I think you’ll agree with me when I say that the last thing I want is to break the law over my dogs’ raw food diets.
After seeing many raw feeders suggest the illegal buying of and bartering for wild game it’s time for me to share the truth with you to help keep everyone on the right side of the law.
Because many raw feeding websites and groups are suggesting you offer money, goods or services to hunters in return for wild game meat and scraps, here’s a much-needed breakdown by state on what is and isn’t legal.
Be aware of your own state laws, listed below!
Protecting hunters and wild animals by following the law is a must. Yes, selling wild game or sport-caught fish is illegal. If it weren’t illegal, unethical hunters and anglers would soon strip wild game populations. A sport, hobby and way of life would soon turn into a cash flow opportunity.
While the majority of hunters are law-abiding conservationists, a few bad apples are all it takes to ruin things for everyone else. This is why the law is so strict when it comes to the selling and bartering of wild game. And so it should be, if you ask me.
Who do these state laws protect?
- Wild game first and foremost.
- Hunting as a sport, hobby and way of life.
- The conservation of public lands and their ecosystems.
- The public, from potentially untested, poorly handled meat.
Why Following Your State Laws is so Important to All Raw Feeders
As people who are taking our dogs’ health into our own hands and disrupting the status quo, we have a big responsibility to do so in an upstanding and ethical manner. I urge you to hold yourself to the highest of standards because the integrity of this movement depends on it.
All it takes is word of mouth or a single social media post, boasting about buying wild game from hunters, to get someone in hot water. Once all eyes are on raw feeders for encouraging the breaking of the law, and following through with it, the movement as a whole could be negatively affected.
The list below is meant to give you a short summary of your state’s laws on this matter. For more information, I have provided links to each state’s Department of Fish and Game website. Also, keep in mind that state laws do change so always keep yourself updated on this matter.
I’ve also included roadkill laws by state, when available.
Alabama: Any person, firm, or corporation who sells, offers, or exposes for sale, buys, purchases, barters, or exchanges anything of value for any game bird or game animal or any part thereof at any time shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not less than $250.00 nor more than $500.00 for each offense.
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Alaska: A person may not take, possess, transport, sell, offer to sell, purchase, or offer to purchase wild fish, game, or marine aquatic plants, or any part of wild fish, game, or aquatic plants, or nest or egg of fish or game. It is illegal for citizens to collect road kill, and road kill should be reported to the state department of fish and game who collects salvageable meat for charity.
Roadkill is considered property of the state.
Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Arizona: Only the carcass or parts thereof of wildlife lawfully produced by or lawfully obtained from a commercial wildlife breeding or processing establishment may be sold in this state. A person may make a gift of the carcass or parts thereof of his lawfully obtained wildlife, or he may have it prepared in a public eating place and served to himself and his guests.
Roadkilled big game animals may only be collected by the person who hit them, and only with a permit.
Arkansas: Any wildlife, including but not limited to game animals, birds and fish, that is taken, transported or sold in violation of any Code regulation is declared to be contraband and may be seized. Upon conviction of the offender, or sooner if the court having jurisdiction so orders, title to the wildlife shall be forfeited to the Commission and such wildlife released or disposed of in compliance with Commission policy.
Arkansas Fish and Game Commission
California: It is illegal for anyone to buy, sell or trade any sport-taken wild game meat in California. There are businesses that import “exotic” meats, and they are inspected and regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). According to the USDA, “Game meats that do not have a mark of inspection cannot be sold. This is the case for game meat harvested by a recreational hunter. The inspection and processing requirements will not be met and thus the meat cannot be sold.” California is notoriously strict on the trade in animal parts, particularly endangered animals.
It is illegal to collect roadkill.
California Department of Fish and Game
Colorado: Colorado statutes make it illegal to sell or offer for sale any wild game or to solicit another person in the illegal hunting of wildlife. This makes the selling of any harvested game such as elk, deer, ducks, rabbits, or pheasants illegal. Roadkill may be collected with proper authorization as per Article X #016 of the Division of Wildlife Regulations.
It is illegal to kill animals only for trophies and to waste the rest of the carcass.
Connecticut: It is illegal to sell meat from wild deer shot in Connecticut. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) outlawed the commercial sale of deer meat to avoid commercial hunting and depletion of the deer population.
You are required to have a deer transportation permit to pick up roadkilled deer, or a permit to pick up roadkilled moose.
Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Delaware: It shall be unlawful for any person to purchase, sell, expose for sale, transport or possess with the intent to sell, any deer or any part of such deer at any time, except that hides from deer lawfully killed and checked may be sold. This subsection shall not apply to venison approved for sale by the United States Department of Agriculture and imported into Delaware.
Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife
Florida: If game animals are received for sale or service they shall be commercially raised for food and raised, slaughtered, and processed under a voluntary inspection program that is conducted by the agency that has animal health jurisdiction.
