CHEYENNE, Wyo. — On Tuesday, Nov. 12, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) reminded Wyomingites that authorization is required before recovering road-killed wildlife.
The public can request permission to salvage deer, elk, antelope, moose, wild bison and wild turkey from unintentional vehicle collisions through the Wyoming 511 app, even without cellular service.
A 2023 peer-reviewed research paper confirms roadkill is the most common cause of death in almost a third of all wildlife populations studied, which puts road mortality from wildlife-vehicle collisions ahead of disease, hunting and predation by other animals as causes of death. According to Grand Teton National Park (GTNP), around 75 to 100 large animals are hit by vehicles annually in the Park. During fall migration, drivers should use caution and slow down, especially at dawn, dusk and during the night when visibility is reduced, GTNP said via its website.
For collecting an animal that was killed, certain safety guidelines are required within the regulation:
- Only take road-killed wildlife from a public road or highway from sunrise until sunset.
- Parking off the road is required and emergency flashers must be used.
- No field dressing of any kind is permitted on the roadway.
- The whole animal must be taken and the inedible portions must be properly disposed of in an approved landfill.
Safety considerations prohibit people from picking up carcasses from extremely busy roadways, such as interstates 25, 80 and 90. It also disallows collection in active construction areas and within national parks in Wyoming.
To request authorization through the Wyoming 511 app, look for the “Report Roadkill” button on the home screen. If the species is available for collection in an approved location, the user can request authorization. The app immediately sends a certificate upon completing the questionnaire. Requestors must currently have or create a username and password with the WGFD to gain authorization.
