third annual Wildgame Supper

By JAINE TREADWELL

Features Editor

If you’ve had a hankering for mountain oysters, coon hash or rabbit stew, then wait no longer.

All that and more will be yours for the asking at South Montgomery County Academy’s 3rd Annual Wildgame Supper Saturday night.

On Wildgame Supper night, all roads lead to Grady and folks come early to watch the cooking and enjoy the appetizers and stay late to linger around the dessert table.

If the $25 price of the meal seems a little steep, consider this. How many places can you go and feast on a wide range of wild game from alligator tails to venison rollups at any price?

Ask for a meal like that at Tavern on the Green or any other five-star restaurant and they’ll laugh in your face. But not at SMCA, they’ll greet you with a smile and treat you like a king and the price you pay will go toward their new elementary school building.

While the wild game is on the grill, many activities are planned beginning at 1 p.m.

There will be exhibits, crafts, door prizes, money drawing and a silent auction.

The turkey shoot also begin at 1 p.m. and won’t end until all the turkeys are "shot" and the hams are gone.

The prestigious turkey calling contest will get underway at 3:30 p.m. with first and second place trophies being presented in pro, hunter and junior and owling divisions. There is no entry fee for the turkey calling contest and all turkey callers are invited to vie for the bragging rights and the prizes.

Around 6 p.m. all the appetizers will be gone, the turkeys will all be shot or called and the table will be set for the biggest wildgame feast south of the Smoky Mountains.

This year’s menu includes mountain oysters, crawfish and venison sausage for starters.

Then the list of entrees is long – quail, wild turkey, alligator, pheasant casserole, elk, wild hog, duck, duck gumbo, rabbit, catfish, venison roll ups, venison backstrap, goose, coon, squirrel, wilderness stew and wild chili.

On the side, there will be corn, dressing, rice, turnip and collard greens, blackeyed peas, jambalaya, butter beans and fried cornbread.

The dessert table is always lavishly spread with homemade pies and cakes. And, there are usually a few special "unadvertised " treats that keep folks talking until the next SMCA Wildgame Supper.

The folks at SMCA, said, "Y’all come! You’ll be glad you did and so will we."

SMCA is located about 25 miles west of Troy. Take County Road 11 to Shady Grove and County Road 1 to Grady, then follow your nose.