Permission from the state is required for picking up roadkill of game animals.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Georgia: Selling or purchasing any game species or parts thereof, except antlers, hides, and tails of legally taken deer, tails of legally taken squirrels, hides of legally trapped furbearers, and legally taken alligator products, is unlawful.
Roadkilled native species may be legally collected, though you must notify the state about roadkilled black bears; wildlife parts collected for scientific purposes require a permit.
Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division
Hawaii: No person shall sell or offer for sale any game mammal or parts of the carcass of any game mammal taken from any public hunting area.
Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources
Idaho: Simply put by Idaho Fish and Game “It is not legal to sell wild game meat in Idaho.”
Roadkilled game animals may be collected. You must notify the state within 24 hours of your salvage and obtain a permit within 72 hours.
Illinois: The selling of wild game is prohibited. Wild Game & Bird Breeder, Class A is required to possess various game mammals, game birds and migratory waterfowl. Class A is noncommercial and does not allow licensees to sell. Processed Wild Game Dealer allows processors to buy, sell and/or process wild game for public consumption.
It is illegal to sell or barter inedible parts from legally salvaged roadkill deer.
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Indiana: The only wild game parts that may be sold are lawfully taken fur hides, squirrel tails, deer hides, antlers and hooves, and cured feathers from game birds.
Roadkill or natural-death deer may only be possessed with permits.
Indiana DNR Fish and Wildlife Services
Iowa: Except as otherwise provided, a person shall not buy or sell, dead or alive, a bird or animal or any part of one which is protected by this chapter, but this section does not apply to fur-bearing animals, bones of wild turkeys that were legally taken, and the skins, plumage, and antlers of legally taken game. This section does not prohibit the purchase of jackrabbits from sources outside this state. A person shall not purchase, sell, barter, or offer to purchase, sell, or barter for millinery or ornamental use the feathers of migratory game birds; and a person shall not purchase, sell, barter, or offer to purchase, sell, or barter mounted specimens of migratory game birds. Section 481A.50 and this section do not apply to a game species, fur-bearing animal species, or variety of fish protected under this chapter which is sold by a nonprofit corporation as a part of a meal.
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Kansas: It is illegal to sell wild game meat. This includes the sale of game at banquets or charitable events.
Kentucky: Except as otherwise provided for in this chapter, and subject to regulations adopted under this chapter, no person, for himself or as the agent or employee of another shall buy, or sell, or attempt to buy, or sell, barter, exchange, or trade, or have in possession for the purpose of selling, bartering, or trading any protected wildlife or part thereof, raw fur or processed wildlife, no matter where or when caught or killed, whether caught or killed in this state or in any other state or other country.
Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources
Louisiana: No wild game can be sold within the state. It is illegal to hunt or possess spotted fawns.
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
Maine: No selling of wild game meat within the state.
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Maryland: A person may import, sell, offer for sale, purchase, offer to purchase, barter, or exchange, domestically raised, officially inspected, and processed venison that the person lawfully obtains, other than white-tailed and sika venison. A person who imports, sells, or offers for sale venison shall maintain records documenting the lawful origin of any venison imported or sold, including the species of deer, country or state of origin, the person from whom the venison was obtained, date of delivery, by whom the venison was officially inspected, and quantity of venison.
Deer that die natural deaths on private land or that are roadkill may be possessed with a deer salvage permit.
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Massachusetts: It shall be unlawful to buy or sell wild game meat.
Roadkill deer may be salvaged if properly reported.
Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife
Michigan: A person shall not offer for sale, sell, or expose for sale any wild game meat.
Roadkill deer and bear may only be possessed with a permit; other roadkill animals may be restricted.
Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Minnesota: Except as otherwise provided by the game and fish laws and as restricted in this section, a person may possess, transport, buy, or sell the following inedible portions of lawfully taken or acquired big game animals, fur-bearing animals, fish, and game birds other than migratory waterfowl: bones, including skulls; sinews; hides and skins; hooves; teeth; claws; and antlers.
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Mississippi: It is unlawful for any person to buy or sell or to offer for sale, exchange for merchandise, or other consideration, within this state, any game birds, game animals, or game fish, or parts thereof, named in this chapter, whether taken within or coming from without the state, except as specifically permitted by law or regulation.
Spotted fawns may not be hunted (and presumably possessed).
Mississippi Department of Wildlife
Missouri: No wild game parts, pieces, or mounts may be sold within the state.
Missouri Department of Conservation and Wildlife
Montana: Under Montana State law, it is unlawful to buy, sell, or possess, or offer to buy, sell or possess any migratory game bird, game fish, or game animal.
Roadkill antelope, deer, elk, and moose may be collected with a permit.
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks
Nebraska: It shall be unlawful to buy, sell, or barter the meat or flesh of game animals or game birds whether such animals or birds were killed or taken within or outside this state. Except as otherwise provided in this section, it shall be unlawful to buy, sell, or barter other parts of game animals or game birds.
