Roadglide
NES Member
Just got a road kill at work. I can field dress it but won’t have time to skin and process it until after work later this evening. Temp will reach about 50. Should I pack ice bags inside the cavity?
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Road kill
- Thread starter Roadglide
- Start date
HorizontalHunter
NES Member
When I keep one in this temperature I will pack it with frozen 1/2 gallon milk jugs and wrap it in a tarp.
One goes in the cavity but that’s not where moser of the meat is. I jug always goes in between the hams and several go across the top of the back, to protect the meat there, before I wrap it in a tarp.
I would do the same with ice bags.
Bob
One goes in the cavity but that’s not where moser of the meat is. I jug always goes in between the hams and several go across the top of the back, to protect the meat there, before I wrap it in a tarp.
I would do the same with ice bags.
Bob
Roadglide
NES Member
Head shot. And not a high rate of speed. My first field dress. Looks like I did ok. Everything looks ok. No more blood than I’ve seen in videos
Goliathan
NES Member
You can claim the meat but I believe you're supposed to report it to Fish & Wildlife and have EPO check it within 24 hours, unprocessed. They can give you (or whoever hit it) a permit to keep the meat. I wouldn't waste one of my tags on it.
www.mass.gov
Or, you know...
321 CMR 2.00: Miscellaneous Regulations
This is an unofficial version of Commonwealth regulations and is posted here for the convenience of the public. It is not an official statement of the regulations.
Or, you know...
Roadglide
NES Member
Called environmental police. They came out and tagged it for me and gave me the procedure for the future. Nice guy. Very easy.
Don't know what state your event took place in, ( MA ?? ) but I salvaged a fresh road kill in Maine many years ago. A nice 120 lb. spike buck with a broken neck, everything else intact and still very warm on a 0-10 degree winter morning. Called the local PD and they arrived in about ten minutes ( at 0430 ) and tagged it for me.
Ain't nothing wrong with road kill if it's salvaged in time. I look for them around here all winter. I'll salvage them if I can, for my eating or for my dogs.
Roadglide
NES Member
Yes MA. Guy I work with usually takes the road kills but he was out today. The weather actually kind of cooperated for me and the deer was undamaged for the most part. This was my first try at butchering myself. Did ok. Not my finest moment but it was a good learning experience.
You learn as you go, the main thing is not to waste any meat. No matter what part of the deer, it's all edible......excluding the entrails.....those go to the buzzards and coyotes. I always keep the heart and liver, and what meat cuts I don't wrap for me goes in bags for my dogs.
There's lots of youtubes on butchering deer, very informative.
Glad that worked out for you and the EPOs were accommodating, not all of them are with roadkill. Call them first next time to get permission to possess, otherwise you are illegally in possession of a deer. No hunting tags are ever needed for roadkill deer, but explicit permission from the EPO's is necessary if you aren't the driver of the vehicle that struck it. Sometimes they won't come and tag it and you'll have to go to a MassWildlife office. Make sure you record the call log number of your conversation with the EPOs when/if they authorize your possession of it. I realize sometimes deer get salvaged in all manner of ways, I'm just telling you the correct legal way.
Roadglide
NES Member
The possession part is a little different for me when at work. We are the ones dispatched by the police to get them off the road but good to know if I’m rolling off hours and come across one. Thanks
Yeah so if you're a DPW guy i'm sure there's no problem getting them off the road for disposal, but salvage for personal use is obviously different, thus the suggestion in my post. At this point in the season w/ my success (lack) thus far, if I see a roadkill i'm probably slowing way down to take a look haha.
