Would you eat road kill?

[Bobby]

I was walking in my field and saw a car hit a deer. The deer ran into my field, staggered a bit, and fell. (The car drove off.)

Would this deer be OK for eating? Would I need a permit? Does it have to be deer season?

 

[steves]

Too many variables, at certain times the deer won't be good at all. and it depends where the animal was hit. if you don't know the different signs stay away from it and hit the grocery store.

 

[BCBabe]

If road-kill was good eating, the local food banks where I live wouldn't suffer so badly in the winter months, someone seems to clip a deer on a weekly basis up this way.

There was a year that saw B.C. lose a LOT of moose... to trains. The creatures would seek the respite of the lack of snow (it was a heavy-snow year) on the tracks, and get nailed by a train.... and none of the creatures were fit for eating, it was so sad.

 

[twodogs]

I have hit deer with autos and semi trucks , and have pick up deer That other people have hit . As long as the intestines and guts are not torn up and its real fresh like with in minutes of it being hit you should be ok . I have picked them up in all seasons and you have to get them processed fairly quick .

 

[dinosaur]

I don't care much about permits. If an animal drops dead on my land, it's mine. True, I have coerced a few of them over the years. But I think that road kill is a question of how much damage has been created. I took a doe once that I saw hit in the head. There was no other damage so I scooped her up and butchered her. It was either that or leave her for the coyotes.

 

[hunter44mag]

Gun, car, truck? You may not be able to savage all parts, but there would be nothing wrong with talking the undamaged parts of a fresh kill. As for permits, call a Fish and Game officer in you state for questions.

 

[Chippin]

The thought never occurred to me to eat roadkill of any kind, though I guess if it hasn't been dead that long to attract flies or other nasty bugs, I might just take a deer or such that was hit by a car. Deer can take more beatings than the smaller animals can so there should still be good parts on it.

 

[ChadTower]

I see no problem with it if reasonable meat handling precautions are taken.

 

[jacob321]

I thought as long as everything is in tack it would be ok to eat.

 

[FireBuilder]

Out of curiosity I called Town Hall to ask. They said I could take it, but I'd have to report it to DEC, and no, it wouldn't count as one taken on my license. I wonder how many people report the deer they hit to DEC? I sure never have.

 

[dinosaur]

FireBuilder, what is DEC? Here we have the DNR which is Department of Natural Resources. I'm just curious. I figure it's the same deal with a different moniker.

Here we pretty much have to do the same thing. It is legal to possess a road kill deer if you are on the way to a check station, no permit required.

 

[Stevealb]

Here in Missouri there are lists in a lot of counties of people that will take vehicle killed deer. Quite often when you report it you will be asked if you want the deer, I know several persons that have taken the animal and had it processed. The local Sheriff or Game Warden will issue you a permit to posess it. You are suppossed to report it if you hit a deer.

 

[YogiBear]

It's against the law here but I think the sheriff will ask if you want it too. What is bad to me is when it isn't deer and people scoop up the road kill and eat it. Nutrias, possums and god knows what else.

 

[tentmom]

Nope, you never know what is wrong with the deer. I mean something could have exploded inside it and it would be nasty when you cut it open. I don't like deer meat anyway.