Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Around the Campfire => Topic started by: mcginnis6010 on October 31, 2013, 02:39:59 pm

Title: Thoughts and opinions on roadkill deer?
Post by: mcginnis6010 on October 31, 2013, 02:39:59 pm
Well as i was taking the kids to school this morning i came across a rather large button buck on the side of the road with a broken neck. So of course i t stopped to check it out and it was still warm to the touch so i called for a deputy from the sherrifs department, got a kill tag for it and promptly took it home after dropping off the kids and ended up with just a lil over 40lbs pf delicious venison! Just wondering if anyone else does or has done this before usually ive always killed my deer myself but as ive had no luck thus this far i figured id get some free meat while it was fresh.
Title: Re: Thoughts and opinions on roadkill deer?
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on October 31, 2013, 03:04:25 pm
I don't touch them myself. I worry about exploded bladders, intestines and stomachs. That can taint a whole deer in short order. Kind of like gut shot deer, that smell just never leaves no matter how much you rinse and scrub them. If your sure it was a simple broken neck, what the heck grab him.
Title: Re: Thoughts and opinions on roadkill deer?
Post by: Ed Brooks on October 31, 2013, 03:11:40 pm
I have gotten a few road kills, one had hit its head on the side mirror and had a spot of blood shot about the size of your fist for waist. I say go for it, if it's not too old or mangled. That is being a hunter gather.  ;D Ed 
Title: Re: Thoughts and opinions on roadkill deer?
Post by: osage outlaw on October 31, 2013, 03:14:40 pm
Your are making use out of something that was going to go to waste.  As long as the meat isn't damaged you will have some tender and tasty meals.  Good for you.
Title: Re: Thoughts and opinions on roadkill deer?
Post by: Eric Krewson on October 31, 2013, 03:28:38 pm
One thing have learned is if the deer has been hit square in the body, don't gut it, strip off the usable meat by using the gutless quartering method. Often the guts will be ruptured on a hard hit deer, best to leave them in the cavity.

So far I have only picked up one deer that was hit by a truck right in front of me. At the plant I worked at 5 to 10 a year would be hit on the access road, word spread quickly in the plant when one was hit, someone in the plant would retrieve the meat as quickly as possible.
Title: Re: Thoughts and opinions on roadkill deer?
Post by: bow101 on October 31, 2013, 03:57:35 pm
We gutted one once and the meat was OK except for the one side that was hit by the car.  It was bloodied and bruised to kingdom come,  the other side was perfect.
Title: Re: Thoughts and opinions on roadkill deer?
Post by: mullet on October 31, 2013, 06:19:00 pm
 One year I shot two and cleaned three road kill. One wasn't dead when I stopped. It's back was broken and it was sitting on it's haunches, and everybody driving by was taking pictures untill I stopped and hit it in the head with a hammer and loaded it up.
Title: Re: Thoughts and opinions on roadkill deer?
Post by: KrisDelger on October 31, 2013, 06:32:15 pm
Can't say I've collected a road killed deer but I've scraped plenty of coyotes off the asphalt during winter when the hides are still good. Out here they usually get cold enough that rot doesn't start for about 8 hours after a hit so if I get them within that first 8 I can skin em out and tan the hides, just nasty when they've been snowed on since then they stink of wet nasty yote
Title: Re: Thoughts and opinions on roadkill deer?
Post by: bubby on October 31, 2013, 06:53:38 pm
can't do it here , they will run your but in
Title: Re: Thoughts and opinions on roadkill deer?
Post by: mcginnis6010 on October 31, 2013, 06:55:40 pm
Yea i was pretty lucky it was just a broken neck and still fresh the blood was still warm an flowing good. Another plus is all the sinew i got from it and all the bone tools and implements i can make from the ribs, leg bones etc.
Title: Re: Thoughts and opinions on roadkill deer?
Post by: mcginnis6010 on October 31, 2013, 06:57:34 pm
Yea here in Virginia you just gotta call a deputy to come write you a kill tag to make it legal. Most cops dont mind.
Title: Re: Thoughts and opinions on roadkill deer?
Post by: Poggins on October 31, 2013, 07:51:21 pm
Here in Oklahoma we call the local game warden , they will get you a carcass tag most of the time ( the good ones will ask if you need a tag , I just tell them as long as they know where I got it I don't need one , I get along real good with my warden , we have the same enemies , dang poachers ).
I have saved several backstraps and hind quarters that would have went to waste , one buck on particular was one that a friend ,y brother and myself had been hunting , cop car hit it at about ninety miles an hour , square in the rump , saved most of the back straps and some of the front shoulders  and the warden have us a carcass tag and let us keep the antlers , dang nice eight point .
And on the road I work on we have drug them out of sight and saved back straps for the grill on rainy days , we do make sure they are fresh , we know the ones we call the troopers to dispatch are fresh , we can't finish one off in front of the traveling public .
Title: Re: Thoughts and opinions on roadkill deer?
Post by: TRACY on October 31, 2013, 08:35:05 pm
9 times out of 10 the loins are good to go and I can loin it out with my Swiss pocket knife in under two minutes and I'm outta there. Get tired of seeing them rot and going to waste just because they are plentiful in my area. Been doing it for years. Like Eric said the gutless approach works fine. Sometimes hind quarters without road rash are disarticulated as quick as the loin. Good eats!

