If you run over an animal, is it yours to eat in GA? What the law says about roadkill
Times are tough lately, so if you come across the opportunity to eat free, you take it, right?
If you hit an animal on the road or witness one meet their end, you could be bringing home a fresh dinner.
That’s right, we’re talking about eating roadkill. But first, is it even legal? Here’s what to know.
Is it legal to eat roadkill in Georgia?
Georgia law (Code 27-3-28) says that “any person may lawfully possess native wildlife which has been accidentally killed by a motor vehicle,” but there are some restrictions to know:
If your roadkill is a bear that was accidentally killed by a vehicle, you must notify your local police department within 48 hours of taking it
Even if it’s roadkill, you can’t take any animal that is a protected species under federal law
While Georgia law is pretty relaxed on roadkill, some states like Arizona, Indiana, Maryland and North Dakota require a permit to harvest animals hit by vehicles.
But this begs the question: why would you want to harvest roadkill and eat it? As we mentioned earlier, it doesn’t cost anything, but of course, there are more reasons than that:
“Roadkill is free of the antibiotics, hormones, and growth stimulants found in factory-farmed meat. And many roadkill species—including elk, deer, boar, and certain game birds—are pretty darn tasty, and sell for quite a bit when farm-raised, packaged and offered in stores,” said Maria Cristina Lalonde, a writer for Wide Open Country.
Makes sense, right? If you’re fully convinced now and wondering how you should go about preparing your roadkill meal, we’ve got some tips for you.
How to prepare your roadkill for consumption
Here are some tips for safely preparing your roadkill to eat:
First, you’ll want to look at the animal and see where it was hit. “You won’t want to eat any part that made direct contact with a bumper. Many deer, elk, and pronghorn get hit by cars on their back half,” said Noah Davis in his blog for Meat Eater. “Look for trauma along the belly, discoloring from intestinal rupture, and damage around the anus. These all indicate a messy gutting situation and, probably, spoiled meat.”
Be picky, just like you would be picking out meat at the store. “In a perfect world, the animal is only a few hours old, even still warm,” wrote Forager Chef blogger Alan Bergo.
Cook and eat only the best parts. “Stick to only the freshest and healthiest-looking meat. Based on our experience, the front shoulders and the backstraps are usually in good condition,” said hunter James Zandstra.
Have any questions about this story? Let me know in the comments or email me at cmadden@mcclatchy.com.
This story was originally published December 10, 2024 at 12:32 PM with the headline "If you run over an animal, is it yours to eat in GA? What the law says about roadkill."
