I walked my dogs down the chemin near our house this morning, and found the remains of a butchered deer by the side of the road, within clear view, just off into the woods. Actually, some of the deer was left on one side of the chemin, while on the other side was another pile of cutup cast-off pieces. It looks freshly done.
This is the first time I’ve found something like this. It doesn’t seem legal to dump a carcass like this.
I wonder if anyone has any similar experience? I’m thinking I should report it to the mairie?
Should I go in person, to the mairie, to report it? There’s a phone number and an email address on the website for the mairie, but I would appreciate advice on which kind of contact, in this instance, might be better?
I would want to try to chat in French, but I am remedial especially when a bit nervous. I did a translation from English to French, of what to say, and I think the secretary speaks a little English and is helpful and nice. They’re not too far. Hmmmm. Maybe I should just go in person…
That’s such a good idea, and helps them. If it’s anything like round here - rural Lot & Garonne - the local accent is very thick and they struggle to understand us as we try our (non-regional accent) French. So communication can be a struggle in both directions.
I use Deepl when I want a speedy translation - not perfect, but good enough for comprehension.
People here phone the head of our chasse, and they will dispatch someone to remove it. Which usually means just dumping out of sight further back in woodland for our dog to find and bring home,
But the mairie will work just as well I guess.
Just show them the photo, that explains all!
(It may already have disappeared if you have carrion eaters in your forests)
Just want to say thank to you all who responded in this discussion. I decided to go to the mairie. I’ve just gotten back from talking with the secretary there. She looked up the cadastre for the location of the remains, and it turns out to be someone unknown to her. There seem to be a lot of sections of woods in between the fields, owned by different people who don’t necessarily reside around here. The remains were left on one of those.
She said that since it’s not easy to find the hunters who did this, it will be the responsibility of the community to clean up the remains (we know the guy who will probably have to do this). By the way, it’s pretty clear that it’s been cut up. Therefore I rather doubt it’s roadkill. We’ll never know, I guess. Anyway. It’s become part of the community responsibility to remove it, so will be taken care of. She thanked me for bringing it to their attention (especially since it’s a rural chemin and there are group randonnees that go down this pretty little way from time to time), and asked me to send her the photos I took.
Okay, that’s interesting, and I appreciate your input on this. To my mind, it seemed like hunters might have wanted to process the deer and dispose without having to take the unnecessary parts away. It was clear that the fat had been cut away, and the internal organs were left… But I do see your point. I’m not a hunter so my assumption was perhaps ignorant, that it would be easier to just dump the processed remains rather than dispose of properly. Thanks.
With the local chasse they take carcasses to their cabin and hang it before butchering it (properly). So if it was a local hunter they would know what to do, they wouldn’t leave a carcass in plain sight even if it were an illegal kill.
Hahahaha it might be your accent that is the problem and I don’t mean a French non regional one not casting aspersions on your accent but do you really sound like a French person?
I’d probably tell my Mairie as they’re closer/easier… or I could phone the local chasse policeman who I’ve known for years.
I suspect the Mairie would phone him anyway… for him to check the death and arrange disposal.
No, of course not. But there is a local accent where whole words sound different - cent, sans, for example. Mind you, my doctor the other day did compliment me on my French, then added, compared with most English, so I realise it’s a pretty low bar.
not casting aspersions on your accent but do you really sound like a French person?
But there is a local accent where whole words sound different - cent, sans, for example. Mind you, my doctor the other day did compliment me on my French, then added, compared with most English, so I realise it’s a pretty low bar.