The Guild Field & Pit
Wild Game Library
Field-to-smoker recipes for what you brought home — big game, waterfowl, upland birds, small game, and wild turkey. Every recipe includes safe internal temps, the right wood, and the brines and cures that keep lean game meat from drying out on the pit. Rub Library → Sauce Library → Marinade Library →
Cooking wild game, straight up
Wild game is lean. Most wild proteins carry a fraction of the intramuscular fat of grocery-store meat. Brines, bacon wraps, and pulling early are how you protect the finished bite.
Safe temperatures matter. Bear and wild boar must reach 160°F+ to kill Trichinella. Wild birds follow the same 165°F rule as poultry. When curing for cold smoke, Cure #1 is not optional.
Wood should complement, not cover. Match the wood to the flavor — apple and cherry for waterfowl and small game, oak and hickory for big game, pecan for wild turkey. Save mesquite for the heaviest cuts only.