Have you ever hit an animal with your car, and then your first thought was “it’s supper time”?

Me neither. But for many people in this great land of ours, a dead animal is a terrible thing to waste. So exactly what are the laws in Utah when it comes to eating roadkill?

Well you may be surprised to find out that in Utah, it is perfectly legal for you to take home and eat an animal that you have killed with your car.

However there are a few restrictions to keep in mind.

1. The animal cannot be a protected species.  Sorry White Rhino fans.

2. It is still illegal to kill an animal on purpose with your car.

3. Before taking the animal home, you must contact wildlife authorities.

4. The antlers and horns of the animals cannot be kept.

5. You cannot sell roadkill as meat to other people.

So here’s the scenario. You’re driving down the street listening to your favorite radio station B92.1. You’re singing along to Olivia Rodrigo and hoping nobody hears you, when Wham!! A splatter of blood flies on your windshield, and what looks like an enormous rat tail goes flying past your window. You just killed a possum.

First things first, make sure that animal is dead. The last thing you need is a live animal in the backseat of your car.

Next, contact wildlife authorities and tell them what happened. Perhaps you could mention that you are very hungry, and you have an incredible recipe from your grandma for possum nuggets. See what happens.

As with any food, wild or otherwise, there is always a possibility that the carcass carries a disease that could make you sick.  As a rule of thumb, unless it is deer or elk, you should probably leave it alone.

Long story short, yes you can eat roadkill. But you have to call the authorities every time. And if this happens a lot, you should probably get some brighter headlights.

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