Montana Roadkill Law in Place, But Dinner Will Have to Wait
A law that allows people to harvest the meat of deer, elk, moose and antelope that are slain by vehicles in Montana has gone into effect, but those who are hungry for roadkill will need to wait just a few months longer to turn on the grill.
"The bill did become effective on the first of October," said Montana, Fish, Wildlife and Parks spokeswoman Vivica Crowser. "It just allows the Fish, Wildlife, and Parks commission to establish rules to offer permits. So the commission will be looking at, and adopting, a set of rules that will govern how this is implemented on the ground. They will decide that this month."
A hearing on the rules is set for October 10. Crowser said that the rule making process will likely make it so that harvesters miss peak roadkill season, which is going on right now.
"Animals are traveling more in the lower elevations, more active than usual, and more distracted than other times of the year," Crowser said. "This is the time when roadkill really bumps. I would say the first of October through the end of November is really the peak season for roadkill."
After Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks sketches out a set of proposed procedures, they will go to the secretary of state's office for final approval. That process will likely take about a month.