Test your campfire cooking skills at the 2025 World Champion Squirrel Cook Off

Forty cooking teams from across the country will compete in a celebration of wild game and culinary creativity when the World Champion Squirrel Cook Off returns to Springdale on Saturday, September 13.

The free, family-friendly event will begin at 9 at the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s J.B. and Johnelle Hunt Family Ozark Highlands Nature Center, 3400 North 40th Street. This marks the third year the event will be hosted at the AGFC facility.

Founded and organized by Joe Wilson, the cook off has become a nationally recognized contest that highlights squirrel as a versatile and sustainable protein. Teams will prepare a wide range of dishes—from Southern classics to international cuisine—all featuring squirrel as the main ingredient.

“Squirrel is about as organic and free-range as it gets,” Wilson said. “We’ve seen everything from tacos to stir-fry to Middle Eastern dishes. You name it, someone’s cooked it.”

Judging begins at noon, but organizers say the event is more than just a cooking contest. Side events include the World Champion Squirrel Skinning Contest, the World’s Hottest Squirrel Eating Competition, and the AGFC’s World Squirrel Shootoff at the nature center’s Marksmanship Center.

AGFC Education Chief Mary Beth Hatch said the partnership between the agency and the cook off helps build a stronger connection between the community and the outdoors.

“People conserve what they love, and events like this show us one more way to love the outdoors,” Hatch said. “Sharing a meal from a hunt is a powerful way to connect people to nature.”

In addition to dishes prepared for judges, many teams will offer samples to the public. Local chefs and food vendors will also serve a variety of specialty dishes, including wild game options like silver carp tacos and alligator gumbo.

Wilson said that while the final menu is still being finalized, attendees can expect plenty of food that can’t be found in a typical grocery store.

“No one leaves this event hungry,” he said. “And we’re always cooking something you’ve probably never tried before.”

A limited number of team slots remain for those interested in competing. Rules and registration details are available at facebook.com/squirrelcookoff.

For more information on the nature center and squirrel hunting in Arkansas, visit agfc.com.