Roadkill Venison Story [long read]

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A couple weeks ago my soon-to-be father in law called asking for help picking up a deer-- story goes like this: he has a buddy on the state police / local LE call list that was called for a roadkill nearby. Guy went to go harvest the roadkill (seems like he does this quite often) and on his way, he witnessed another deer get hit. Called LE and got permission to pick that one up too. He called my FIL because he already filled a couple tags this season, and the one roadkill he anticipated getting would more than feed his dogs-- that left him with one extra roadkill he had nothing to do with.

My FIL is one of the most frugal people I've ever met (I'm probably the second most frugal after him) and he jumped all over it. I had my reservations-- didn't know the guy, never took in roadkill (I'm not originally from Kentucky!), always took my deer/elk/wild game to a processor. Against my better judgement (gotta impress the future FIL, right?) I went with him and when we got there, the deer was gutted, hide/head still on, laying on the ground. Guy said it was hung for a couple days and he just pulled it off the hanger to make room for another deer. No way to corroborate that story, other than there was another deer on the hanger, so I'm still suspicious. Temps were uncomfortably high at the time (mid-50's) and I didn't know how long it sat there. The smell was pretty ordinary for what I've experienced hanging deer myself-- smell of dead deer but nothing that I'd consider too foul. At least it was getting into the 20's and 30's at night. We skinned it, threw it in the back of the pickup and took it to FIL house. Guy said it was a doe, but it was a young spike you could only tell by looking closely.

I watched him (FIL) butcher the thing himself (he wouldn't dare pay someone or let me help) while I packaged it all. I estimate 40+lb good meat. Pretty clean cuts all the way around, though he kept some things I wouldn't such as one side of ribs (the other side were all broken/bruised) and some gristle/membrane most people/processors would throw away.

I was less than impressed until after talking to some hunter folks I know, learning that what we had was the ideal roadkill scenario-- vehicle hit the side of the deer, broke most of the ribs one one side, deer apparently died instantly without major trauma. The meat we were cutting had no blood clotting or damage whatsoever, except the ribs on one side because of severe bruising and blood clots, which was given to my FIL dogs. Apparently most roadkill ruins a large portion of the meat.

Anyways, I became the guinea pig because I was making chili soon after, and I cut up some "steaks" (my FIL nor I are a butcher, but labeled things the best we knew how) to throw in. I made sure to cook the venison in a separate pan in case it taste spoiled, I wouldn't add it to the chili. I'd be [censored] if that was not the best tasting (like a real strong beef flavor), most tender venison I've ever had. No joke, and I've harvested a lot of deer/elk. That was steak, which came from the hind quarters. I can't wait to try some of the backstrap!

Despite eating roadkill, I still don't consider myself a true Kentuckian, I lack the accent for that!
 
Originally Posted by CT8
Possum road kill next.


Never had even heard of or seen a Possum until I moved here!
 
Originally Posted by 92saturnsl2
Originally Posted by CT8
Possum road kill next.


Never had even heard of or seen a Possum until I moved here!


They are VERY thick here and I actually hit one with the pickup on the way back from a restaurant last night. My brother is a raccoon hunter (with 8-10 coon dogs) and used to make a homemade version of dog food that included corn meal and raccoon meat. He would make it over a fire with the contents cooking over 55-gallon drums. I would say the raccoon that I hit last night will be covered with crows today, all of them getting a nice meal. The many deer around here that were victims of road kill will be eaten by bald eagles and coyotes.
 
The sitting part gave me pause but otherwise, why not harvest if you can get it fast??
 
Originally Posted by BrianF
Have had some real nice moose roasts courtesy of the highway.
Moose meat is wonderful~Decades ago My B.I.L. lived in Alaska and would ship us meats. He was an avid hunter fisherman.
 
There was actually a road kill recovery program up here for a while. If the RCMP came across a vehicle accident with a killed deer, elk or moose they would call the dispatcher and a volunteer would be sent out. The meat would be dispersed by the food bank. I talked with one volunteer and he said the the worst part was the accidents were usually at night and you had to crawl out of bed to attend to them.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by Pelican
Originally Posted by CT8
Racoon and Possum road kill next.

And don't forget the "Grits"

Just stay away from them instant grits...
 
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