BENTONVILLE, Ark. (AP, posted Sept. 11, 2016) — Seven states and more than 30 teams were represented at the 2016 World Championship Squirrel Cook-off in northwest Arkansas.

Amateur and professional chefs set up dozens of tents Saturday on the Bentonville square, as thousands lined up early to dine on various recipes for cooking the fluffy-tailed rodent.

"It's always a good time, even when you don't win," said Natalie Morrison of Hiwasse Girls Cooking Squirrel. Morrison's main dish was squirrel stroganoff. And she added a dessert this year: a fried pie filled with four-berry jam, cream cheese,...