Wild Game dinner - feedback needed

Jim Bucko

Jim Bucko

Active member
I need some 2 cents from you guys. As I am in the catering business I have 2 banquet facilities that I want to a wild game dinner in the winter, Jan or Feb. A couple of questions

Would you like to have a game dinner where it is just eating and drinking or would you rather have eating and drinking but some chef interaction about how to cook wild game, sharing cleaning ideas, etc?

What you you pay to come to a wild game dinner if it was a 4 hour event, 12 different kinds of game, open bar and chef demo and instruction?

How far would you travel to go a top notch game dinner?

Would you prefer it to be a guys night or an event where you would bring your wife or girlfriend?

Any feedback would be helpful/

Thanks, Jim
 
1st, check the legalities of charging $$ for a wild game dinner. If it were a charitable fundraiser, I might be willing to pay $50 for a ticket . . . but 4 hours seems a little long. I wouldn't really want a seminar, but if the chef was a personable guy, it'd be interesting to get a little interaction / information.

Normally I don't have a date, but if I were going to a fancy schmancy game dinner, I'd try to find one. If I want to eat game w/ da boys, we'll drink beer and grill it in someone's garage.

I live out in the middle of nowhere, so it's not uncommon for me to drive 250 miles for waterfowl related entertainment. I'm probably a statistical outlier on many levels!

Are you having one of these in Minnesota?! Let me know, so I can work on finding a date! hahaha

NR
 
Jim,

I did a kick butt wild game dinner last April. We had a lare grill/cooker/smoker on hand and a bonafide chef. People were asked to bring a wild game meat/fish of their choice, or a side dish/dessert. BYOB. Also had a Texas Hold'em tournament in conjunction. We started at about 2:30 PM getting the grill fired up and food prepared. We got done cleaning up at about 1:30 AM. It was a long day and night, but a great time for friends and hunters to gather, clean out the freezer, and socialize. With respect to your event, I'm not sure how many people would pay $50.00 if it wasn't some type of charity event, but in your neighborhood, who knows? I like the overall concept of the event; I uess it depends on how "formal" you want to be.
 
Like Nick said make sure it is organized in a way to stay legal. Each state is different.
As much fun as an open bar sounds to me I'd probably be happier with wines selected to complement wild game and fish. I'm not a big wine drinker but after a few whiskys I wouldn't care if you put sun dried carp in front of me.
I wouldn't get too into how to clean them, most who want to know already know. It would be nice to have the recipes printed out for those who want it and a short description when served.
Four hours would be long, maybe two hours and a speaker or something like that.
I'd let them bring a wife or girlfriend, heck both if they got 'em. Might even be a few that would bring guys... as in there are more outdoorswomen all the time.

Tim
 
[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]".......after a few whiskys I wouldn't care if you put sun dried carp in front of me."

Sun dried carp....for 50 bucks....tux and all....Tim has pic taken with face in plate of sun dried carp and pesto...posted on duckboats.net...Fun for all

Not sure of your market where you are for such events.....do some research about what is legal and poke around trying to figure out your market....Try it out at say a DU or some other event on a small scale...say a charitable cause...if it goes over move it up a notch..

Matt
[/font]
 
make sure its legal.....

Wild Game covers a whole lot of things......venison? Duck? Pheasant? and is that Wild or Game Farm raised.....

I can't see myself spending the bucks ona meal that I can do myself and with people I don't know unless there is something spectacular....like....oh...say......Sei Wahle sushi or Milk Fed Rhino.....definately not for "farmed" wild game of any sort......I'd do it for a charity but not just for the dinner.....

One last thing....check on the legality......that hasn't been mentioned yet so I figured I'd throw it out....

Steve
 
I would be interested in recipes in print or a short how to prepare. I think 4 hours would be a bit long. I know my wife would not come and I really would not pay $50 for something I could put on the table myself but as said before, unless it was for charity. That said, I think it brings you back to the legal issues with regard to what game would be served, where and how it was taken.
Now do the whole thing as an outdoor BBQ, BYOB (bring your on beast) throw in some skeet shooting competition, dog trails maybe a calling contest, duck boat show and I think you could really have something.
Just my 2 cents
 
John,
Funny you mention all the other stuff. ANother thought I had was to have an outdoor festival. One place in on the CT river so we could do a dog competition, calling competition, duck boat display, vendor/outfitter tradeshow, the whole thing and then finish up with a dinner.

