One man's road kill could be another man's dinner

It’s already legal in Colorado, and now a Montana bill aims to allow people there to eat animals killed in a collision.

"Typically we are talking elk, deer, and the occasional pronghorn,” Dean Riggs, assistant regional manager with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, said.

To some the idea of eating road kill can make their stomach turn, but to others the sight means an opportunity for a free meal.

"It’s pretty regular. I’d say we get several a week," Riggs explained.

Mike Porras, with the Colorado Division of Wildlife, said. "If there is a way for a person to use road kill to feed his family and put food on the table, they should take advantage of that but do it legally and do it the right way."

Wildlife belongs to everyone in the state and Colorado Parks and Wildlife is the agency tasked with managing it.

"A person gets a hunting license, then they go out and shoot an animal, and they take it home. That’s the reason for that license, to allow them to take their animal,” Riggs said. “This is another legal method for you to be able to possess, in this case, an animal that's met is demise being hit by a car."

For example, let’s say you are driving down the road and you come across a deer that was just hit. As long as you meet the needed requirements, under state law that animal can be donated to you.

"Come get a permit from us within 48-hours and you're good to go,” Riggs explained. “It’s for human consumption. Sometimes people get confused with what it’s for. It’s to salvage the meat basically."

Parks and wildlife officials say they don't recommend eating road kill.

But it's completely your choice if you want to bring it home for dinner.

"If a person has an opportunity to take a freshly killed animal home to feed his family, that certainly is an opportunity that they have as long as they do it legally, they let us know, and follow the rules that are in place," Porras said.

The Colorado Department of Parks and Wildlife says to ask it any questions you may have.

If you do hit an animal, even if you don't plan on eating it, the agency wants know.