Tracy
Title: Re: Thoughts and opinions on roadkill deer?
Post by: mcginnis6010 on October 31, 2013, 11:17:31 pm
Yea here in VA if you want a piece of roadkill deer you gotta take the whole carcass with you. Besides if not all of the meat is edible then you can at least harvest some good useable materials from it.
Title: Re: Thoughts and opinions on roadkill deer?
Post by: Weylin on October 31, 2013, 11:52:39 pm
Can't do it, period, in Oregon. it's BS.  >:(
Title: Re: Thoughts and opinions on roadkill deer?
Post by: chamookman on November 01, 2013, 04:16:00 am
I've eaten LOTS of road kill Whitetail. There is a creek about 200 yards from My house, and the deer cross there regularly. The Yuppies are usually so shook up from hitting Bambi, I talk them out of the "Poor Deer" soon as the permit is written by the Police  >:D. Bob
Title: Re: Thoughts and opinions on roadkill deer?
Post by: Pappy on November 01, 2013, 05:38:52 am
Done it several times,nothing needed in TN. but pick it up and get it out of the way. ;) :)
  Pappy
Title: Re: Thoughts and opinions on roadkill deer?
Post by: Olanigw (Pekane) on November 01, 2013, 09:30:15 am
Here in Vermont, you can only have the carcass you hit if you call it in to the police.  The officer has to determine it was an accident, then you can take it home.  If he determines you did it on purpose, you're a poacher and get written up.

I've heard rumors that VT DFW maintains a call list for every county to pick up fresh kill, but there's nothing on the website and I haven't wanted the meat bad enough to call my warden about it.
Title: Re: Thoughts and opinions on roadkill deer?
Post by: bowtarist on November 01, 2013, 11:29:43 am
Long as you know what you're doin when you clean it, and it sounds like you do.  I have probably gotten more RKill deer then I've killed with a weapon.  :-[ I've hit um, seen um hit, found um on my way home when they wern't there when I was going, killed a couple that wern't dead, called the sheriff on most, and on a couple didn't worry about it.  Usually some where is bruised up and not worth using, the dog will eat that though.  Supposed to call the law, but they sometimes have no idea what to do, specially late night, and someone may call you back or may not where I live. I say go for it if your comfortable with it and watch out for bad spots.  I like the idea of krewson's method of guttless quartering. I did that to a turkey once. dp
Title: Re: Thoughts and opinions on roadkill deer?
Post by: silverfox on November 01, 2013, 02:49:57 pm
One year I shot two and cleaned three road kill. One wasn't dead when I stopped. It's back was broken and it was sitting on it's haunches, and everybody driving by was taking pictures untill I stopped and hit it in the head with a hammer and loaded it up.



