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Robotic Deer to Fight Illegal Hunting
Roland Piquepaille writes "If you were a law enforcement official searching for hunters who don't follow the rules, what would be a good gift for you? In 'Robot Deer Captures Poachers,' Brian Bull, reporting from Mosinee, Wisconsin, writes that you can buy robotic decoys for deer, elks, moose and even bears. These life-like creatures are made of animal hides or skins attached to polyurethane foam bodies and equipped with remotely controlled motors allowing the head and tail to move. After you pay about $2,000 for such a robo-deer, you put it on a side road. All you have to do is wait for an illegal hunter trying to shoot the fake deer and fine him. Many officers have reported collecting well over $30,000 in fines with a single robot. Not a bad deal."
You got modded funny, but there's a kernel of truth in there.
One of the shitty things that poachers do, is shoot a deer then run it over with their truck.
By doing this, they can claim that the deer was hit by a car & they were only putting it out of its misery... an act which is perfectly legal.
[Fuck Beta]
o0t!
entrapment, in law, the instigation of a crime in the attempt to obtain cause for a criminal prosecution. Situations in which a government operative merely provides the occasion for the commission of a criminal act (e.g., when an undercover agent posing as a narcotics dealer is approached by a would-be customer) do not constitute entrapment. Only when the crime was not initially contemplated by the target is entrapment said to occur: thus, for example, an undercover agent may not recruit a previously law-abiding individual into a drug distribution ring in order to prosecute. Many police operations, especially in the areas of drugs and gambling, raise questions of entrapment, which is available as a defense in a trial.
Have you ever felt a live deer?
Yes. I also "just happen" to have some dead ones right at hand (No, I'm not just a weirdo; I'm a weirdo who ties his own trout flies).
They're fur is very high quality
If by "high quality fur" you mean thick, course, stiff and hollow hair, then yes, you're right. These properties make it an excellent insulator, and it floats, but it isn't what most people are looking for in fur; which would be something more along the lines of thin, flexible, shiney and silky smooth to the touch; like weasel (only be sure to call it something else for marketing reasons).
But you're right, these are the properties generally made in fake furs; which don't in the least resemble deer hair. I presume, however, most jackers operate at night; since a)that's when the deer are out and about and b)it makes the whole light in the eyes thing work a lot better.
KFG
These "robo-deer" have been out for several years now. I recall one poacher in Michigan getting caught hunting these things not once but twice.
I've seen a few on the side of highways.
From what I've heard from friends of mine who hunt, the bruising from getting hit by a truck pretty much ruins the meat on the side that was hit, but that's when dealing with real roadkill, maybe killing them first changes it.
Also in several states, if you find a deer hit by a car, if they catch you with it you're still not allowed to keep it (unless you have a tag to waste), you have to call the animal control/forest service/whoever deals with hunting in your area, and usually they'll confiscate it (most of those states, they'll donate it to a food pantry if there's usable meat on it).
I would call these "animatrons" since they are merely animated to have the appearance of animals. But I would not classify them as robots. They are no more robots than Battlebots are robots. They are not autonomous at all.
Nor do they have any "servo" function. That is where they would sense something in their environment, perform some analysis of that information, and respond according to the analysis.
They most likely get the hides from a local processor and use them instead of letting them go to waste. This is a good thing. The more of the animal that is used, the better.
Yes, except it's illegal to pick up a deer you found along the road and take it (at least in Texas). It doesn't matter if it was wounded or dead when you found it. It's also illegal to saw off the antlers and take them.