PINE GROVE, Pa. — Last weekend, the Pine Grove Hose, Hook and Ladder Fire Company transformed into a bustling hub as approximately 150 attendees gathered for the Taste of the Wild Outdoors dinner. The atmosphere buzzed with excitement as diners filled their plates from a diverse buffet before settling in to enjoy live music and anticipate the evening’s raffle.

The culinary offerings at this annual event, now in its twelfth year and orchestrated by Larry Primeau, featured an impressive array of 14 unique species. Diners savored exotic dishes such as stingray casserole, bear stew, raccoon andouille, and rabbit kielbasa. Other highlights included roasted grey squirrel, bobcat lo mein, wild boar ham, and coyote teriyaki served on a skewer. For those with a taste for the unknown, this year’s ‘mystery meat’ turned out to be alligator, a revelation made by an observant young attendee. For those less inclined to experiment, venison and salmon also graced the table.

Despite the chilly, slushy weather, Jim Jasterzenski made the journey from Kingston, roughly 74 miles away, and gave high praise to the tender bobcat dish. “Everything was good,” he remarked, although his companion did find a small shotgun pellet among the squirrel meat. “You can’t get this kind of food anywhere else.” Sue Demko, Jasterzenski’s wife, thoroughly enjoyed the raccoon andouille sausage paired with cheddar mini pierogies, surprising herself with her fondness for rabbit. “I normally don’t like rabbit, but it’s just good,” she stated.

Jack Gentilesco from Mountaintop noted that bear stew had a flavor reminiscent of beef, a sentiment that added to the evening’s appeal among the culinary adventurers present. Primeau aims to inspire hunters, anglers, and trappers to explore new edible wildlife, encouraging them to maximize the use of the animals they harvest while simultaneously raising funds for youth outdoor initiatives. “Getting kids outside, away from screens and into nature, is a wonderful thing,” he shared passionately.

To mitigate the stronger flavors of certain predators like fox and coyote, smoking techniques are employed, creating dishes such as smoked coyote ham. Primeau recounted how a past offering, venison boudin sausage, divided patrons into two camps: those who loved it and those who didn’t. All meat presented during the event was sourced legally within the United States, with much of it harvested in Pennsylvania.

While selling wild game meat is generally illegal in Pennsylvania, Primeau and his team navigate this law by framing the dinner as a charitable family event. The evening supported Schuylkill County Wild Outdoors, a registered charity focused on youth outdoor experiences. Contributions came from Primeau’s network of hunting and fishing associates, offering attendees a chance to sample meats typically unavailable for purchase.

Dave Mease Jr. was among those who contributed, bringing bobcat, coyote, stingray, and salmon to share with family members who joined him. “The best part is trying things you’d never get to eat,” Mease reflected, reminiscing about the previous year’s mystery meat: crow, which he found unexpectedly enjoyable.

Recalling his youth near Pine Grove, Primeau fondly remembers his grandmother’s Shake ‘N Bake squirrel and his own adventurous encounters with antelope as a Boy Scout. As a teenager, he developed a strong interest in survivalism, and nowadays when he isn’t engaged with his construction business, he can be found foraging for wild edibles or on an annual trip to South Carolina to hunt wild boar. “I appreciate variety,” he remarked, overseeing the hours of cooking in preparation for the event. “Variety really is the spice of life.”