Roadkill, Anyone? New State Bill Would Allow Salvaging Meat Of Roadside Critters

A few months back I had a conversation with our executive editor Andy Walgamott, who produces our Northwest Sportsman magazine and we talked about how Washington and Oregon have regulations in place for drivers to salvage meat from roadkilled elk and deer.

It was an interesting and fascinating conversation, and when I have driven the Golden State’s roads and seen dead wild critters on the side of the highway and scoff about the loss of an animal’s life via being struck by a car and the waste of meat from its death.

Well, like its West Coast neighbors, California might also allow motorists that struck a wandering animal to salvage its meat. Here’s the Sacramento Bee on Senate Bill 395 that’s sponsored by state Sen. Bob J. Archuleta:

That bill would amend state law, as well as the Fish and Game Code, to allow drivers of vehicles that fatally strike an animal to retroactively apply for a wildlife salvage permit, at no cost, within 24 hours of the collision. The bill also would allow non-drivers who come across roadkill to salvage the dead animal.

If it passes, the Bee reports it would be instituted in 2021.