Roadkill Is Not Food!

June 3, 2010

Question:A friend recently hit a deer, causing about $1,200 damage to the vehicle. He picked up the deer and put it in his truck to take home for food. He was stopped by a sheriff’s deputy who told him to take the deer out of his vehicle or he would be cited. I heard that it is legal to pick up “roadkill.” Can you please clarify this? (Sandy B.)

Answer: The officer was correct. It is illegal to pick up roadkill wildlife in California. No one may possess wildlife in any form unless the animal was legally taken by a licensed hunter during the hunting season for that species and while using approved harvest methods. Given this, even if the first criteria were true (your friend was a licensed hunter), motor vehicles are not a legal method of take. The next time your friend sees an animal killed on the roadway, he should not attempt to retrieve it for any purpose.

   But it's been tenderized already !   

drag it into the bushes take the.back straps, toss em in the ice chest and drive on... :smt006on...

"The next time your friend sees an animal killed on the roadway, he should not attempt to retrieve it for any purpose."

How about non-game animals?

Last Thursday on an extended road trip I saw quite a collection of roadkill animals.  Beaver, porcupines, ringtail cat, skunks, fox, coyotes, raccoons and birds of prey.  Amazingly, no cats or dogs.  Game animals included deer and, unfortunately, quail that I donated to the collection.

Too bad I was pressed for time, I would have liked to have skinned a couple of the fresher kills.

One time my buddy hit a small doe after CHP took report he asked if we wanted the deer😮 if we would have a way to take it we would have..... We were in a small 2 door...

Such an absurd law.  Throughout the world, roadkill is seen as food.......even in most of the US. In many places it's considered disrespectful not to consume roadkill.  There's no evidence in states where it's legal that folks smash up their cars to get a deer or something.

eat it before anyone notices.
thats what I do