Aero,
This is from the Illinois DNR web site.
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
DEER ACCIDENTALLY KILLED/INJURED
BY A MOTOR VEHICLE
WHAT TO DO IF YOU FIND A DEER THAT WAS KILLED/INJURED BY A MOTOR VEHICLE AND YOU WISH TO CLAIM IT.
A whitetail deer that is killed/injured as a result of a collision with a motor vehicle may be legally
possessed by an individual if the following criteria are met:
1. The driver of a motor vehicle involved in a vehicle-deer collision has priority in possessing
said deer. If the driver does not take possession of the deer before leaving the collision scene,
any citizen of Illinois may possess and transport the deer.
2. There is no limit to the number of deer that may be possessed under these circumstances.
3. The person possessing the deer must keep a personal record which provides the date the deer was claimed, the sex of the deer, the location of the kill, and the place where the deer or deer parts are stored. This information must be kept until the deer is consumed or is no longer in the possession of any person. The information must be provided to any law enforcement officer who may be investigating the death and possession of the deer. Note: Effective October 29, 2001, the vehicle-killed deer reporting procedure has been changed. Individuals who claim deer killed by a motor vehicle will no longer be required to make a phone report and obtain a registration number or a tag EXCEPT when the deer is taken to a taxidermist or tanery. If you take the deer to a meat processor or process it yourself, you are not required to report it. If you plan to take the deer to a taxidermist or tanery, please call the Office of Law Enforcement at 217-782-6431 to obtain a tag before delivering the deer to the taxidermist or tanery. The tag cannot be discarded until the deer is at the legal residence of the person who legally claimed the deer.
4. Except for any law enforcement officers in the performance of their duties, it shall be illegal to kill a deer crippled by a collision with a motor vehicle.
5. The inedible parts of vehicle-killed deer cannot be bartered or sold.
6. The State of Illinois is absolved of any and all liability associated with the handling or utilization of vehicle-killed deer. This does not, however, relieve involved parties from reporting other liabilities to appropriate agencies as required.