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New road-kill rules take effect
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May 16, 2012 |
New rules approved during Idaho's recent
legislative session allow people to recover,
possess and sell certain wildlife killed by
accidental vehicle collisions.
Individuals who want to salvage road kill must
notify the Idaho Department of Fish and Game
within 24 hours either in person, by phone or by
Internet to receive a salvage permit within 72
hours.
Game animals, including furbearers, may now be
salvaged, as long as they died as a result of an
accidental vehicle collision. This rule change
only allows dead animals to be salvaged; it does
not allow injured animals to be killed by
passing motorists.
Protected nongame wildlife, threatened or
endangered species, migratory birds including
waterfowl, and wildlife not lawfully hunted or
trapped may not be recovered, possessed or
salvaged.
To view a list of wildlife that may be salvaged
and to obtain a permit online, visit
https://fishandgame.idaho.gov/roadkill. A
self-generating permit is available for printing
after entering required information, including
date, location and species salvaged. A copy of
the permit must accompany the salvaged wildlife.
In addition to reporting a salvage, the
following wildlife must be presented to the
nearest Fish and Game office to satisfy
mandatory check and reporting requirements:
moose, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, mountain
lion, black bear, wolf, bobcat and river otter.
The new rules also allow people to sell parts,
except the meat, from legally salvaged wildlife,
not including bighorn sheep. People may also
retain and consume the meat of legally salvaged
wildlife - but they do so at their own risk.
The new rules do not supersede existing state
and local safety laws concerning vehicle stops
on highways. Motorists who stop to retrieve
wildlife on any roadway where stopping is
authorized, assume all responsibility for their
actions should an accident result from
retrieving wildlife of any kind.
Motorists are also reminded that it is unlawful
to stop, except for emergencies, on all
controlled access highways, such as interstate
highways.
Salvaging wildlife is not considered an
emergency.
Reporting road kill and wildlife salvage is
important because the information will be
incorporated with other wildlife collision
records, which will ultimately help identify and
document high risk areas along Idaho's roadways.
This information can be used by transportation
officials, land managers and other interested
parties to make more informed assessments and
decisions regarding the safety of motorists and
the needs of wildlife in future road projects.
For more information regarding Idaho's wildlife
salvage rules, please refer to Fish and Game's
website at
https://fishandgame.idaho.gov/roadkill, or
contact your nearest Fish and Game office. |
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