Just Curious On What All States Do?!

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Rafter H BBQ

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Jun 18, 2013
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S.E. Idaho
Hey all, so living in Idaho my whole life…. I used to get so infuriated at our Fish & Game when there was an animal get hit… There was a no salvage law… To see most of a moose, elk, deer or antelope just lay there and rot away made me so damn mad… I could spit tacks! There are homeless shelters, crisis centers… etc that could put that meat to good use!

So, I assume after MANY complaints… Idaho changed their law to where if an animal/vehicle collision occurs… you can now legally take the animal and process it! Just have to report to Fish & Game where it was hit and species…

I am so glad that law changed! It really is a benefit to everyone!

Take yesterday… prime example… 1/4 mile down from the house taking my daughter to work… a pretty good sized whitetail doe was hit and laying on the side of the road… know it was fresh cause we travel that road several times daily! I was thinking… yea… I’ll drop her off… go get the truck and butcher time… Well, not so lucky… someone had already picked it up… hoping it went to good use!

Anyway, that’s our laws and how they changed… interested in others commenting on how their states address this issue.

Thanks for playing along…
 
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Tennessee if I’m not wrong has a law pretty much like that. Mississippi I’m not too sure about. Like you I hate to see an animal just rot away on the side of the road.

Jim
 
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BTW, just adding… we are very fortunate to have meat be it wild and domestic in the freezer! I’d have likely taken a small portion to make some jerky from that doe… then donated everything else cut and wrapped to our local Ladies center… ones that seek shelter due to abuse! My wife is a huge advocate of that… so thats where the majority would have gone!
 
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Pretty sure here we have to get a donation slip from a wildlife officer. But boy, we have stripped a bunch of back straps out of elk and deer that were fresh. Why not?
Yep that's correct, you have to go to Parks & Willife and they'll give you a permit. Here in Colorado.
 
So....had to google that. Looks like in Utah you just have to to call DWR and tell them you are taking something. The law does specify that you cannot purposely hit an animal....cause that's a dick move. But even if you just hit it, and you're sure its dead, you can take it.

However you can't take anything with antlers 🤷‍♂️. If it has antlers you have to leave the head.
 
In Vermont if you hit a deer the police will give you a tag and you can keep it. It used to be the F&G would take the deer and give it to the local food shelf, or it would just rot on the side of the road. It's an expensive way to get venison, but it's better than letting it go to waste.
 
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Missouri will give you a tag for deer. They trap hogs and through in ditch. There excuse is afraid the poor would not cook to 165 temp . Blame lawyers for that nonsenses. Donated deer are processed and then offered to food pantry's. Inner city people turn there nose up like to good to eat venison. On food stamps and everyone in family's are obese and want beef.
 
Here in Florida if you're outside of the Mouse House and attraction areas, a vehicle hit deer or pig will be picked up and gone before you can even come to a full stop.

A few years ago I was riding with a friend and he hit a deer. I convinced him to stop to check for damage. I secretly wanted the deer. By the time I confirmed the front end of the car was good there were 2 people arguing over the deer down the road. He felt bad for killing an animal and didn't want a deer in the trunk of his Lexus anyways.....
 
About all we have to hit here is rattlesnakes, lizards, and scorpions.

And the occasional armadillo! Saw a ton dead on the road when I was out there!

Jim


Rattlesnake ain't half bad if you cook it right. I hear armadillo is decent but also can carry leprosy.

I already make enough questionable choices on my weekends. I don't need to throw leprosy in the mix.
 
Generally whatever agency is at the scene issues a tag for a deer. I don't recall who it was, but someone I know got more deer in the freezer through roadkill tags then they did hunting one year.
 
Minnesota we can keep road kill there with a report to Game Warden. My father got his last deer with a road strike back in 1990's. He called after bleeding and hauling to the next telephone which happened to be his brother. Game Warden knew him and said the tag is in the mail. Meat processors in MN are required to have a wild game tag to accept the meat.

Pretty sure here we have to get a donation slip from a wildlife officer. But boy, we have stripped a bunch of back straps out of elk and deer that were fresh. Why not?
When I lived out west (Washington) there was no taking of road kill. Oregon was the same.
Rumor was many stopped to harvest back straps.

Rafter H BBQ Rafter H BBQ
Idaho is still open range laws? Hit a beef and it is your's?
 
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In Alaska there is a way to register with the state to be on a list of people / organizations that are called to salvage when a critter is crunched. Mostly charitable organizations. But, they call, and if you don't want to or can't do it right then, no matter the time or weather, they move on to the next person on the list. It is not wasted.
 
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