There was a time when hunting and fishing equaled survival. Having no dried meat or smoked fish over a winter would often mean starvation. So, when the hunters of old returned with a successful harvest, there was joy and jubilation. This must be where the tradition of a fall/winter feast and celebration of the harvest was born. Nearly all cultures have something that acknowledges the fall harvest, even if it’s not directly hunting related. Thanksgiving is the obvious traditional harvest holiday, but there are others.

In the Ellis family, celebrating the end of the hunt with a dinner is something of a tradition. My late Grandfather, Ora Ellis, was a keen hunter, who spent weeks hunting deer. Although I was never able to experience the hunt camp on Manitoulin Island, there are journals and many pictures of the camps sagging buck poles. There are also other pictures of my grandfather and the members of his hunting group standing around a dining room table. They are all in their Sunday best. This was an end of the season celebration for the Ballyhoo Hunt Club. There was a little of everything to be enjoyed, but venison was the star of the show. Knowing my grandfather, who was a raconteur, there would have been a lot of laughs, stories, and good-natured ribbing around that table. But the focus was on celebrating the hunt.

A few years ago, my dad, Gord Sr., and my late mother Nora, came up with an idea. They decided we should start celebrating the end of our hunting season with a few hunting friends and family. This dinner was dubbed “Beast Feast.” The plan was to do a wild game dinner that would not just be about eating. There would be different post dinner events, including a crowning of a king and queen of the hunt, remembrances and awards for different hunting related things, and a wall of pictures from past hunts. The menu for this dinner would include game or fowl from the hunt, but no fish. This is because my oldest son, Devin, is allergic to eating fish. Yet getting a variety of game dishes proved not to be a problem in our group. Our hunting circle chases moose, deer, bear, wild turkey, snowshoe hare, grouse, duck, goose, and even pronghorn. With that incredible mix of wild game available, there were some truly delicious dishes served. Beast Feast was a hit.

Over the years, the dinner has evolved, with some core people always on hand. At some point, due in part to my late friend Sandro Fragale, the Beast Feast’s after-dinner activities became something of a roast. Some very unusual prizes have been presented throughout the years, and for a while the skunk awards became a thing. Basically, if you didn’t manage to harvest a big game animal during the season, you wouldn’t feel left out. In fact, you became the centre of attention. Over the years, skunk award winners have been presented hats, gloves, toys, pelts, pictures, paintings, books, and sculptures—all featuring the black-and-white creature. The sheer number of skunk related items available for presentation was mind boggling. One member received nearly a room full of skunk awards. He may have even re-gifted a few. These days, the skunk awards have calmed down a bit. The main award is now in memory of Sandro and is given to the hunter who the group feels had the most successful and memorable season. Last year, Devin was awarded the Sandro Fragale Memorial Award after he harvested his first bull moose.

Skits and awards are fun, but it’s the food that is always the focus of a game dinner like Beast Feast. There are many mouthwatering choices to try: moose cutlets, sweet and sour bear meatballs, wild turkey skewers, green pepper stuffed with venison burger, wild rice and mushroom, breaded grouse fingers, and the list goes on. Add incredible salads, and homemade rolls and bread, and dinner is about as good as a culinary experience gets. Wild game is an organic food, but it is also savory. Many of my favourite culinary experiences in life have happened at Beast Feast. That being said, perhaps my all-time favourite meat is roasted wild turkey with rosemary and garlic. This dish is something my wife does from time to time (depending on my hunting success), and it is the finest of meals. Add a side of wild rice and highbush cranberry jelly and that’s the pinnacle.

Wild game dinners don’t have to be extravagant. Many people are happy to just enjoy some delicious dishes, drink a fine wine, and talk about the season that was. A wild game dinner is a wonderful way to spend a late winter evening. However, when you sit down for your celebration, make sure to take the time to lift a glass to the wild places we visit and the creatures we harvest. It is both an honor and a privilege to be an angler and hunter.