Sharing food, hunting stories

The Wild Game Dinner at the Clark Fork Baptist Church was a combination of good food, prizes, hunting stories and a quick sermon from a visiting Georgia pastor.

More than 40 men and boys attended the annual event Friday afternoon hosted by Pastor Kim Earhart, who led the opening prayer. "It was probably one of the best ones we've had," said Earhart, who has held a Wild Game Dinner for about 15 years. "It's for our men of the church. We love hunting, we love fishing, and the food is geared around hunting and fishing," said Earhart.

The free dinner included nearly two dozen dishes, most of which were some sort of game - barbecue buck, elk shepherd pie, a wild pig and javelina lasagna, antelope summer sausage, and bear. Twelve-year-old Kingston Nyomo made an elk and deer steak dish.

Rick Hanks of Plains made a "shotgun chili" dish comprised of goose and deer burger, along with various spices. "Some of it was done with a shotgun and I vary it a bit," said Hanks, who has made the dish for the event every year. Earhart said they sometimes get some odd dishes, like the "Mile Marker 21" buck last year, the result of a roadkill deer.

Throughout the evening, Plains resident Kelly Moore, a retired Hot Springs School superintendent, drew names for nearly 40 prizes that ranged from a fishing lure to a large outdoor lounging chair. The grand prize was a shirt, cap and custom made knife from the Montana Knife Company out of Frenchtown, won by Tom Evans of Plains.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Game Warden Travis Johnson was one of the event's guest speakers. Johnson moved from Idaho to Plains two years ago and is responsible for about 1,500 square miles of Sanders County. He provided background on himself and answered questions about crossbow use, chronic wasting disease, the legality of killing evasive species, and the type of handgun he carries.

Plains resident Pat Connolly, the "great story teller," talked about hunting with the pastor for the last 20 years and gave some insight concerning his hunting and faith. He periodically took time to take some fun-poking jabs at his hunting partner. Connolly made similarities of hunting for game and witnessing for Christ. He said Earhart doesn't just talk hunting, he goes hunting. Connolly believes that the same goes for Christians. Only about 10% actually go out and spread the word of God.

The real sermon came from Matt Stephens, an associate pastor from Georgia, who traveled to Plains with four others to chop and stack wood for the Earhart family. Earhart had recently gone through a surgical procedure and was still recuperating. Stephens told the group that the joys of hunting, fishing, and other parts of life will come to an end. He asked if those present knew where they were going after life on earth ends. "This life is going to end and you can't take it with you," Stephens said in his strong Southern accent. He noted that if they go to the Lord, they will know where they're going. He added that, like hunting, they should be still and listen to what God is saying.