Feeding Wild Game (and Roadkill)

Most raw feeders get most if not all of their meat from grocery stores, butchers, abattoirs (slaughterhouses), and the like. Some are fortunate enough to get wild game by hunting or from people who do. I say this is fortunate because the whole idea of feeding raw is to feed as naturally as possible. What is better than wild, naturally fed game then? Another bonus is that, as far as I'm aware, it is illegal to buy or sell hunted game in every state in the US which means this meat is always free.

What wild game can be fed? The best are things wolves would naturally eat. Deer (venison), elk, moose, rabbit, squirrels, and even poultry like turkey, quail, and pheasant.

Since wild animals are obviously not kept pest-free it is wise to freeze them solid for at least a week or so before feeding it to your pet. The Mayo clinic states freezing meat for at least 12 hours and fish for at least 24 hours kills tapeworm eggs and larvae. I like to freeze wild game solid for at least a week to be on the safe side. Remember the clock doesn't start until the meat is frozen solid.

What should not be fed? Wild bear and wild boar (pigs) may not be wise to feed due to the risk of trichinosis. Bear in colder climates may have a cold-resistant strain that is not destroyed by freezing. Do not feed bear from Alaska, Canada, or the northern US states. Bear from lower states is probably fine but personally I'm not sure I would take the risk. Wild boar, common in the southeastern US and Hawaii, are also carriers of trichinosis. Trich is destroyed by cooking so to put meat to good use you can turn it into treats for your pets by fully cooking it and turning it into little pieces of crunchy goodness. I would never feed it raw.  Other animals I avoid include opossums, racoons, and skunks. I'm not sure what would eat a skunk anyway but rabies is a concern. Opossums are known to often be completely infested with parasites such as fleas, ticks, and all kinds of worms. While freezing would technically kill these parasites I wouldn't want to feed it. I also am opposed to feeding carnivores to carnivores and would not feed animals such as mountain lions, coyotes, ferrets, wolverines, etc. While wild wolves are scavengers who would take advantage of any carcass they come across, and are even known to cannibalize and eat members of their own species, the vast majority of their diet consists of herbivores and omnivores.

What parts of the animal can be fed? Pretty much everything. Personally for large game like deer or elk I might remove the intestines and bladder but some dogs will eat it. It's a bit smelly and neither offers much in terms of nutrition so I'd ditch it. For smaller animals I'd leave them completely whole and intact. Even the heads of larger animals are great. The head offers nutrition in the brain, eyes, and tongue. Antlers make great chews for dogs. My dogs even eat the feet of deer! All organs and meat are good. Reproductive organs can also be fed; uterus and penis are fed as meat, and testes and ovaries are fed as organ. Sometimes the animal may be a pregnant female. It is great to feed the fetus. No reason to waste anything!

What about roadkill? I have never fed roadkill but I know of quite a few people who do. It's free meat, and it is perfectly fine to feed in the right circumstances. I know the reaction of most people is "What?! Ew!" but the basic thought is this: if a hunter had shot it would it be ok to feed it? If the answer is yes, pick it up. There are guidelines to follow though. First is to contact the police department or whoever is in charge of clearing roadkill. There is often a legal procedure and sometimes even a waiting list to claim roadkill. You can let them know you want any fresh roadkill for the meat and organs and even have them contact you when there is a fresh kill. Fresh is key. Do not pick up roadkill to feed if it is old and rotting with maggots crawling through it. Wild canids may take advantage of such a carcass but you do not need to risk getting your dog sick. Some dogs may be fine with it but others may not be. Some dogs bury their regular food and dig it up days later to finish it. Personally I don't like feeding anything that I wouldn't want to eat myself. Fresh meat, sure, but not rotting meat.

Animals that have been hit and killed are fine to feed but if it was splattered and crushed and looks like a murder scene it may be wise not to feed it. It's all up to you and what you are comfortable feeding and what the context and situation of the kill is. If the kill is full of glass and debris and oil, don't feed it. If a deer was smacked and broke its neck, why not take it and put it to good use? As with hunted meat, it's fine to feed fetuses as well.


Be safe and use common sense about feeding hunted game and roadkill. If you're not comfortable feeding it at all then don't! If it's old, smelly, rotting, you suspect the animal was poisoned, for any reason at all you don't want it then don't take it. You don't have to feed wild game.