You know that time you were driving down the road late at night during hunting season and accidentally hit a deer? Obviously your first thought was “free dinner!” Or maybe not. But for some people, the idea of eating roadkill sits just fine, and so is the case with Montana law makers who are about to sign a bill that will legalize consumption of game such as antelope, deer, elk and moose, that has been killed in collisions with cars. Peace officers in the state would be given the authority to grant meat salvaging permits for animals that have died after being hit by vehicles, but diners be warned, only roadkill from “accidental collisions” will be cleared for consumption.

Meanwhile, Canadians are of course ahead of the game when it comes to legalizing roadkill consumption. Albertans are already permitted to consume roadkill and Jessica Potter, a spokesperson for Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development says that it is a discretionary matter left up to wildlife officers, whose permission is required to remove roadkill from the road for safety reasons. Though this bounty is occasionally distributed to those in need in Alberta and Alaska, Montana’s food banks claim a chance that the meat is not safe will prevent them from doing the same.

Other districts that allow the consumption of roadkill include Illinois, Indiana, and Colorado.

[via Macleans and Calgary Sun]

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