ACC provides support to World Championship Squirrel Cook-off

By Greg McCain

When Joe Wilson envisioned a cooking event several years ago, he wanted to go beyond the ordinary barbeque cook-off or other similar event.

Joe wanted to create an atmosphere of part party, part fall festival, and part cooking competition. He centered those elements around the lowly squirrel, and if the most recent rendition of the World Championship Squirrel Cook-off is any evidence, Joe’s vision proved highly successful.

Joe organizes the unique event each year, bringing together a host of volunteers, cooking teams, and visitors from around the country.  The result was a resounding success of the latest rendition of the Squirrel Cook-off, which featured not only the winners from an Arkansas muffler shop but also competitors in other squirrel-related activities.

ACC Crappie Stix was part of the event, serving as a sponsor and also introducing its new fish breading, which complemented one of Joe’s recipes. ACC pro staffer Stu Miller brought 204 lbs. of Mississippi River blue catfish from Illinois to serve as the main ingredient in Joe’s white bread fish taco recipe he calls a “bender.”

Felecia Marie, of the Women of the Wild organization and another associate of ACC Crappie Stix, also had a booth that featured her wild-game cooking and cookbooks for sale.

“It was a huge success today,” Joe said as festivities came to a close on an idyllic late-summer day at the J.B. and Johnelle Hunt Family Ozark Highlands Nature Center in Springdale, AR. “As you saw, thousands and thousands of people gathered here and enjoyed the event. We had people – from Oregon and Florida, from all over the country – to celebrate community.”

Among the highlights was the winning team of Chris Eiler and Ethan Gazaway, of Razorback Muffler in Farmington, AR. Compared to other dishes in the competition, the winners kept their entry rather tame. They won with a Squirrel Bacon Ranch Pizza with Fried Squirrel Ricotta Ravioli as a side.

“Neither of us has a professional background in cooking, but we love to do it,” Ethan said after the awards ceremony. “We cook for our wives. We cook for our friends. We enjoy company and a good crowd. An event like this is perfect for the type cooking we like to do.”

Part of their cooking expertise involves feeding customers at their muffler shop. Not coincidentally, the 11 a.m. and noon time slots fill weeks in advance.

“We probably cook at least three days a week,” Chris said.

Added Joe, “Who would have ever thought that a couple of guys who sit under cars all day would win this thing?  I guess they have nothing better to do (under a car) than think about how to cook squirrels.”

Other highlights included a three-peat ((or possibly four) for squirrel skinner Clifton Jackson. Clifton survived three rounds of skinning to maintain his title.

“I think it’s four,” Joe said. “I think Clifton has won four World Championship squirrel cleaning contests in a row.”

Other winners were crowned in squirrel calling, hot-squirrel eating, and under-10 oyster eating.

“We want to have something for everyone,” Joe told the crowd as the cook-off winners were announced. “We want to have something for the youngest to the oldest person here. We like to laugh and have fun in an atmosphere like this.”

With several successful Squirrel Cook-offs behind him, Joe said he expects to ride the momentum toward the 2025 event.

“We’re going to be starting on it next week,” he said.