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
Nevada: No wild game parts, pieces, or mounts may be sold within the state.
It is illegal to possess roadkilled game animals as they are considered property of the state.
New Hampshire: It shall be unlawful to buy or sell wild game meat.
Roadkilled deer, bear, moose or turkey may not be collected without a permit.
New Hampshire Fish and Game Department
New Jersey: No wild game can be sold within the state.
Roadkill may be collected with a permit.
New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife
New Mexico: Wild game may not be sold or bartered for.
New York: No selling of wild game meat within the state.
Roadkill deer and moose may be collected by the person who accidentally hit the animal if permission for collection is given by the state.
New York Department of Environmental Conservation
North Carolina: It is strictly illegal to sell wild game meat.
Roadkill may not be possessed without a permit.
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
Ohio: Ohio law forbids the buying and selling of wild animals or their parts.
Roadkill deer and turkeys may be possessed with permit if reported within 24 hours.
Oklahoma: No person may buy, barter, trade, sell or offer, or expose for sale all or any part of any fish or wildlife or the nest or eggs of any bird, protected by law.
Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation
Oregon: Unless otherwise specifically allowed by law, the sale, purchase, or exchange of the parts of any wildlife that was taken unlawfully continues to be prohibited. In the case of any enforcement action for violation of these rules, the burden of proving that the animal was taken lawfully is on the person who sells, purchases, or exchanges wildlife parts.
Roadkilled furbearers may only be collected by those with a furbearer license; big game roadkill may not be collected by anyone, including licensed hunters.
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Pennsylvania: The buying and selling of game is prohibited.
Roadkill deer may be collected with a permit, for food only, and antlers may not be collected.
Rhode Island: State law forbids the buying and selling of wild animals or their parts.
Roadkilled furbearers may be collected with a license.
Rhode Island Division of Fish and Wildlife
South Carolina: No wild game parts, pieces, or mounts may be sold within the state.
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
South Dakota: Selling or purchasing any game species or parts is unlawful.
South Dakota Department of Fish and Game
Tennessee: It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation, any restaurant, club, or hotel in this state to barter, sell, transfer or offer for sale, or to purchase, or offer to purchase, any of the wildlife except as provided within this title or in rules and regulations promulgated by the commission. Each unlawful sale, purchase, offer for sale or purchase, transfer, or possession with the intent to sell, barter or transfer for any consideration of a wild animal or wild bird, wild fowl or game fish, or part thereof, is a separate offense. Any person hiring another to kill or capture wildlife and receiving the wildlife is deemed to be buying the wildlife and is subject to the penalties of this title. Officers of the wildlife resources agency or persons specially employed or designated by the executive director or by the United States fish and wildlife service may capture, buy, sell, or offer to capture, buy or sell wild birds or wild animals, or parts thereof, for the sole purpose of obtaining evidence of violation of this title. The carcass of a lawful possession limit of opossum, raccoon or beaver may be bought, sold or shipped for sale during the open hunting or trapping season. A violation of this section is a Class A misdemeanor; except that any violation of this section involving wildlife valued at five hundred ($500) dollars or more is a Class E felony.
Roadkill may be possessed, except deer and other big game must have a permit within 48 hours of the accident.
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
Texas: It shall be unlawful to buy or sell wild game meat.
It is illegal to pick up roadkill.
Utah: Taking, transporting, selling, or purchasing protected wildlife illegal.
Roadkill may be collected with a permit.
Utah Division of Wildlife Services
Vermont: A person shall not buy or sell big game or the meat of big game within the state.
Virginia: Any person who offers for sale, sells, offers to purchase, or purchases any wild bird or wild animal, or any part thereof, or any freshwater fish, except as provided by law, shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. However, when the aggregate of such sales or purchases or any combination thereof, by any person totals $ 200 or more during any 90-day period, that person shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony.
Roadkilled deer may only be kept with permission.
Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
Washington: It is unlawful to offer for sale, sell, purchase, or barter edible parts of wild animals or game birds. It is unlawful to offer for sale, sell, purchase, or barter edible parts of game fish. It is unlawful to offer for sale, sell, purchase, or barter the nonedible parts of wild animals, game birds, or game fish.
Roadkilled deer and elk may be collected under certain limitations.
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
West Virginia: A person shall not buy or sell big game or the meat of big game within the state.
Roadkill, except for birds, spotted fawns, and bear cubs may be possessed with a permit if reported to the state within 12 hours.
West Virginia Department of Natural Resources
Wisconsin: It is illegal to buy or sell wild game.
Roadkill deer, bears or turkeys may be possessed, with a state permit, by the person who hit it or anyone else.
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Wyoming: Wild game is illegal to buy or sell within the state. Domestically raised wild meat processed in a state inspected plant can be sold to any stores or individuals.