The 2026 Wild Game Cookoff is almost here!
The Event
This event brings together sportsmen, conservationists and wildlife enthusiasts every year in support of wildlife conservation and the enjoyment of wild game. This year, we are again partnering with Wyoming Outdoor Weekend for an evening of fun and conservation. Enjoy food, raffles, games, trivia, and community.
Tasting wild game is free, but a $20 entry fee covers a roll in our raffle ticket game and grants you the ability to judge dishes in the people's choice category!
Enter a Team
We encourage folks from across the community to try their hand at creating the best bite sized dishes. Teams will compete to create their best, most creative and delicious wild game, wild caught, and wild foraged dishes to be awarded both judges and people's choice awards! There are cash prizes for both category winners. If you are interested in preparing a dish or putting together a team, please fill out our interest form here. No wild game/food, no problem! We can help you source your raw materials if your freezer is bare.
Everyone Loves to Eat
This event is about venison diplomacy. Our wild landscapes feed us, and we are celebrating that gift and giving back.
This is a great event bringing together people from all walks who care about Wyoming's wildlife and are interested in how our wild landscape can sustain us and vice versa.
This is WWF's love letter to Lander and a way to do something for the community that sustains us.
*Wild game is not for sale at this event. Food is served free of charge, however participating in the Cookoff requires an admission fee. We would love to see you at this year's Wild Game Cookoff!
Date: May 16th
Time: 5 PM to 8 PM
Location: Lander Community and Convention Center
What a ticket gets you:
- Entry to the event
- A token to vote for people's choice
- Five raffle tickets to enter for one of the prize packages
All the other stuff:
- Taste and vote on your favorite wild game/wild food dish
- Pick up some additional raffle tickets and increase your odds
- Buy a square or a bingo card for one of our sponsor prizes
- Tunes and community
- Games and fun for all
Event Schedule
5 PM Doors Open
5 PM - 6 PM Dishes Presented to Judges
6 PM Public Tasting Begins
6:30 PM Judge's Choice Award
7 PM People's Choice Award, Raffle Drawings and Bingo
8 PM Time to Head Out - See you next year!
Special Thanks to our Title Sponsor:
Photos From Past Cookoffs
We are still looking for eager wild game cooks who want to dethrone last year’s winners, the Wyoming Wild Turkey Federation, with a fan-favorite wild-caught or harvested dish. Email info@wyomingwildlife.org if you have a wild game recipe you would like to share with the community at this great event!
Supporting Sponsors:
