re: Freshly road killed deer. Pick it up or leave it?

Best venison I ever ate was when the local sheriff called a coworker that I was hanging at when visiting our plant in Iowa, saying he "had a fresh road kill". Went and picked up a big old Iowa buck. Only sign of trauma, internal or external, was his antlers were busted off. He still had corn in his mouth (crossing from one farm to another at night). Had a fat layer a couple inches thick, and zero damage to the meat. Cleaned him with my little 3" blade Gerber pocket knife, meat still steaming.

Just make sure it's dead all the way... We were coming around a curve in Mississippi and almost got ran off the road from an incoming car. We make it around the curve and there is a deer in the middle of the highway. We pull up to it and it lifts his head. My dad picks him up and puts him in the back of the truck thinking he was broke up.... He laid him by the dog kennel. That button buck went crazy! He held him down why he was kicking and all we had was a hammer! Done deal! Will never forget that. All he had was a bruise on his shoulder.

I've probably picked up a half-dozen or so deer. Usually plan on getting 25-50% usable meat. Anything more is bonus.

Yesterday morning I hit a rabbit with my truck and was able to salvage one hind-quarter. Had it for dinner with some grits.

quote:

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If you hit it or see it hit, good to go...

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No doubt this^^

I did it once. Was just fine.

When I was in college, my roommates and I were on way back to our apartment after a night of drinking when we saw an 18 wheeler barely clip a doe. We threw her in the back of the truck and within 15 minutes had her strung up on the back porch. We ate well that winter.