I hit a deer

[monkeybird]

Driving down 231 late at night a pair of deer suddenly jumped out in front of me. It was pitch black night and I didn't see them until it was too late. I tried to swerve into the other lane, but the deer just kept coming!

I did not stop, I was afraid to. I kept thinking that if I stopped the car would stop working or something and I'd be in the middle of NO WHERE in the dark night. Anyway, I made it home with no right headlight and the right side of the Explorer caved in, but no mechanical damage! Apparently, this is common around here this time of year.

Can people eat deer killed by cars? Someone told me that the Highway Patrol donate them to the needy? I didn't call the highway patrol, I just kept driving. Now I wonder if I should have?

[protus]

well being as i am ,if i was you.....
,,i would be having pan seared back strap meddallions , coated in EVO ,garlic,salt and pepper..with 2 semi runny eggs and a biscut for bfast right now ;p

[Hawkeye]

What Protus said... dang, now I'm hungry.

[Tofu]

First MB, you ok? Do any damage to your car? (Working in the auto collision industry, deer hits can be some nasty business, thats good for business if you know what I mean.)

Yes you can eat a deer that has been freshly killed. Things to careful of if their innards have contaminated the meat.

[EX121]

In most states it ileagle to pick up roadkill, check with your local Game Warden. But I look at this infraction as simular to driving 5 over the speed limit, just my opinion.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Alot of the times if we call the game warden they will let ya have it. The meat can be bloodshot bad in some ares. As Tofu stated watch the contaminates and wash the meat out real good and soak it overnight then rinse it again. Sorry that happened, hope your ok, it's common this time of year everywhere. Thats why I do my part deer hunting and protecting buicks every year:) LOL
DO NOT SECOND GUESS YOURSELF PLEASE. NO MATTER WHAT YOU GO HOME EVERY NIGHT!! Bottom line thats what survival is not just SHTF stuff but day to day survival. You did what needed to be done, next mission please

[Benn Gleck]

In Ohio if you hit a deer you are entitled to that deer. You have to first report it to law enforcement and they will give you a paper saying it was road killed, that way if you wanted to take it to be processed you'd not get in trouble.

[monkeybird]

$3000.00 repair, of which $500.00 is mine! Thank God for seat belts, Thank God for Insurance. The adjuster said it happens all the time here in the panhandle this time of year. I'll confess, I've never tasted deer meat. In fact, I've never tasted 'wild game' meat at all.

Thanks for the comments.

[Tofu]

Wild game is good, but its wild and you will get some funky tastes from time to time. Meat is flavored by what the critter eats and the enviroment its in. We have been programed that if it doesn't taste like hamburger or chicken there is something wrong with it. If you ever get a chance watch Bizarre Foods on the travel channel. One thing you will quickly discover is that God put alot of goodies on our plate that we as Americans tend to turn our noses up at.

Personally I'm looking forward to taking some church kids camping and catching a few crickets and watching their reactions when I take a big bite, :-).

[Bearman202]

What Tofu said. Also, you should know that the manner in which the meat was dispatched will make a HUGE difference. If the deer is scared out of its mind, it will load the meat up with adrenaline, which will drastically increase the "gamy" flavor. In other words, the quicker you can dispatch Bambi, the better he's gonna taste. <G> There are also a couple of glands near the rear of the male deer that can actually ruin the meat, so you need to be aware of them. The only other thing to consider is that most wild game doesn't have the fat content of domestically raised meat. If you overcook it, it can have the consistency of shoe leather. A lot of people I know that eat venison have it ground with a box of bacon ends and pieces to increase the fat content. One deer + one ten pound box of bacon ends and pieces = some pretty darn good deerburger....

[1Admin]

Glad to hear your safe.

[rhinoaa]

They say it is safe to eat roadkill as long as you get to it before the flies do.

[rhinoaa]

Just kidding

[Klayton]

actually rhinoaa if you get it before flies do it is pretty darn fresh still...

but you should actually use it as last resort + preferably if you hit it. Why? So you can tell if the animal just was spooked and ran the wrong way or was the animal just moaping along sluggishly and you turned the corner and hit it? Was it daytime or dusk/dawn? Time of day is a huge factor, deer out in the open like that at mid day is not a good sign, they are normally bedded during the day or if anything inside a wooded area doing light grazing. Dusk/dawn you will still see them in open and semi open areas. There are always "factors" one city here in Texas has grown so fast and displaced their natural habitat the deer actually are found in people's yards 24/7/365...

[sherldoe]

Roadkill in Texas is not legal to collect. I have absolutely no idea how the deer that caused so much damage to my husband's work truck wound up in the freezer in the garage. :) Oops!! Yes, I do......deer was not quite dead and had to be hit in the head with a pipewrench to put it out of its misery. If venison is tenderized and marinated in plain ole Italian dressing overnight, it can be used exactly as beef and tastes much the same. It also makes great jerky and very tender if ground before dehydrating. Bucks in rut ain't quite so tasty, but again, neither are goat bucks.....