Key deer are cousins to the North American whitetail... just a little smaller.
The deer reach just 60 to 90 pounds. About 50 years ago, there were only about 30 key deer alive; but, because of one man and his unusual conservation methods, the deer are making a comeback.
Key deer, which are only found in the Florida Keys, have been compared to dogs, and it seems they're almost as friendly.
Unfortunately, the species was overhunted. In 1939, Florida made hunting the deer illegal, which helped. So did the unorthodox efforts of Jack Watson. With a six-gun and a Thompson submachine gun, Watson "hunted" poachers.
He would offer them a choice: his way or their way. Watson's way was for the poachers to stop hunting and leave. Also, if he found a poacher's boat along the shoreline, he'd set fire to it. Today, there are around 600 to 700 key deer.
Check out this video to learn more:
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