The operative word here is road- KILLED. Sometimes they aren’t dead. I picked up a red fox in the early 1980 n my way home from afternoon shift. It’s eyes were still glowing. I passed through a little town, and with the light of the street lights I could see the fox sitting up in the back of my Ford Escort. I pulled over, it jumped into the front seat, and I bailed out. Got the tire iron from the trunk and whacked it over the head.

Last year I was on my way to camp and saw two mink laying in the road. One was smashed, the other looked good. I threw it on the passenger side floor of the truck. An hour and a half later, when I pulled into camp, I noticed the chest moving up and down on mink. I gave it a wrap behind the head and skinned it. Couldn’t see another mark on it...must have been in some kinda coma.

My grandfather always told the story of picking up a red fox on his way to work and stopping by a fur buyer and dropping it off before work. Made 20 dollars and said it was more than he made at work that day. Not sure what year but I always remembered that and was kinda what sparked the fire to trap. He has since passed before I got into trapping much. I have picked up a few muskrats and a mink on the way to work but never made more than I did at work but always dream.

Roadkill is like a box of chocolates "you never know what you'er gonna get"

I always get road kill given to me during fur season. Rarely do I skin it. Folks round here know I trap and put up fur so I often come home to dead animals waiting in my driveway or left by my fur shed. Often get a laugh out of what’s dropped off. Once had an ugly road killed dog someone thought was a coyote.

Kinda hard to skin a bag pf Jell-O.
Dennis

I don't even stop for coons now, but I just can't let those grey fox lay there...
You can get on a "call list" for road killed deer... only catch is you have to take them the way they are, no cherry picking the best...

I pick-up whatever looks good. Skinning the fur critters is always an adventure. Our family vehicles all have 6mil 55 gallon garbage bags in the trunk for critters.

For deer in Wisconsin they made it easy to phone in or register on-line a roadkill which is very convenient. Each year pick-up 3-4 that either I find or get a call on. I think it is a shame to leave good meat go to waste and with a quick cut job you can go thru a carcass in 20 minutes or so and have the loins, rear quarters cut out.

Here was the last one from Jan 31st 1/2 way thru cutting. Made it into some snack sticks the next day, picture was from before smoking.

Dave

Those are awesome before and after pics.