UKC

At the weekend whilst out cycling I came across a dead Roe Deer, and returned in my Van and took it home. I have butchery experience, so not saying it is something everyone could do, but an hour and a half later, our freezer had about £300 worth  of lean meat in it.

I have been rather surprised at the reactions of people I have mentioned this to, they have been;

• I am cruel
• Weird
• Odd
• Gross
• Did the right thing.

but the vast majority think it odd.
I am rather surprised by this.

I'd be wary of how long it had been dead and what killed it, but otherwise fine with me.

The only road-kill deer I've ever tried this with (in Kenya) turned out to be full of parasites and we couldn't eat it.

Broken legs and massive internal injuries. Total respect to Surgeons who deal with trauma injuries.

Checked on parasites before eating Liver and Kidneys.

I do not think it had been there that long, an eye was missing, but the first carrion bird to fly past will have that.

But all good thoughts.

Ignore. Already dead. Makes no sense.

Unfamiliar to many people in 2022 so this one I can understand even if it's nonsense.

Fannies. Need to grow up. Ignore.

100% No point leaving the poor thing to rot at the roadside

Give it a year the way things are going ;p

Good for you. I think my reaction would be a mixture not having any large animal butchery experience, coupled with too small a kitchen to do it in, plus insufficient fridge/freezer space so a lot hassle involved; and as with the other reply, concern as to how healthy the animal was prior to being killed; and finally being able to lift into my car, and whist avoiding making a mess of the interior.

Also, whilst I like venison, my wife doesn't,  another reason  for not bothering

I do this with small game and am eagerly awaiting the day I'm lucky enough to come across a deer. I've had pheasant, squirrel, and pigeon from the roads and all have been delicious with no ill effect. The meat doesn't know whether a shotgun or a car or anything else delivered the killing blow.

If it looks and smells fresh it probably is, we have our senses for a reason. Most people are unfortunately dependent on sell by dates and plastic packaging these days.

When a wild (ish) animal dies in this manner, it is only right to give its death some meaning and purpose.

The circle of life. Crack on.

Having watched the preliminary stages of a moose being butchered after it being shot (not far from the hardest boulder problem in the world! We were there for MUCH easier problems) I'm just impressed. I'm sure a deer is much smaller but still it looked like a big and mucky job.

A long time ago when I had just learnt to drive and still lived with my parents, I hit a pheasant and killed it. I chucked in the boot and took it home as my dad knew how to prepare them but unfortunately it's intestines had ruptured so it couldn't be hung as game birds are meant to be before plucking so it had to go on the compost heap.

True, as long as it was fairly instant.  If death took a long time then there will be a lot of adrenaline in the meat, which has some quite deleterious effects.

The only time I've happened upon a deer fresh enough to eat (killed instantly right in front of me*) I decided to leave it. It was late at night with work next day, I'd have had to chuck it in the boot with the dog who'd have probably got fleas and I wouldn't have been able to clean it in a timely manner anyway because of work. Also I figured my already asleep for an early start vegi girlfriend would have completely flipped to find it sat leaking in the bath!

*like yours, massive injuries from a ~50mph car hit. Missing hoof, broken neck, presumably lots else and despite not being able to see an exit wound or much blood its liver was several meters away in the road!

I moved it to the side. Had a change of heart overnight then went back for it in the morning, it was gone already by 8am from a middle of nowhere country lane.

jk

Putting you on the "Useful come the Zombie Apocalypse" list.

You’re so last decade 🫤

https://www.channel4.com/programmes/come-dine-with-me/on-demand/50155-029

I’ve done this a couple of times, I’ve limited butchery skills but a reasonable understanding of mammalian physiology. One roe deer I hit myself, the other had been there no more than a couple of hours. I hadn’t given parasites a thought but I avoided eating the offal anyway as I didn’t know if it was off or tainted through trauma. My friend’s dog was non the worse for it though.

I used to routinely pick up dead pheasants, though I routinely hit them in the car as well. Yes if it smells ok it generally is ok.

