Roadkill Salvage Rules On Fish & Wildlife Commission Agenda

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BLM of Oregon & Washington

It’ll soon be legal to salvage roadkilled deer and elk in Oregon.

This Friday (10/12), state Fish and Wildlife Commissioners meet to adopt rules developed through recent legislation. A public comment period will start the meeting.

Michelle Dennehy of the ODFW says the rules take effect on New Year’s Day. She says roadkill cannot be deliberately hit by vehicles, and drivers must fill out an online permit within 24 hours of salvaging the animal.

“We won’t be doing any game meat inspections or anything like that," Dennehy tells KLCC.  "Even now, we do attempt to salvage road-killed animals, but a lot of them don’t pass game-meat inspection.  So it’ll be up to whoever chooses to salvage the animal to decide if it’s safe to consume or not.”

Officials require salvagers to surrender the head and antlers of any road-killed deer or elk, to help research diseases. And the entire carcass – including innards – need to be removed from the road.

Copyright 2018, KLCC.

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Brian Bull is an assistant professor of journalism at the University of Oregon, and remains a contributor to the KLCC news department. He began working with KLCC in June 2016.   In his 27+ years as a public media journalist, he's worked at NPR, Twin Cities Public Television, South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Wisconsin Public Radio, and ideastream in Cleveland. His reporting has netted dozens of accolades, including four national Edward R. Murrow Awards (22 regional),  the Ohio Associated Press' Best Reporter Award, Best Radio Reporter from  the Native American Journalists Association, and the PRNDI/NEFE Award for Excellence in Consumer Finance Reporting.