Dear Action Line,
So I’m turning the tables a bit on the new Mr. Action Line by posing this question to all you Action Line groupies: Who is the only attorney in America in the last half century who has argued a case before the U.S. Supreme Court and who has also feasted on roadkill venison? Yes, it’s Mr. Action Line! He told me himself.
But that’s beside the point. So, three questions: 1) Since this is the time of year when some big critters come to unfortunate ends on Southwest Colorado highways, and since some people who see a fresh – well you know – stop to carve out a backstrap or a take home a couple of hind quarters, what is the official rule from Colorado Parks and Wildlife for picking up roadkill? and 2) Would you recommend this in the spirit of organic, handcrafted locavorism? 3) What adult beverage makes the best pairing?
– Gutted
Dear Gutted,
As far as I know I’m the only one who argued a case in the U.S. Supreme Court who has actually harvested deer and elk roadkill on a regular basis in recent decades, but I don’t really know for sure.
If you Google my name and “roadkill” you’ll see that reporters doing roadkill stories used to contact me, I think because they thought a lawyer taking roadkill was an interesting angle, although I know other lawyers around here who have done so!
As for the Colorado roadkill harvest regulations, it’s been a few years since I’ve collected any so I stopped in at the Parks and Wildlife office to get updated.
If you see roadkill that you want to take, first you should call Parks and Wildlife and check in with them. They may want a picture and some information. If you can’t reach them because of cell service etc., you can proceed to take the meat.
However, there is no “carving out a backstrap” – you need to take all “edible portions” just as if you hunted the animal, which includes all meat from the four quarters, backstrap and tenderloin, but you need not take organs like the liver and tongue (which are actually edible, just not legally under that regulation). You can leave the carcass where you field dressed it, but make sure it is well off the road and shoulder.
You then must go in person to a Parks and Wildlife office within 48 hours to get a free postharvest permit. If it had antlers, you should have taken them with the meat, and you need to take them with you to the office, and they will likely keep them.
I guess they figure no one is going to destroy their Chevy-Aught-Six just to get some meat, but “antler fever” being what it is they want no shenanigans by folks out to adorn their living room with a trophy. This provision is for using good food, not for home décor.
As for your other questions, yes, I highly recommend harvesting roadkill as an act of organic locavorism, but don’t take it too far by taking tainted meat – there should be fresh blood to indicate it was recently killed and no bad stink, please!
And of course don’t hit an animal on purpose, which is highly illegal and dangerous, let alone a car-destroyer.
As a beverage pairing, home-brew is a must – in fact, I just made my annual holiday oatmeal stout, so I’m ready for some roadkill!
Email questions and suggestions to actionline@durangoherald.com or mail them to Action Line, The Durango Herald, 1275 Main Ave., Durango, CO 81301. Today’s Fun Fact: Colorado is a pioneer in legalizing things we want to do, and roadkill harvest is no exception – the state was an early adopter, making it kosher in 1990, with many states following since then. Well, deer and elk were always kosher, having cloven hoofs and chewing their cud, although I don’t know if a rabbi had to be at the wheel in the case of roadkill.
