I recently salvaged a road-killed elk that had a plastic ear tag warning me to call Idaho Fish and Game before consuming the meat. Why is the meat unsafe to eat?

Immobilizing drugs are sometimes used to capture and restrain a variety of wildlife for management, research, and public safety purposes in situations where other methods of capture are not practical.  The meat is deemed unfit for consupmption by humans or animals for a time period after the drug is administered.  Please contact IDFG's health daboratory at 208-454-7638, who will know when the animal was drugged and if you can safely consume the meat.