Diners fill their plates with a variety of wild game dishes at the 42nd Annual Wild Game Dinner at the McGregor Community Center on Oct. 4, 2025.
If you've never tried an exotic dish made from beaver, bear, elk, moose or gray squirrel, you may want to put the Tamarack Sportsmen's Club Wild Game Dinner on your calendar for next year.
MCGREGOR — Russ Thompson helped start the annual Wild Game Dinner back in 1984 when he joined the Tamarack Sportsman’s Club.
When club members were looking for ways to raise funds, he proposed the dinner.
The idea came from his days in the Air Force in Hawaii when he belonged to a rod and gun club there. Members would go on a hunt and cook up a wild game dinner afterward. "It went really well," he said.
Lorie Shaull
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KAXE
Russ Thompson poses in front of the grills cooking up wild game at the 42nd Annual Wild Game Dinner at the McGregor Community Center on Oct. 4, 2025.
In Minnesota, game animal dinners can only be hosted by charitable organizations as fundraisers.
“We don’t sell wild game, we sell a membership. You get a free dinner if you buy a membership,” said Larry Bunge, longtime club member.
Hunters from the club and other area hunters contribute game for the popular event.
Lorie Shaull
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KAXE
Perhaps the only time a fox has shown up to a wild game dinner. Sophia and Shane Lines with plates of wild game at The 42nd Annual Wild Game Dinner at the McGregor Community Center on Oct. 4, 2025.
With a full parking lot, upwards of 250 people crowded into the McGregor Community Center to try as much wild game as they cared to eat.
Now in its 42nd year, the event has been organized for years by Thompson along with Bunge and current club president Bob Johnson.
As Bunge explained, “This is our only fundraiser of the year. From the money raised, we buy lumber to make kits for bluebird houses, wood duck houses, martin houses and bat houses."
Lorie Shaull
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KAXE
Diners try a variety of wild game dishes at the 42nd Annual Wild Game Dinner at the McGregor Community Center on October 4, 2025.
Many area youths are recipients of the kits through local schools and a variety local events.
“It’s so rewarding to watch these kids build their own house, and take it home. And years later they come back with their kids and want to build a bluebird house. That’s the reward we get.”
For the all-you-can-eat dinner, wild game was prepared in a variety of ways and included dishes made from beaver, bear, wild goose, moose, elk, venison, gray squirrel, salmon and walleye. The moose came from a hunt in Alaska.
Lorie Shaull
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KAXE
Pans of wild game including moose steak and mule deer meatballs at the 42nd Annual Wild Game Dinner at the McGregor Community Center on Oct. 4, 2025.
As far as favorite dishes go, Bunge said, “My grandkids would rather have a beaver stew or roast than beef any day. It’s awesome.”
Thompson is also partial to beaver.
“Beaver is my specialty. I got started on [preparing] that about four years ago.”
He also contributed a goose dish using a teriyaki recipe he brought back from his days in Hawaii.
Another crowd favorite was the bear ribs. “That’s really good, it’s better than a normal rib,” said first-time attendee Braydon Stokes after trying one.
“It’s not gamey at all, it’s very lean. It’s a little dry, but like a good dry. It’s definitely got a lot of flavor to it.”
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Game Feed Tonight sign along Highway 65 in McGregor on Oct. 4, 2025.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
2 of 10 — A pan of goose brats at The Wild Game Dinner at the McGregor Community Center.jpg
A pan of goose brats just off the grill at The 42nd Annual Wild Game Dinner at the McGregor Community Center on Oct. 4, 2025.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
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Slicing up mule deer at The 42nd Annual Wild Game Dinner at the McGregor Community Center on Oct. 4, 2025.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
4 of 10 — A crockpot of BBQ Goose at the Wild Game Dinner at the McGregor Community Center.jpg
A crockpot of BBQ Goose at The 42nd Annual Wild Game Dinner at the McGregor Community Center on Oct. 4, 2025.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
5 of 10 — Pans of Beaver and Gray Squirrel at the Wild Game Dinner in McGregor, Minnesota.jpg
Pans of beaver and gray squirrel dishes at The 42nd Annual Wild Game Dinner at the McGregor Community Center on Oct. 4, 2025.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
6 of 10 — Sophia Lines sits at a table with her dad Shane at the Wild Game Dinner at the McGregor Community Center.jpg
After finishing dinner, Sophia Lines sits at a table with her dad Shane at The 42nd Annual Wild Game Dinner at the McGregor Community Center on Oct. 4, 2025.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
7 of 10 — Goose pastrami and Polish goose sausages at the Wild Game Dinner at the McGregor Community Center.jpg
Pans of goose pastrami and Polish goose sausages at The 42nd Annual Wild Game Dinner at the McGregor Community Center on Oct. 4, 2025.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
8 of 10 — Roasted Gray Squirrel and Elk Steak at the Wild Game Dinner at the McGregor Community Center.jpg
Pans of roasted gray squirrel and elk steak at The 42nd Annual Wild Game Dinner at the McGregor Community Center on Oct. 4, 2025.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
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Current Tamarack Sportsmen's Club President Bob Johnson at the McGregor Community Center on Oct. 4, 2025.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
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Larry Bunge with an 80 pound beaver that he trapped in a previous year.
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