14 DAY TRIAL // Unlucky hunters who happen to stumble upon the cute deer pictured above are likely to get in trouble with law enforcement, as the creature is not actually a real animal, but a robot used by the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office as a decoy to catch poachers.
Shooting deer is considered a third-degree felony in Florida, and using robotic animals as bait to catch illegal hunters who violate game laws has been a successful tactic for authorities, as they seem very realistic and often manage to deceive illegal hunters.
The lifelike deer proved to be very efficient assistants to Florida deputies, and they can even be remotely controlled to turn their heads, move their ears, and even wiggle their Tails. Moreover, they can take as many as 1,000 shots before requiring replacement.
“I can have the deer facing away from him, and then when they make a noise, I can have that head turn towards that noise,” said Deputy Jeff Gross, according to WFLA.
Officers usually place the robodeer in a specific spot where they have been tipped off about poaching activity, hide in the bushes nearby, and wait for the hunters to show up and catch them in the act. Technically, it's the deer who hunts the poacher and not viceversa.