Can You Legally Eat Your Own Roadkill in New Hampshire?
We have all driven by a dead deer, pig, or cow before and thought "Wow, that would be a perfect road kill meal..."
No? We don't all think that?
Well, some do.
Many hunters and animal lovers feel that no animal should ever go to waste. It is disrespectful to the animals, the land, and our needs.
And accidents involving deer, and other animals that could be considered roadkill, happen all the time
So if you hit a deer in New Hampshire, can you legally take it for some homemade roadkill?
New Hampshire Roadkill Laws:
According to a Free Range article, there are "no restrictions" when it comes to eating your own road kill (at least when it comes to deer). I would say there is a caveat or a restriction, and it is that the road kill collector must be a New Hampshire resident.
This limits the spread of potential diseases - something I would never have thought of.
"As long as they're a New Hampshire resident, the driver gets the first opportunity," said Rollinsford Police Chief Robert Ducharme according to a Foster's article. "If they don't want it, we offer it to other people who want it, so it doesn't go to waste."
If the driver does not want it, many towns and/or the NH Fish and Game have people who process the meat themselves and donate the roadkill to those in need.
For example, Bill Terry of Barrington, NH has had six deer who fell victim to an accident and he has turned the meat into something to food/meals to donate.
"I look at it this way," Terry said according to Foster's. "If the deer carcass sits on the side of the road, it creates coyote problems. I'd rather put it to good use."
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