Myths, lies and old wives’ tales loom large in the outdoor pursuits. Here at MeatEater, we’re dedicated to separating facts from bullsh*t, so we created this series to examine suspect yarns. If there’s a belief, rumor or long-held assumption you’d like us to fact check, drop us a note at factchecker@themeateater.com.
Claim
Daddy longlegs are the most venomous spider in the world, but don’t have fangs big enough to break human skin.
Origin
It’s...

Police departments and insurance agencies routinely advise motorists to never swerve to avoid dogs, deer or other animals darting onto roads and highways. Sudden high-speed moves can send vehicles spinning or cause them to strike a tree, guardrail or other cars and trucks. Motorists fare better by bracing, braking, holding straight and letting the animal dictate its fate.
Slowly moving snakes and turtles, however, seldom trigger panicky reactions...

“Aren’t there any better options?” my wife demanded.
I told her no, this was just the way it had to be. Her question lingered with me the rest of the afternoon, though. The issue at hand was my use of herbicides in preparation of planting a food plot.
The logic of spraying a toxic chemical across a landscape in order to improve vegetation and wildlife habitat seemed counterintuitive to my wife. I couldn’t blame her. My goal with planting food...

Last week, The New York Times’ food and climate desks collaborated to help their readers understand the relationship between dietary choices and greenhouse gas emissions. The project embodied a primary function of journalism—demonstrating the power of individual actions to impact national and global issues. Unfortunately, the associated article and quiz failed at another essential aspect of journalism—communicating the richness and complexity of...