Davey Sightler, who leads the Smokin’ Ashes cook team, has lost count of how many times he’s won the Covington County Wild Game Cookoff.

“I know I had 29 total plaques before tonight,” he said Thursday night, just after his team won “Best Overall” in the 2017 event, as well as third place in the fish division for, first place in the fowl division, and third place in the game division.

It was the dish that won first place in fowl – Turkey Tots with Taco Sauce – that also won the best overall dish.

Sightler said he wrapped cream cheese with a slice of turkey and a piece of bacon, dipped it in an egg wash, the floured and fried it. The Taco Sauce with which it was served had 16 ouces of cream cheese, 12 ounces of sour cream, and two packets of Taco Bell original taco seasoning.

By winning the local competition, he and his team members – Addie Sightler, Michelle Spicer, Fletcher Spicer, Gage Sightler and JayLee Spicer – earned a berth at this year’s state cookoff. Traditionally, he said, whatever dish wins the local competition is the one he prepares at state.

For the fish division, Addie Sightler created Seaside Mac N Cheese, which was a cheese macaroni with shrimp and crab. In the game division, the team entered Southwestern Venison Stew, which included smoked meat, a little pork, and black beans.

Other winners were:

• Best Fish – Ken’s Cookers, second place; Covey Down Gang, first place.
• Best fowl – PowerSouth, second place; Southeast Gas, third place.
• Game – PowerSouth, first palce; Dead Run, second place.

Best presentation – Team Advantage; Covey Down Gang, runner-up.

The event is a fundraiser for the Alabama Wildlife Federation.