Hunting is a sport for many families across the country, and while it is permitted at certain times of the year in particular areas, some people still choose the break the law. Two hunters in Maryland took aim at a protected deer, but found themselves ensnared in an unsuspecting trap.

After using their crossbows and nailing the shot, the men walked closer to take a look at their kill. What they found was that the deer was not a living creature but a robotic device set up by local police to catch lawbreakers.

Maryland Natural Resources Police have three animals — Robo-Deer, Robo-Bear and Robo-Turkey, spokeswoman Candy Thomson said. “We have an entire menagerie. It helps us stop people who shoot real animals out of season or illegally.”

Officers strategically placed the mechanical dummies when they received reports of poaching. Natural Resources Police said the two men directed flashlights at the Robo-Deer and then shot the dummy with crossbows from a road. The officers found two crossbows, two flashlights, 4.2 grams of marijuana, and a glass pipe in the poachers’ truck.

As for the dummy that the men shot, Thomson wrote in a news release, “Robo-Deer suffered minor injuries.” She elaborated later that the robot is built to be shot, and it took just minor repairs to fix it up after its encounter with the crossbows.

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