Home

Eating roadkill deer

Posted By: Gary Benson

Eating roadkill deer - 10/13/21 11:53 AM

How long do you s'pose a deer could lay along the road when hit at night? ( and the meat still be salvageable) It's going to be getting down into the 30s at night.
Posted By: MJM

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/13/21 11:59 AM

A deer will not cool off in 24 hours if the guts are in it and the hide on. Bow hunters leave them over night pretty often. They are bloated when they find them, but maybe they don't eat them. I guess I don't think it's going to kill you, but they can sour. You should be able to smell it.
Posted By: jbyrd63

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/13/21 12:01 PM

Some of the meat would be good couple hours but a deer bloats really fast I wouldn’t eat it past that Plus depending on damage and which part Around here too easy to kill are find one no one wants that has been handled properly
Posted By: Gary Benson

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/13/21 12:06 PM

Nebraska has a "feed the hungry" program where you can donate deer meat to folks that want it. Except you have to pay to have it processed at a locker first. I think not!
Posted By: 330-Trapper

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/13/21 01:04 PM

Going to Taxidermy school in the 80s another student was cutting meat off a roadkill . He had a pile of pinkish meat . I said what are you doing with that the hide is all chewed up . He said if it's Grey It's rotted, if it's pink it's still edible.

I THOUGHT HOW GROSS
Posted By: merganser

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/13/21 01:11 PM

I have shot a couple of deer that I didn't recover until the next morning, and the meat was fine. I think that there may be some that use the "bloating" as an excuse not to use the meat? I've seen animals start to "bloat" within minutes of them dying.
Posted By: Gary Benson

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/13/21 01:29 PM

I think the natives ate some meat that would turn anyone's stomach these days. Their fridges didn't work very well. laugh
Posted By: GREENCOUNTYPETE

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/13/21 01:33 PM

my wife wants an accurate TOD I am good with a safe window of time.

you will know when you stick a knife in them, unless your nose is broke do to the C-virus

last year I picked one up I was on the way to Farm and fleet cop was writing up the collision , 40 minutes later I was headed back home and stopped and loaded it in the truck , strait home to skin and quarter it was only 50 degrees.
the gut was broke but I did the gutless method and saved a lot of meat.

several years ago we found a buck Sunday morning of deer season , gut shot and still warm even with 30 degree temps we had hunted that spot mid day Saturday and would have seen it , we gutted it that stunk , well the whole thing just stunk even after cleaning it out very well after gutting, I skinned it and it still stunk it so we let that one go and drug it out back for the coyotes and such.


we have a donation program where the DNR or some donations to them pay for the processing but they don't take road kill. Many counties have a list at the sheriffs department as they used to be the ones to have to tag them. you call and get on the list and when they get a salvageable deer you get a call but you have to be able to go and get it right then.

after with was probably mine and other peoples persistent asking for it and bugging my state rep we got a road kill hotline. who wants to sit roadside and wait 40-60 minutes for a Sherriff to come from the far side of the county , and they are busy , mush of the time there are only 2 for the whole county. some places fewer than that.

now you have to have a DNR customer number and you call it in and answer questions or leave a message and they call you back if real late.
Posted By: Gary Benson

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/13/21 01:55 PM

Red tape. Perfect!
Posted By: J.Morse

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/13/21 02:18 PM

I have eaten many roadkill deer, or at least parts of them. I'd say take each one as it comes......some are going to be fine, others not so much. We have, on occasion, left deer til morning because of a suspected paunch hit, etc. Their intestines will absolutely look like balloon animals, but after dressing them we thoroughly wash them out with a white vinegar and water solution and proceed with the butchering. At times a road kill will have backstraps that are fine, even though the gut stink has ruined the tenderloins or the thicker areas have soured. Salvage what you can.
Posted By: GREENCOUNTYPETE

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/13/21 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by Gary Benson
Red tape. Perfect!


one phone call sure beats waiting for a deputy
Posted By: GREENCOUNTYPETE

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/13/21 03:02 PM

there is a big cat sanctuary that collects road kill , I know a Veterinarian that sees their cats , well not much since he got them going on the road kill maybe 10-12 years ago

each deer is cut into 6 sections

hind quarters 1,2

front shoulders 3,4

head and neck 5

torso 6

each cat gets one piece a day for 6 days

the torso and head and neck are very important mineral source for the cats

those big cats crunch right through the skull


a good low cost diet makes for healthy cats
Posted By: CoonsBane

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/13/21 03:30 PM

Let them age 7-10 days for more flavor and texture.
Posted By: walleye101

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/13/21 03:35 PM

I like about a 3 day taint before hauling to my bait stations.
Posted By: jbyrd63

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/13/21 03:36 PM

Originally Posted by merganser
I have shot a couple of deer that I didn't recover until the next morning, and the meat was fine. I think that there may be some that use the "bloating" as an excuse not to use the meat? I've seen animals start to "bloat" within minutes of them dying.


BIG difference in "road kill" and shot deer MOST road kill deer die from blunt force trauma, which will cause the meat to decompose differently. PLUS the black top is like a griddle cooking it if the sun is shining and it's still on the shoulder. How long was the recovered deer actually dead when you found it. Lot of variables involved in both cases. But your intestines your Dr bill . Risk reward question only each person can speak for themselves.
Posted By: The Beav

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/13/21 03:37 PM

Cut out the back straps and leave the rest lay.
Posted By: Blue Mt.Man

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/13/21 10:43 PM

Smoke it good to disguise the tangy taste.

Folow me for more cullinary tips. grin
Posted By: Tailhunter

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/13/21 10:46 PM

Originally Posted by Gary Benson
How long do you s'pose a deer could lay along the road when hit at night? ( and the meat still be salvageable) It's going to be getting down into the 30s at night.