When I’ve been in a work hilux I’ve been tempted by a leg off the odd red deer but sitting by the side of the road dismembering a large animal while horrified drivers went by didn’t seem a good idea, plus it’s a messy business. For that you’d really want a separate set of clothing, washing up kit and of course knives and bags. Very satisfying though.

I wish I had the skills to be able to do that. Bet it makes for some tasty meals.

Well done, did the same myself a couple of years ago.

I looked like Sweeney Todd by the time I'd finished.

No butchery experience, but it's just meat, so there's not a lot too it.

I usually check the eyes, if they still have them, for freshness.

I remember my Dad doing this when I was a lad.

I've done it a few times but have been told more than once that it is technically illegal to do so though perfectly ok for the driver of the car behind me to make off with my kill.

I don't know if this is true or not .

To the best of my knowledge it is illegal, on the basis that poachers could fit a bullbar to a SUV/Hilux/van and deliberately hit deer, which at certain times of year and in some places would be a fairly easy thing to do. Bagging pheasants is easy, I got three within a couple of miles once without really trying, that was a good pie. Premeditation would be deniable; "I was just driving along and it jumped out in front of me, honest guv." 

Picking up someone else's roadkill is allowed however. I suppose serious poachers can work in pairs; a leading vehicle with a bullbar and a follower in a van lined with plastic sheet.

Happy to be corrected by someone in better ken than me though.

Poor Bambi 😪

I am sure when you taste it you will think it delicious. 

Obviously they don't play Red Dead Redemption.

My character would have slung it over the back of their horse and it'd be heading for Cripp's table.

Would have no idea where to start butchering a large animal like a deer myself + would have no confidence deciding whether it was still fresh enough or if it had dangerous parasites or whatever as some have mentioned.

However, as you were in the position to do so I think it's great that you were able to put it to good use! Enjoy! 

Beats the unopened can of strong bow I found in the gutter near me. 

Enjoy your venison, I’d have done the same. 

When I was working in Louisiana, one weekend there was a roadkill cook-off in the hotel car park.

Mainly alligators and (huge) frogs.

This. Although the local corvids have made a note of his reg number and are planning a ghastly revenge.

I live near a deer park and you would have to be bloody quick to get a roadkill deer. I swear everyone in the village with a chest freezer also has a cctv trained on the road. There have been punchups for a decent beast before, especially near christmas. No-one bothers about muntjacs though, I wonder if they taste bad?

You can easily do it, I think it's called "French butchering" where, you simple cut through the joints, so elbow, shoulder, knees and hips. Like when you're disposing of a body.

Proper butchering is a skill which cuts out specific muscle groups, but if you want free food, then French is just as good, and tasty.

Don’t suppose you’re free for a couple of days ?

I've not found Muntjac to taste bad, but I haven't eaten enough other deer to compare it.

It has quite a 'dark' or intense flavour I guess.

Not at all odd, I butchered the last two I hit [cough] the vehicle in front of me hit. (well, to be more accurate, I gutted them and asked the professionals to do the rest). It's one of my more surreal experiences squatting in the heather in the dead of night surrounded by a herd of deer giving me the evil eye as I took a knife to their relative...

I'd be a lot more circumspect when it comes to animals I didn't actually see dying though, if it had been dead for any length of time I'd be worried about whether the meat was still relatively safe to eat.

I walloped a pigeon in my van today, on the way to a job. Happy days, grab it on the way back. 15 minutes later the corvids had beat me to it.

My neighbour hit a Roe deer and sensibly put it in the back of the pick up. My wife’s a vet so did the meat inspection. We butchered the carcass and went 50:50 on the meat. We had the fillet in a Wellington on Christmas Day. I made sausages and burgers with the ‘damaged’ bits and we roasted a leg over an open fire. 

If you fancy a drive around my back garden feel free. Two big fat bastard wood pigeons are eating the grass seeds I put down and I haven't got time to continually open the back door to throw things at them, and they're too stupid to learn quickly.

They're really stupid. 

*Suit

youtube.com/watch?v=4qP8LHurwHw&

"You kill, we grill."