Summary: These sections regulate the selling of deer meat and other parts of the deer, namely the skin, hide and head. Once a deer has been legally taken, the code allows the skin or hide to be sold, purchased, tanned, or manufactured into articles for sale. There is also a provision which prohibits the capturing or destroying of any deer and detaching or removing from the carcass only the head, hide, antlers, or horn. This same section also forbids any person from leaving through carelessness or neglect any game mammal or game bird which is in his possession, or any portion of the flesh thereof usually eaten by humans, to go needlessly to waste.
§ 4301 . Sale and importation of deer meat
§ 4302 . Retention of head of deer
§ 4303 . Use of deer skin; donation to veterans' organization or service committee
§ 4304 . Waste of flesh of game mammal or game bird prohibited
§ 4301. Sale and importation of deer meat
(a) Subject to the provisions of this code permitting the sale of domestically raised game mammals, it is unlawful to sell or purchase, or transport for the purpose of sale, any deer meat in this state whether fresh, smoked, canned, or preserved by any means, except fallow deer meat processed by a slaughterer in accordance with Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 18650) of, and Chapter 4.1 (commencing with Section 18940) of, Part 3 of Division 9 of the Food and Agricultural Code , and except that deer meat may be imported into this state from a foreign country for the purpose of processing (manufacturing) and selling a product commonly known as venison or deer jerky or venison or deer salami, properly labeled as such, for human consumption. All deer meat imported into this state shall meet all of the sanitary and inspection requirements for wholesomeness, except an antemortem inspection, but including a postmortem inspection, as required for other meat imported for human consumption. The deer meat shall be in an identifiable condition and accompanied by a bill of lading, showing the name of the consignor, the consignee, and the weight of the deer meat shipped. A copy of the bill of lading shall be delivered to the nearest office of the department either prior to, or not later than, two days from the date of receipt of the deer meat. No such deer meat imported into this state may leave the premises of the original consignee unless written permission is received from the department, or unless it is processed into the form of the product commonly known as jerky or salami.
(b) As used in this section, "deer" includes any animal of the family Cervidae.
CREDIT(S)
(Stats.1957, c. 456, p. 1386, § 4301. Amended by Stats.1967, c. 1570, p. 3764, § 1; Stats.2000, c. 373 (A.B.1173), § 1.)
Any person taking any deer shall retain in his possession during the open season thereon, and for 15 days thereafter, that portion of the head which in adult males normally bears the antlers, and shall produce the designated portion of the head upon the demand of any officer authorized to enforce the provisions of this code.
CREDIT(S)
(Stats.1957, c. 456, p. 1386, § 4302. Amended by Stats.1970, c. 111, p. 338, § 1.)
§ 4303. Use of deer skin; donation to veterans' organization or service committee
The skin or hide of any deer lawfully taken may be sold, purchased, tanned, or manufactured into articles for sale.
Skins or hides of deer lawfully taken may be donated at any time to veterans' organizations or veterans' service committees for use by veterans for rehabilitation purposes.
CREDIT(S)
(Stats.1957, c. 456, p. 1386, § 4303. Amended by Stats.1970, c. 111, p. 338, § 2.)
§ 4304. Waste of flesh of game mammal or game bird prohibited
(a) A person shall not at any time capture or destroy any deer and detach or remove from the carcass only the head, hide, antlers, or horns; nor shall any person at any time leave through carelessness or neglect any game mammal or game bird that is in their possession, or any portion of the flesh thereof usually eaten by humans, to go needlessly to waste. The provisions of this section shall not apply to game mammals taken under the authority of Section 4152.
(b) This section shall remain in effect only until July 1, 2024, and as of that date is repealed.
Credits
(Stats.1957, c. 456, p. 1386, § 4304. Amended by Stats.1965, c. 866, p. 2466, § 1; Stats.2022, c. 469 (S.B.856), § 20, eff. Jan. 1, 2023.)