Easily overnight.
Posted By: Tailhunter

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/13/21 10:50 PM

Originally Posted by The Beav
Cut out the back straps and leave the rest lay.


At a bare minimum.

I never let good meat go to waste.
Posted By: BigBob

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/13/21 11:44 PM

To salvage meat that's getting a little "Wiffy", rub it down heavily with baking soda.
Posted By: strike2x

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/14/21 12:11 AM

Or better yet drad it to a field and let your coyote get fat on it now and catch them later.
Posted By: grisseldog

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/14/21 12:22 AM

Iv hit several over the years, stop and load’em up
Hit a half grown doe on the way to work one morning abt 4am
Got to work ,Took it around back, gutted it , skinned it and cut it up
The machine shop guys had a grill , it was all consumed before quitting time.
Posted By: gcs

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/14/21 02:13 PM

Like most things..it depends, lol
Theres always a good side to a roadkill deer. grin
Posted By: HayDay

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/14/21 02:58 PM

Think I have mentioned this before, but back in the 60's, they once fed us a road kill deer in the school cafeteria. Small rural school and it was free meat. Guess it helped stretch the budget. Would be hilarious to try that today.
Posted By: Dan Barnhurst

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/14/21 03:27 PM

Never eaten road kill. But when I was backpacking around the mountains of southern Utah, doing cougar research for my masters thesis, I stole some meat from cougar killed deer more than once. When you are living on ramen noodles, instant oatmeal and hotdogs, some fresh backstraps roasted over the coals is too much temptation to pass up:)
Posted By: Gary Benson

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/14/21 04:16 PM

Some folks ain't never been hungry. I saw bacon at IGA yesterday for $16/lb. $6 for average burger. $18/lb ribeye. There's changes a comin.
Posted By: BigBob

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/14/21 09:22 PM

It's already here and it ain't done changing!
Posted By: NonPCfed

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/14/21 10:22 PM

I salvaged a back leg off of a deer in the morning of a deer killed the night before. I was the field sports director at "youth organization" summer camp. Some of the staff and me ate it. No problem.
Posted By: Ryan McLeod

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/14/21 10:40 PM

Originally Posted by Gary Benson
I think the natives ate some meat that would turn anyone's stomach these days. Their fridges didn't work very well. laugh



You don’t need a fridge when you know what you’re doing. Drying and smoking is how it’s done. We still do it today.
Posted By: Gary Benson

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/14/21 10:44 PM

I'm sure you're right. They learned by trial and error.
Posted By: Ryan McLeod

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/14/21 10:52 PM

Early settlers must’ve ate some nasty meat
Posted By: Boco

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/14/21 11:01 PM

When times were tough people ate their dogs,and aftet that ate their own moccassins.
Posted By: jk

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/14/21 11:56 PM

The closer to the road but not on it the more chance it was just hit in the head. Any that walk off a distance probably have internal injuries that will make the stink soon. Each has to be judged by itself there is not number of hours or time of day they all are a bit different.......jk
Posted By: Lugnut

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/15/21 01:09 AM

I guess it depends on how hungry you are.

The fresher the kill the better obviously. i've eaten plenty of road-kill, especially when I was younger and my state had much less liberal bag limits on deer.

The last fifteen-twenty years I kill enough to keep the family in deer meat year round.
Posted By: 330-Trapper

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/15/21 02:44 AM

Originally Posted by Gary Benson
Some folks ain't never been hungry. I saw bacon at IGA yesterday for $16/lb. $6 for average burger. $18/lb ribeye. There's changes a comin.

I better raise my price for a Quarter beef at $450.00
Posted By: Alex the dog

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/15/21 03:19 PM

Have picked up many road-kill over the years and each is a bit different depending on over-night temp and amount of damage. Here in NE Wisconsin we are finally getting below 50F at night but no frost yet. I don't feel a deer hit <12 hours previously would be an issue. Guys at work will even tell me about critters they saw when coming in from a different direction. They like it when I bring back smoked jerky for the crew to eat. Cheap payback when I get fresh tenderloins, chop meat and when fur is good a few bonus coyotes.

Dave
Posted By: Davisfur

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/15/21 03:40 PM

We picked them up all the time when I was growing up. We'd salvage what we could and feed the rest to the hounds. We just had to call the warden and he would bring us a carcass tag by later that day. We did it so often he finally just said "I know you folks are using them for a good purpose so you don't have to call anymore just pick em up." but now they have passed a law in Oklahoma that forbids you from picking up a road killed animal of any kind unless you are the one who hit it. I know a guy who was fined for stopping and cutting the antlers off of a roadkill buck. Turned in by a passersby. Cost him around $2,000 before it was all said and done.
Posted By: MikeTraps2

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/15/21 07:12 PM

I feel the inside hip on a back leg for warmth, I also only pick them up in the fall and winter.

Have eaten a good many road killed deer.
Posted By: Trapper Dahlgren

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/17/21 11:19 AM

pickup many roadkill , I keep a knife and zip= bags in my truck , here you just call a number smile
Posted By: wetdog

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/17/21 12:13 PM

When an animal dies without blood loss, it's flesh will be tough and have an OFF taste. IMO
I use them for bait stations. And if it's warm out I hang a quarter or 2 under bridges on trout streams.
Let them hang a few days, then fish wax worms around the bridge
Trout are better eating than roadkill. Again IMO
Posted By: Nittany Lion

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/17/21 12:28 PM

Are you saying the hanging road kill deer under a bridge attract trout?
Posted By: wetdog

Re: Eating roadkill deer - 10/17/21 12:29 PM

Originally Posted by Nittany Lion
Are you saying the hanging road kill deer under a bridge attract trout?

The maggots dropping in the water does
© 2024 Trapperman Forums