Is It Legal To Harvest Roadkill In New York State?

Is it legal in New York State to eat roadkill? The short answer is yes but it depends on which animal we are talking about. So, what's on the menu tonight?

Recently, while driving through the Capital Region, a bird flew right into the top of my windshield. As I glanced at my rearview mirror I could see my feathered friend did not survive. That's when my odd way of thinking posed the question, is it legal to eat roadkill in New York State?

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The majority of residents that find a dead animal near their driveway or in the middle of the road will call their local highway department and they will remove the animal. I also learned that it appears to be legal to harvest road kill in the State of New York.

In some cases you would need a salvage permit from the Bureau of Wildlife and on occasion local police will allow you to take a dead deer. Let's say you hit one with your car, police may write a tag for you to take it.

According to NYS DEC you need to report the finding of a dead deer, elk, moose, bald or golden eagle and other wild animals. They also remind you of the health threat to humans when handling dead animals.

Whether for taxidermy or dinner, it appears it is legal to harvest road kill in New York State, if you do so properly. If you want to eat, here are some recipes for you.