Putting it out of its misery was the thing to do, but the hammer part is too funny  LOL  LOL  LOL
Title: Re: Thoughts and opinions on roadkill deer?
Post by: mullet on November 01, 2013, 04:40:14 pm
That's all I had ::). Stopped at the 7-11, bought some Zip Locks and got to the job and hung it from the side rearview mirrow on the Drill rig and skinned and deboned it. ;D
Title: Re: Thoughts and opinions on roadkill deer?
Post by: jeffhalfrack on November 01, 2013, 04:44:15 pm
You did the right thing!  now you must have a Taco night!............ good on you  JeffW
Title: Re: Thoughts and opinions on roadkill deer?
Post by: mcginnis6010 on November 01, 2013, 10:41:28 pm
The wife wasnt too happy about it bein inthe trunk of her car but she stopped complaining when she saw all the steaks, tenderloins and burger meat lol. I actually felt better about butchering him up than when i kill them myself. I think its because i didnt let it go to waste and was able to shoe the animal respect by using as much of him as i could instead of letting him rot.
Title: Re: Thoughts and opinions on roadkill deer?
Post by: JW_Halverson on November 01, 2013, 10:54:00 pm
One year I shot two and cleaned three road kill. One wasn't dead when I stopped. It's back was broken and it was sitting on it's haunches, and everybody driving by was taking pictures untill I stopped and hit it in the head with a hammer and loaded it up.



Putting it out of its misery was the thing to do, but the hammer part is too funny  LOL  LOL  LOL

Now picture mullet in 90's parachute pants, tank top, and too many gold chains doing a little dance before doing the double tap with his roofing hammer..."HAMMERTIME"
Title: Re: Thoughts and opinions on roadkill deer?
Post by: silverfox on November 03, 2013, 10:23:35 am
One year I shot two and cleaned three road kill. One wasn't dead when I stopped. It's back was broken and it was sitting on it's haunches, and everybody driving by was taking pictures untill I stopped and hit it in the head with a hammer and loaded it up.



Putting it out of its misery was the thing to do, but the hammer part is too funny  LOL  LOL  LOL

Now picture mullet in 90's parachute pants, tank top, and too many gold chains doing a little dance before doing the double tap with his roofing hammer..."HAMMERTIME"


I can just picture people stopping and looking and taking pictures. Then someone stop conk it in the head and load it up.  I'm sure it was a sight to see lol lol. This site is awesome, what a great group of people
Title: Re: Thoughts and opinions on roadkill deer?
Post by: caveman2533 on November 03, 2013, 08:00:19 pm

Putting it out of its misery was the thing to do, but the hammer part is too funny  LOL  LOL  LOL
[/quote]

Here in PA if you find one that is not dead and you kill it you  could be fined for an illegal "taking of a deer". Doesn't matter how you kill it or if it is the right thing to do or not.  It is legal to keep roadkill but you must  call the warden and get a salvage permit.

I once found one laying between the railroad tracks hit and killed by a train. Was snow on the ground and it was still warm. Got me a permit and a fresh deer with almost no damage.
Title: Re: Thoughts and opinions on roadkill deer?
Post by: stickbender on November 03, 2013, 08:53:00 pm

     In Montana, you have to have a road kill license, or food bank license, or some such.  Most people don't bother with either, if it is fresh, grab it.  there is only one or two wardens, and a couple of game biologist, in the area where I live.  I will grab one  in a heart beat if I know it is fresh.  It is not if you hit a deer there, it is when you hit a deer.  There are  kamakaze deer in Montana.  They will wait, till you almost to them, and then jump out of the grass, or bushes, and run in front of your car, or truck.  I have had several close calls.  Very close calls.  I have picked up a wild turkey, off the side of I-95,down here in Fl. when I saw the wing flap up, as a big rig passed it.  I pulled off the side of the road, and backed up, and checked it out, and it still had fresh blood on it's wing, and was still warm, and no ants.  So it went in the back of the truck, and went home with me, and we had it for dinner!  Plus the feathers!  In Montana, road kill deer, are like road kill armadillos down here.  Like I told a friend of mine when I told him about the turkey, he said, you picked up a dead turkey, off the side of the road?!!!  Hey I ain't proud!  If it is still fresh, I will take it.  He said yeah, but it had been there, for awhile.  I said not long, and how long do you think it takes to take a fresh kill turkey, or other game back to camp, or the truck to a cooler?  No point in feeding the yotes, and fire ants!

                                                                  Wayne