My idea of a wild game dinner would certainly have some duck, pheasant....a few things we hunters get each season but the majority of it would be more exotic.......gater, rattlesnake, seal, bear, ostrich, antelope, etc.

More thoughts?
 
Jim- I used to go to an amazing game dinner not too far from you in R.I. at the Viking Inn, I think thats the name. Brian Rhodes knows about it I think. They do all you can eat seafood, but once or twice a year they do a game dinner. They had all the weird ones you mentioned also. They tried Orca Steaks but there were too many hippies throwing stink-bombs at the door. Hahaha, just kiddin', Sutton.
The only problem I can think of is CT. having different laws than little R.I. about selling "game". Otherwise, I think you have some good ideas. Having someone show all the preparation sounds interesting.

-
 
Jim - We do one every year here in McLean County through our local sportsmens group. I believe our gate is a suggested donation. We have raffles and a live auction. All money raised goes to benefit youth organizations in McLean County (ie Easter Seals, DARE Programs etc.). Our tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. We haven't considered the chef sharing option but it sounds like a good idea. We generally get between 750-800 people and raise $75,000-$100,000 for the kids. People are willing to give for a cause like kids and, with the economy the way it is, the youth organizations are hurting and losing funding...

I wish you the best with your event!
 
Pat back in the early 70's A customer of mine invited me to a wild game feed in Bloomington. I think it was held in the Elks club. He told me to get there early. I am glad I did. There was a line twenty five feet from the door. I thought this isn't too bad until I realized the line went up three or four stories of steps. It was hard to tell what exactly what the wild game was. The servers said all kinds of things. I recognized some things. Not sure about Elephant or snake. After working all day and three beers I didn't care. I know it was a charitable event. Very well attended.
 
Pete - We're talking the same banquet, The McLean County Sportsmens Banquet. It's an annual banquet. We outgrew the Elks facility as it would only hold around 400, we're now at the Interstate Center and have grown to 800+. Annually, we have pheasant stroganoff, elk tips, some kind of fish, turkey, buffalo, venison chili and others. Good food...
 
Hi JIm, You sould talk with Craig K. from DU, they are having the waterfowler festival at Cabela's in Sept.. Maybe it could be part of it ????. If you get a chance give me a call . Thanks Pete
 
Jim... in my experience game dinners sell very well. Suggest you link up with a "cause" (DU) or a club and the word gets out fast. I've seen two types... the club members bring dishes usually in a "free" facility like a clubhouse, etc. (cheap - $20-25/per) and the super expensive (chef prepped - $100/per) held in a professional facility, involving exotic foods (exotic to we New Englanders) like antelope & elk as opposed to brant stew and bear jerky...

Your facility and staff are first rate and not the local VFW hall so the real estate alone kinda wipes out the "Cheap, homespun game dinner" option.

Would I attend a game dinner as you described with a chef bouncing around showing how things are prepped, etc... yeah, that would be very interesting to my wife who is the cook in our family and she has a sincere interest in that kind of thing. I'm guessing to spend $150/for two, with a bring your own wine or choose from your list would be about right...

If you decide to do it, we'd go.
 
Locally they have a racoon dinner that has grown over the years:
http://www.mountvernonnews.com/local/09/02/03/Community-pours-out-for-raccoon-dinner

I also use to do a retriever demo at a church wild game cookout. A number of the members would bring in game they had taken the past year. They got most of the kids hooked on the caribou hot dogs and then got them to try other game.

Tom
 
Last edited:
Can't add much more than what has already been said Jim - Personally I like the sounds of an outdoor festival with events run throughout the day and a dinner at the end, that would draw me to the event much more than dinner alone.
Good luck
 
Jim,

That sounds good. Let me know as thinks progress.I would take to ride and make a weekend out of it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top