How to Dispose of a Deer Carcass After Butchering

How to dispose of a deer carcass is a question that comes up every fall once the meat is in the freezer and a pile of bones, hide and trimmings is left on the garage floor. The right answer depends on where you live and where the deer came from. In many places the simplest routes are leaving the carcass with the processor, double-bagging the remains for the household trash, or hauling them to a landfill that accepts animal waste. In areas with chronic wasting disease (CWD), state wildlife agencies often add rules about where carcasses can go and set up special drop sites. This guide walks through each option and the mistakes that can earn a fine.

The quick answer

• Had it processed? Ask the processor to keep the carcass. Many already handle bones and scraps.
• Butchered it yourself? Double-bag the remains in heavy contractor bags and put them out on trash day if your hauler allows it, or take them to a landfill that accepts carcasses.
• In or near a CWD area? Use the state's carcass drop sites or a landfill, and follow the rules on moving carcass parts.
• On your own land? Burial or leaving remains where the deer was killed may be allowed. Check state and local rules first.
• Never dump a carcass on a roadside, in public woods or in a creek, and never put it in the yard waste or recycling cart.

Check the rules first

Deer carcass disposal is regulated by a mix of state wildlife agencies, state environmental agencies and local trash rules. Before you choose a method, check two things:

• Your state wildlife agency's hunting regulations. Most now include a section on carcass transport and disposal, especially in states that have found CWD. Some states limit which carcass parts can leave a CWD zone or cross state lines, often allowing only deboned meat, cleaned skull plates and antlers, cleaned teeth, hides and finished taxidermy.
• Your trash hauler or local solid waste office. They decide whether animal remains can go in your cart and which local landfills accept them.

CWD is a fatal brain disease of deer, elk and moose caused by abnormal proteins called prions, which can stay in soil for years. That is why wildlife agencies care where the brain, spine and other high-risk parts end up, and why landfills are their preferred destination.

Leave it with the processor

If you take your deer to a meat processor or butcher, this is usually the easiest route. Many processors keep the carcass and send bones and trimmings to a rendering company or landfill. Some charge a small disposal fee and some include it in the processing price. Ask when you drop the deer off, because a few return everything to the hunter.

Bag it for household trash

Many trash haulers will take deer remains in regular household garbage if they are bagged and the cart lid closes. Call or check your hauler's website first, because some do not allow them and some set weight limits per cart.

1. Cut the carcass into manageable pieces so each bag stays at a weight you can lift and the cart can take.
2. Double-bag in heavy contractor bags and tie each one shut. Bones puncture thin kitchen bags.
3. Keep it cold until pickup. If trash day is several days away, store the bags in a cold garage or a freezer you do not use for food, so they do not smell or attract animals.
4. Put the bags inside the cart the morning of pickup, not on the curb the night before, so dogs, raccoons and coyotes cannot tear into them.

Take it to a landfill or transfer station

Many municipal solid waste landfills accept deer carcasses, and some set aside a separate area for animal waste so it can be covered right away. Transfer stations and convenience centers are more mixed: some take bagged remains, others send you to the landfill. Call ahead and ask:

• Do you accept deer carcasses or animal remains from residents?
• Do they need to be bagged, or brought loose?
• Is there a per-carcass fee, a weight charge or a minimum?
• Which entrance or area should I use?

Use the Dumpmapper map to find landfills and transfer stations near you, then confirm the rules by phone. Our guide on what you can take to the dump explains how sites sort loads at the gate.

Deer carcass drop sites and dumpsters

In states and counties where CWD has been found, wildlife agencies and local partners often set up deer carcass dumpsters or drop sites during hunting season. Hunters can leave bagged carcasses there for free or a small fee, and the contents go to a lined landfill. Locations usually change from year to year, so look for a current list on your state wildlife agency's website or call a regional office. Some of these programs also offer CWD sampling stations where you can have a deer tested.

Burying or leaving it on your land

Rural hunters often ask whether they can just leave the remains in the woods or bury them. The answer depends on the state, and sometimes on whether you are in a CWD zone.

• Gut piles in the field. Many states allow you to leave the entrails where the deer was killed on land where you are allowed to hunt. That is different from hauling a whole carcass back later and dumping it.
• Burial. Where allowed, bury remains deep enough that scavengers cannot dig them up, and well away from wells, streams, ponds and property lines. States and counties may set minimum depths and distances, so look them up before you dig.
• On your own property only. Leaving remains on land you do not own, or where neighbors and pets will find them, can break littering or nuisance laws.
• CWD zones. Agencies in CWD areas commonly discourage or prohibit burying or leaving carcasses on the landscape, because prions can persist in the soil. Their advice is usually to bag the remains for a landfill.

Composting deer remains is possible with the right setup, but it takes a large, hot pile and careful management, and it is not recommended in CWD areas. A backyard compost bin is not the place for it.

What not to do

• Do not dump it on a roadside, public land or a trailhead. Illegal dumping of carcasses is a common complaint to game wardens and can carry fines.
• Do not put it in a creek, river or pond. It fouls the water and is illegal in many places.
• Do not use the yard waste, compost or recycling cart. Those streams go to compost or sorting facilities that do not accept animal waste.
• Do not burn it. Burning a carcass in a backyard fire is usually against open burning rules and rarely gets hot enough to finish the job.
• Do not move carcass parts from a CWD zone or across state lines without checking the transport rules for both the place you hunted and your home state.

Hides, heads and antlers

• Hides. If you do not want to tan the hide, ask around. Some processors, tanneries and service groups collect deer hides during the season. Otherwise it goes in the bag with the rest of the carcass.
• Antlers and skull plates. Clean them of brain and tissue if you plan to keep or move them, especially from a CWD area. Many hunters keep them as mounts or for crafts.
• Heads for testing or taxidermy. If you want a CWD test, ask your state agency where to drop the head or how to submit a sample before you dispose of it. Taxidermists handle the cape and head for mounts and know the transport rules.

Hit a deer with your car or found one on the road? That is a different situation. See our guide on how to dispose of a dead animal, which covers who to call about animals on public roads.

Deer carcass disposal FAQ

Can I put a deer carcass in the trash?

In many areas, yes, if your hauler allows it. Cut it into pieces, double-bag it in heavy contractor bags, keep it cold until pickup and put it inside the cart on collection day. Check with your hauler first.

Do landfills take deer carcasses?

Many municipal landfills accept deer carcasses, and some have a separate area for animal waste. Call ahead to ask about bagging rules, fees and which entrance to use.

Can I bury a deer carcass on my property?

Often, where state and local rules allow it. Bury it deep enough that scavengers cannot dig it up and well away from wells and water. In chronic wasting disease areas, agencies usually prefer landfill disposal instead.

Can I leave a deer carcass in the woods?

Many states allow leaving the gut pile where the deer was killed. Dumping a carcass on public land, a roadside or someone else's property is usually illegal. Check your state's hunting regulations.

What do deer processors do with the carcass?

Many keep bones and trimmings and send them to a rendering company or landfill, sometimes for a small fee. Ask when you drop the deer off.

Why do CWD rules matter for disposal?

Chronic wasting disease is spread by prions that can persist in soil, so many states limit moving carcass parts from CWD zones and set up drop sites that send carcasses to lined landfills.

The bottom line

How to dispose of a deer carcass comes down to local rules and convenience. Let the processor keep it when you can. If you butcher at home, double-bag the remains and use the household trash where your hauler allows it, or take them to a landfill that accepts animal waste. In CWD areas, use the state's carcass drop sites or a landfill and follow the transport rules. Bury or leave remains only on your own land where it is allowed, and never dump a carcass on public land, a roadside or in water.