An issue that arises for a lot of hunters this time of year is what to do with all the meat they harvest each fall.
We all start with good intentions of eating more wild game, but if your freezer looks anything like mine, there's usually some of last year's meat left when it's time to start filling the freezer again.
Of course this is a blessing. To live in a country where we are free to hunt game for our family is beyond the imagination of many. And to have too much meat, well, many are not so fortunate. But if you are in this situation, then sharing the bounty with a wild game feast is a great way to use the meat and spread the word about the benefits of hunting.
Each year, my friend Bill Konway hosts a party called the "Beast Feast." It started years ago with a few friends, a grill, a few backstraps and a cooler of beer. Today, it has grown as more than 300 people attended this year.
Wild game being served ranged from deer and turkey to alligator and beaver. Most of the people who attended are not hunters themselves, but as they sampled the fare, you better believe they were thankful for the hunters who had collected all the game.
Most non-hunters are not anti-hunters. In fact, roughly 90 percent of the population of our country does not hunt. The good news is 80 percent of those folks are not against hunting. Only 10 percent of our population supports anti-hunting initiatives. Keeping those in the 80 percent of non-participants in favor of hunting is our goal. One way to assure they don't turn against us is to fill their bellies with the incredible treat of well-prepared wild game.
If you still have some meat left from last year consider hosting a wild game dinner at your place, or maybe at your church. Wherever you host it, make the experience as enjoyable for folks as possible. Host a wild game buffet on a football Sunday. Venison steaks, venison chili, turkey kabobs, duck gumbo, grilled rabbit and fresh vegetables sure sounds like a good spread to me. I assume it will sound pretty fair to a number of folks in your family or circle of friends, too.
As we head into the firearms portion of deer season and waterfowl seasons open, we hunters should soon be flush with game. If your family runs through the game you harvest each fall before the opportunity to replenish your supplies comes around again, don't worry. Opportunities are opening up.
Consider taking an extra antlerless deer this year for the purpose of a venison event. Plan what you'll want to serve and invite others to bring side dishes. You never know, you may have a person attend who's never tried venison before. Your dinner may be all they ever need to convince them hunting is a good thing. You know they aren't headed to the grocery store to pickup some finely marinated venison backstrap.
Whether you have extra meat to spare or you need to go out and harvest some more, wild game dinners are a perfect way to build awareness of the positives of hunting while enjoying fellowship with family and friends.
See you down the trail ...
III
Brandon Butler is an outdoors columnist for the News Tribune. Contact him at [email protected].