Odd Laws Still on the Books
Taking home roadkill, shed antlers and an eyeball tattoo: real West Virginia sections
Lists of strange state laws get passed around with no section number attached. Every one below has one, read from the West Virginia Code.
Who handles this in West Virginia: legal aid programs, lawyer referral and the state offices, listed in the West Virginia directory.
| The law | What it says |
|---|---|
| The lawRoadkill | What it saysWildlife killed or mortally wounded by accidentally hitting it with a vehicle may be kept, if the claim is reported to law enforcement within twelve hours and a nonhunting game tag is obtained within twenty four hours. Protected birds, elk, spotted fawns and bear cubs are excluded. |
| The lawShed antlers | What it saysDeer antlers shed naturally may be kept when collected on the collector's own land, on public land unless the law forbids it, or on private land with the owner's written permission in hand. |
| The lawAn eyeball tattoo | What it saysIt is unlawful for anyone to perform or offer to perform a tattoo on the surface of the eye. |
Many laws that sound strange are city or county ordinances rather than state law; this page covers only the Code. Whether a particular act broke one of these sections is a question for a licensed West Virginia attorney.
Sources for this section (3)
- W. Va. Code § 20-2-4 — Possession of wildlife
- W. Va. Code § 16-38-3 — Operation standards
- W. Va. Code § 16-38-1 — Definitions
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed West Virginia attorney.