bear Grease gives Clay a platform to interview other hunters and preserve these traditions, which feels increasingly important as traditional skills fade. It's not just about killing animals. It's about respecting the process, understanding ecology, and maintaining a connection to food sources that most Americans have completely lost.

What makes Clay compelling is his observer nature. He's not just a participant in rural culture, he's someone who thinks deeply about it, documents it, and tries to communicate it to people outside that world. That's a rare combination. Most people either live in that world without examining it or they approach it as outsiders trying to understand something they never experienced. Clay does both.