Winter in the Northwoods can feel long. The lakes freeze over, the trails get quiet between snowmobile runs, and folks start hunting for reasons to gather outside. That’s where the Blind Pig in Rhinelander comes in — literally rolling frozen turkeys down the ice of Boom Lake.
This past Saturday, over 100 people showed up for the bar and grill’s second annual turkey bowling tournament. For fifteen bucks a team, families and friends grabbed turkeys of varying sizes and sent them sliding toward makeshift pins on the frozen lake.
It’s exactly the kind of wonderfully weird event that makes Northwoods winters bearable.
How Turkey Bowling Actually Works
Frank Kovac, the Blind Pig’s Activities Manager, spent the morning sorting turkeys by size. Big ones for the competitive teams. Small and medium ones for kids who wanted in on the action.
“We got big, small and medium,” Kovac explained. “If the kids want to come out here, small ones, then we’re just making it happen.”
The setup is simpler than you’d think. Teams set up bowling pins on the ice, grab a frozen turkey, and let it rip down a lane carved into the snow. The turkeys slide surprisingly well on smooth ice, and watching a twelve-pound bird knock down pins never gets old.
Here’s what made this year’s tournament work:
- $15 entry fee per team kept it affordable for families
- Multiple turkey sizes welcomed bowlers of all ages and strength levels
- Direct access from the Blind Pig’s waterfront location made logistics easy
- Over 100 attendees created a festival atmosphere on the ice
Building Something Bigger on Boom Lake
Last year’s turkey bowling was a trial run. Kovac and his team wanted to figure out the logistics before going all-in.
This year focused on smoothing out the event itself. Next year? They’re adding a fundraising component for regional veteran associations.
“This year, we’re just trying to get the event to run smooth,” Kovac said. “We plan next year to do a little fundraising for a couple of our regional veteran associations.”
It’s a natural evolution. The Northwoods has always taken care of its veterans, and tying a community event to that cause feels right.
Participant Jeff Devor summed up the vibe: “Blind Pig does a great job.”
“If the kids want to come out here, we’re just making it happen.” — Frank Kovac, Blind Pig Activities Manager
Why Northwoods Bars Keep Inventing Winter Traditions
The Blind Pig sits right on Boom Lake, north of Highway 47 on Rhinelander’s chain of lakes. In summer, folks boat in for burgers. In winter, snowmobile trails run directly past the property, making it a natural stop for riders.
But January and February can be slow months. The lake’s frozen, the boat docks are buried in snow, and cabin traffic drops off. Events like turkey bowling give people a reason to bundle up and get outside.
Rhinelander’s tavern culture has always leaned into this. Places like Pat’s Tavern & Grill, operating since 1930, built their reputations on being community gathering spots year-round. The Blind Pig follows that same tradition, just with more frozen poultry involved.
The name itself carries history. “Blind pig” comes from Prohibition, when Wisconsin taverns disguised illegal booze sales behind restaurant fronts to dodge license restrictions. Most evolved into legitimate family spots after 1933, keeping the colorful names as badges of honor.
What It Takes to Bowl on a Frozen Lake
Boom Lake needs solid ice for this to work. Oneida County monitors lake conditions throughout winter, and safety is always first priority.
This year’s weather cooperated. Cold temperatures locked in thick ice early, giving the Blind Pig confidence to move forward with the event.
Variable winters make planning tricky. Some years the ice comes late or stays thin. Other years you could drive a truck across by New Year’s. That unpredictability is part of Northwoods life.
But when conditions align, the frozen lakes become stages for exactly this kind of creativity. Turkey bowling joins ice fishing derbies, pond hockey tournaments, and snowmobile poker runs as proof that Northwoods folks refuse to hibernate just because it’s twenty degrees out.
Looking Ahead to Next Year’s Tournament
The Blind Pig’s plans for 2026 sound promising. Adding a veteran fundraiser gives the event deeper purpose while keeping the fun intact.
Expect the tournament to grow. Word spreads fast in Oneida County when something’s worth doing, and over 100 people at year two suggests this could become a Rhinelander winter staple.
Kovac and his team are already thinking logistics. More lanes, better organization, maybe some prizes beyond bragging rights.
For now, the formula works: frozen turkeys, willing bowlers, and a Northwoods community that knows how to make winter fun instead of just tolerable. If you missed this year’s event, mark your calendar for next January. Bring the kids, grab a turkey, and discover why sometimes the best traditions are the ones that sound completely ridiculous until you try them.
Because up here, winter’s only as boring as you let it be.
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