Buffalo, boar and elk? Oh my!

Over 20 years ago, a group of friends gathered at a warehouse in south Lafourche and did what most people in south Louisiana do at a get together—cooked, socialized and played cards, amongst other things. Today, that tradition is carried on by the Bayou Civic Club, and will continue on Thursday, March 29, at the Larose Civic Center.

The supper, starting at 6 p.m., is open to the public, but tickets have to be purchased in advance. Prices are expected to be $35, according to Brian Detillier, executive director of the Bayou Civic Club.

Detillier said the unique thing about the supper is that the menu is made exclusively of dishes that include wild game.

“It started off with a few dishes of wild game,” he said. “It’s grown since then to the event that we have nowadays.”

The growth that Detillier speaks of is obvious. What started as a small gathering of friends grew into a gathering of over 600 people in 2006.

“Last year was an event of over 600 people,” he recalled, “that included over 38 different dishes made with wild game.”

Detillier said those dishes included deer, elk, buffalo, Russian boar, quail, rabbit and more.

“A bunch of different ingredients that go into each different dish,” he said.

While the focus of the night is the menu of wild game dishes, Detillier said another aspect of the evening meant to entertain patrons is a display of mounted animals. “Usually we try to do a theme for the event,” he explained. “Last year we did a variety of African animals. The year before was a variety of different bears from all over the world. We had a Russian bear and a polar bear animal mount that was contributed by local people for viewing.”

Detillier said the theme for this year is yet to be determined, but attendees can expect to see a variety of animals.

Funds from the event go toward the “long-term endowment” of the Larose Civic Center, Detillier said. “It’s to make sure this facility stays open for years to come,” he added. “We are one of the only community facilities that is privately owned. We don’t receive any funds from parish or state funding, to operate. The events that we have here basically operate this building from year to year.”

The Bayou Civic Club formed in 1973 through community involvement, explained Detiller. “They wanted to produce a place where area kids could come and have a place to play ball, swim and for recreation. It’s grown into the facility and grounds that we have now.”

For more information on attending the annual Wild Game Supper, call (985) 693-7355.

Buffalo, boar and elk? Oh my!