A man who harvests roadkill to feed his family has explained his process and why he does it, sparking debate online.
Keith McCormick is on a call list for local police, meaning that when a moose is killed by a vehicle, he is able to butcher and consume it for free.
It’s become a regular trick of his, and he races to be the first to arrive at the scene to claim the dead animal – with officials giving him 30 minuets before they dispose of it themselves.
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Sharing his controversial practice in a Reel which went viral with 470,000 views, the 34-year-old says the meat will keep his family fed for “months”.
And despite critique, Keith has defended his eating of roadkill.
“As long as you can keep the meat clean during processing, it’s as safe as any other meat,” the psychiatrist, from Anchorage, Alaska, US, told Need To Know.
“Its quality is even higher than commercial meat options, as no one is going to care more about your food than you.”
Once the 34-year-old has received the call from authorities ansd picked up the ‘goods’, he starts by skinning it, then quarters and prepares it to be turned into foods like jalapeño sausages, burgers and other meals to be eaten over the following weeks.
Defending the practice, he said: “This is meat my family will use every day.
“Breakfast sausage, burgers, roasts, and steaks will feed us for months.
“Salvaging is about being responsible stewards of our resources here in Alaska, not letting good meat go to waste, and respecting the animal.”
He argues that unlike with hunting that is merely killing for sport, wildlife provide sustenance and materials, particularly where he lives.
He said: “In places like Alaska, wildlife is a real resource, and wasting it is the bigger problem.
“When salvage is legal and done properly, it’s a way to respect the animal by making sure its life isn’t discarded unnecessarily.”
One person commented: “Salvage meat rocks.”
Another user added: “Bro just got 300lbs of the healthiest food on earth for free.”
Rico joked: “Dude hit the moose, I just can’t prove it.
Another user joined in, saying: “Are you sure you didn’t hit it on purpose?”
However, some users disagreed with the practice of eating roadkill.
One person used vomiting emojis, while another said: “Disgusting.”
Diane added: “Who eats moose meat?”
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