Yes, Pennsylvanians ask to eat roadkill: 3,629 times to be exact
We've all seen them — the dead deer lying on the side of the road after an unfortunate collision with a car. But what happens to the meat?
It turns out, you can eat the deer that run into your car, and Pennsylvanians do. In 2017, Pennsylvanians called the state Game Commission 3,629 times asking for permits to eat roadkill. In the Southcentral Region — which includes Adams, Franklin and York counties — the number was 582.
The rules aren't too complicated. The Pennsylvania Game Commission rules say only Pennsylvania residents are allowed to claim a deer carcass. The driver who hits and kills the deer doesn't have to report the accident to the Game Commission, but they do need to make a call to get a permit for the carcass.
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That call must be made within 24 hours of taking the dead deer. Another Pennsylvania motorist who sees the deer on the side of the road can claim it if the original driver passed.
If you didn't have a successful hunting season, you can even purchase the dead buck's antlers. Antlers from bucks have to be given to the Game Commission or they can be purchased at $10 per point by the person who claims the deer. Removing the antlers from any road-killed buck is illegal.
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Keep in mind that chronic wasting disease is a problem in Pennsylvania. If the deer is hit in a Disease Management Area, the high-risk parts — the head and backbone — have to be removed before the deer is taken out of the area.
Finally, if you don't want to eat the deer, just report it to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation at 1-800-FIX-ROAD.
Also of interest, a gallery of photos below: