Local NWTF chapter donates robotic deer to Division of Wildlife

The Ironton Tribune is reporting that Ohio Division of Wildlife officials will be able to use new device to catch poachers for years to come, thanks to a recent donation from the Southern Hills Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation. The club donated about $2,000 to pay for a new "robo deer."

From the article:

It looks like a deer and moves its head and tail like a deer, but appearances can be deceiving.

Just ask anyone who's ever illegally fired a shot from an Ohio roadway at what seemed to be a live deer.

Wildlife authorities in Lawrence County are using a robotic deer as bait to catch illegal hunters in the act.

Remote-controlled motors move the head and tail of the device. Real deer hide and sometimes antlers make the device look authentic.

"We're looking for the people who are predisposed to shooting from the roadway," said Darin Abbott, Lawrence County's wildlife officer for the Division of Wildlife. "We typically have someone in the woods operating it, sometimes filming the whole thing and then we'll have officers hid somewhere in the area to make traffic stops."

"It was needed," Larry Kingrey, president of the local NWTF chapter, told The Tribune. "We firmly believe that everybody should follow the rules and everything and there are certainly folks that don't.

"This helps Darin do his job. We had a few extra funds that were not entitled to anything so we said we'll help with that."

Abbott said the tool should get plenty of use. He gets many complaints each year about illegal hunting.

"Anywhere that has whitetail deer (poaching) is a problem," Abbott said. "Southern Ohio is no different than the rest of the Appalachian states. Poaching is very prevalent, very problematic. Lawrence County is just as bad as any in southern Ohio as far as poaching complaints."

The new deer replaces one purchased in 1999. That "deer" was also a donation from the National Wild Turkey Federation.

"We really appreciate what they've done," Abbott said. "(The older robotic deer) definitely paid dividends on catching the people that we needed to catch and we're hoping this one does the same.

"The National Wild Turkey Federation has been excellent as far as being partnering with the division over the years as a national organization and the state board and Lawrence County's chapter has been just phenomenal in supporting us."