After doing the symposium at the Art Institute (Wednesday, 3/13), I took off for points north. I haven’t been up to my pal Louie’s for some time, but now with shouder recovered (partly) and new Honda Fit, I headed up Hwy. 101, then cut across to the Russian River, to Jenner, and up the coast. This vehicle is a wonder. Drives like a dream; nimble. Even good on country roads. And it’s like a clown car; you can get amazing amount of stuff in it. (You’re just going to have to bear with me when I rave about this car.)
Now the next part of this story is for country people, OK?
I got up to a little south of Gualala and lo, there was a dead (young) deer on the road. Still a bit warm, dead as doornail. In the past I’ve picked up (and butchered) 2-3 deer in this neck of the woods. It was close to sunset. I lay some plastic bags on the floor of the car and dragged the deer inside. Hoo!
I met Louie down at the Pt. Arena pier. He was there in his pickup truck, and I pulled up alongside, gestured for him to get out, and I opened the door to display the deer and we both about fell down laughing — partly due to my history of utilizing roadkill.
I didn’t feel like gutting it right then, so packed some ice around it, put it in Louie’s truck and later, after dinner, stored it in a room in his shop. I was stressing about it that night, and the next morning, and not too happy with failing to gut the animal right away. Plus we were going to have to perform a not too pleasant task before going to a great breakfast at Trink’s in Gualala.
In one of my rare moments of maturity, I decided we’d dump the animal back in the woods. Much as I hate to lose the chance for tender venison steaks (fawns are like all filet), this was just going to be pushing it too far. You need to gut a roadkilled animal right away. Voila! Deer back to nature, boys out to latte and hearty breakfasts.
More to come on this trip…
too bad you lost out on that sweet venison, but better that than eating meat that sat around too long in an unprocessed animal.
Lloyd, it's hardly my place to lecture an elder, but I do feel an obligation to make sure that you are aware of the implications of being in possession of a game animal without a hunting license or species tag. Any game warden/highway patrolman wouldn't be too receptive to the explanation that it's a road kill, and I'm sure that the monetary fines involved are fairly substantial. Dumping a carcass in the woods is a whole 'nother set of rules and regulations.
Just so you know, be careful….
Mr Sharkey…
i too had wondered about that…but thought mayhaps things were different in Lloyd's neck of the woods..
have heard of folks getting some hefty fines, and in all good conscience cleaning up roadkill…
it's been some time, but i heard/read about someone actually having the vehicle and contents confiscated, when found in possession of out of season/untagged deer
it's not roadkill – yer takin bambi to the hospital fer an operashun
Anonymous, operashun…good idea, grin..
well, maybe there are some places which allow this/encourage this
http://www.calgaryherald.com/technology/Montana+will+allow+residents+roadkill/8134696/story.html
Montana close to approving salvage of roadkill for food
Montana is not alone in considering the usefulness of roadkill. Illinois allows people with a permit to remove roadkill for pelts and also allows for the salvaging of meat. In Alberta, you have to report it and get a permit from the fish and wildlife office, but that’s done on the scene and requests are seldom rejected.
Alaska Fish and Wildlife Protection Troopers run a program that divides approximately 820 moose carcasses to charitable organizations, like churches and non-profit organizations, who cook up moose meat for needy people.
On Eating Roadkill, the Most Ethical Meat
http://modernfarmer.com/2013/09/eating-roadkill/