Roadkill Is Not Food!

November 27, 2014

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.

Pfff...I'll bring my dogs home some scrap if the donor is still bleeding. Cut some quick prime and leave the rest for the birds!

Dumb wasteful law in California. In Alaska, you hit it, you can take it home for food; especially a moose.

Dumb wasteful law in California. In Alaska, you hit it, you can take it home for food; especially a moose.

I thought that in Alaska, the animal went into a lottery system, in which a local resident is chosen at random and they can then come out and pick up the carcass.

I think the worry is that if the person who runs it over can take it home, then it creates incentive to run over animals.

Dumb wasteful law in California. In Alaska, you hit it, you can take it home for food; especially a moose.

I thought that in Alaska, the animal went into a lottery system, in which a local resident is chosen at random and they can then come out and pick up the carcass.

I think the worry is that if the person who runs it over can take it home, then it creates incentive to run over animals.

Yeah, depends on the where in Alaska.  Near metro areas, a hit moose is processed for the needy.  In more remote areas, a lottery system kicks in.

-Allen

Ok here's my question in return;

Is there a special permit to pick up roadkill?!?

For example, I could have sworn that Indian  tribes can, when found can  pick up dead Hawks and Eagles for their feathers.

I remember this from a  boys scouts field trip.  Please tell me I'm right and not a fool.

Last year there was a three point that got smacked in the ass on a pretty heavily used Connector road from Redding to Happy Valley. My mother had seen it, still alive right off the road. She called me and said that someone was gonna get in a accident because of it.

I went down there with the .22 to finish it off and drag it further off the road. When I got there I was the third guy in line. A lady that I went to high school with said she had stopped first and was waiting for her husband to get there. She did ask if I wanted to split it with them though. I said no, she had mentioned that they hadn't got a buck that season, I had. I didn't mention it was going to dog food anyhow.

Her husband got there and dispatched the deer with a .38 and I helped him load it up,  both happy that he got some meat for the freezer. Things are done a little different up here.

Its a crappy law, but put in place for the guys going trying to hit deer. However, I have no problem cutting off a back strap or front/hind quarters if they are salvageable.

I think the worry is that if the person who runs it over can take it home, then it creates incentive to run over animals.

YEAH, That is worth the damage that a animal causes to a vehicle when hit...
Your probably right but its just another Stupid Cali law

I think the worry is that if the person who runs it over can take it home, then it creates incentive to run over animals.

YEAH, That is worth the damage that a animal causes to a vehicle when hit...
Your probably right but its just another Stupid Cali law

Depends on the vehicle and the type of animal. Someone with a giant steel-bumpered pickup probably would have no problem hitting a fawn or small doe. I think it's a good law for that exact reason. Lottery makes more sense.

Last year there was a three point that got smacked in the ass on a pretty heavily used Connector road from Redding to Happy Valley. My mother had seen it, still alive right off the road. She called me and said that someone was gonna get in a accident because of it.

I went down there with the .22 to finish it off and drag it further off the road. When I got there I was the third guy in line. A lady that I went to high school with said she had stopped first and was waiting for her husband to get there. She did ask if I wanted to split it with them though. I said no, she had mentioned that they hadn't got a buck that season, I had. I didn't mention it was going to dog food anyhow.

Her husband got there and dispatched the deer with a .38 and I helped him load it up,  both happy that he got some meat for the freezer. Things are done a little different up here.

love this anecdote!  axed if you wanted to split . . . 

I think the worry is that if the person who runs it over can take it home, then it creates incentive to run over animals.

YEAH, That is worth the damage that a animal causes to a vehicle when hit...
Your probably right but its just another Stupid Cali law

Depends on the vehicle and the type of animal. Someone with a giant steel-bumpered pickup probably would have no problem hitting a fawn or small doe. I think it's a good law for that exact reason. Lottery makes more sense.

Give me a break! yeah I can see it now as soon as it's legal I'm gonna put a steel bumper on my ride and cruise the interstate looking for prey. It's a dumb law.

I would think there wouldn't be a lot of people that choose to roadkill an animal to eat it.  A heavily bruised piece of venison isn't too high on my list.

-Allen

Today at 07:32:30 PM #12
>< snipped......A heavily bruised piece of venison isn't too high on my list.

-Allen

^^^ that! - for me, too. I gotta say the temptation has been there, but the regs and this stopped me.

I would think there wouldn't be a lot of people that choose to roadkill an animal to eat it.  A heavily bruised piece of venison isn't too high on my list.

-Allen

came up on a very fresh roadkill deer years ago in Missouri.  it was still alive but back was broken.  I killed it, butchered it and we ate it...


dumb law