“We always notify [Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency] first,” Hall said. “They come and sometimes, like today, [Tennessee Department of Transportation] was requested by TWRA to pick up the bear.”

After a bear or deer is struck by a vehicle, Hall said the meat is usually too damaged and spoiled to be taken and consumed. Occasionally, however, bear and deer meat can be taken by interested citizens, as long as they alert wildlife officials.

Washington County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Darrell Dickenson said if a driver has an accident with wildlife, the call is sent to the Virginia State Police.

“On occasion, we will get a call that a wounded animal is beside the roadway by a passerby if the person that hit it did not stop,” Dickenson said. “In these cases, if there is not a game warden available, they will normally ask us to put the animal down so it does not suffer.”

As in Tennessee, Virginia wildlife and law enforcement authorities contact local or state highway departments to remove carcasses from the roadway

Wildlife officials said they typically respond to such incidents if a bear is injured and is a candidate for rehabilitation or needs to be euthanized.