Golfer Kills Hawk With "Shot"

[stach_n_flash]

http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/pga/new...v=ap&type=lgns

Tripp Isenhour, of Orlando, Fl…
AP - Mar 6, 1:49 pm EST
Golf Gallery
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)—An animal rights group wants the PGA Tour to take action against player Tripp Isenhour, facing charges for hitting a hawk with a golf shot because it was making noise as he videotaped a TV show.

“Because of the high profile nature of this case, the PGA needs to take steps to address its interest and to make it clear that they don’t condone animal cruelty,” said Dale Bartlett, the Humane Society of the United States’ deputy manager for animal cruelty issues.

He said the organization would contact the PGA Tour on Friday to discuss the issue.

Isenhour was charged Wednesday with cruelty to animals and killing a migratory bird, misdemeanors that carry a maximum penalty of 14 months in jail and $1,500 in fines.

Isenhour, playing the Nationwide Tour this season after losing his PGA Tour card last year, apologized in a statement released Thursday and said he was only trying to scare the hawk away.

The 39-year-old player, whose real name is John Henry Isenhour III, became angry while filming “Shoot Like A Pro” on Dec. 12 at the Grand Cypress Golf Club—his home course—when a squawking red-shouldered hawk forced another take.

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He got in his golf cart and drove closer to the bird, then 300 yards away, and starting hitting balls at it. The bird didn’t move and Isenhour gave up and drove away.

Isenhour started again when the hawk moved within about 75 yards, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer Brian Baine indicated in a report.

Isenhour allegedly said, “I’ll get him now,” and aimed for the hawk.

“About the sixth ball came very near the bird’s head, and (Isenhour) was very excited that it was so close,” Baine wrote.

A few shots later, witnesses said he hit the hawk. The bird, protected as a migratory species, fell to the ground bleeding from both nostrils.

“As soon as this happened, I was mortified and extremely upset and continue to be upset,” Isenhour said in a statement issued through his management company, SFX Golf. “I want to let everyone know there was neither any malice nor deliberate intent whatsoever to hit or harm the hawk. I was trying to simply scare it into flying away.”

Bartlett said Isenhour’s case, like the Michael Vick dog fighting case, is disappointing for society.

“We look up to professional athletes and we want them to reflect the best of us as a society and I think we’re appalled when it turns out they instead reflect some of the very worst attributes,” he said in a phone interview Thursday night.

Isenhour said he is an animal lover and his family has adopted three cats from a local shelter.

“We ask that everyone accept my sincerest apology, and please be respectful of my family’s privacy,” he said.

Isenhour has won four times on the Nationwide Tour, including twice in 2006. The former Georgia Tech star has played three events this year on the developmental circuit, the last a 36th-place tie two weeks ago in the Moonah Classic in Australia.

Jethro Senger, a sound engineer at the shoot, said hitting the bird was “basically like a joke to (Isenhour).”

“He just kept saying how he didn’t think he could have hit it, which I think is a stupid thing for a PGA Tour golfer to say,” Senger said. “He can put a ball in a hole from hundreds of yards away, and here he is hitting line drives at something that’s, I don’t know, a couple hundred feet away?”

Senger said no one in the roughly 15-person crew intervened, and many later regretted it.

“It was one of those cases where there’s some trepidation on whether or not they should speak up and do something,” Senger said.

Senger said the killing was not captured on video. The bird was buried at the golf course and later dug up by Florida investigators.

“Americans have no tolerance for cruelty to animals. Such a petty, mean spirited act against a wild bird is inexcusable and prosecutors are right to hold Isenhour accountable to the law,” Humane Society executive vice president Michael Markarian said in a statement released Thursday.

Associated Press Writer Kelli Kennedy in Miami contributed to this report

[stach_n_flash]

And sorry i havnt posted.

Had a farm Buera Meeting today.
Parli Pro yesterday.
then last week
Chapter meeting
FFA Picture
Minitues test, then Parli Pro Comp

Lots going on dont have time for much extreamly sorry will post my pictures soon. Trying to catch a break.

[cyro51]

I am glad that they are taking this seriously. It reminds me of the stupid parents who claim their children aren't trying to hurt the ducks when the throw rocks "near" them...except that we assume that this golfer had better aim and a better understanding of what could happen.

Cynthia

[Trees Gray]

Yes, this was on our news today.

http://www.wftv.com/news/15526584/detail.html

You can vote on this link as to whether you agree or disagree sbout him being charged. I think he should be made an example of.

He purposefully went out of his way to shoot the golf ball at the bird many times because the bird made too much noise while filming a TV show.

[TheSnipes]

Originally Posted by Trees Gray

http://www.wftv.com/news/15526584/detail.html

You can vote on this link as to whether you agree or disagree sbout him being charged. I think he should be made an example of.

He purposefully went out of his way to shoot the golf ball at the bird many times because the bird made too much noise while filming a TV show.

I love that, the guy deliberately shot at it time after time, then has the audacity to claim he's "mortified" and surprised? Hello? HOW MANY times did he try to hit that bird? What a damn liar! Well, I voted, YES, and so have 88% of respondents. The punishment's not severe enough though.

[Lady Tarheel]

Originally Posted by TheSnipes

I love that, the guy deliberately shot at it time after time, then has the audacity to claim he's "mortified" and surprised? Hello? HOW MANY times did he try to hit that bird? What a damn liar! Well, I voted, YES, and so have 88% of respondents. The punishment's not severe enough though.

My sentiments exactly! What a jerk.

Treesa, thanks for that link. I just voted yes. Hope he does have to spend a year in jail.

[mr squeaks]

“As soon as this happened, I was mortified and extremely upset and continue to be upset,” Isenhour said in a statement issued through his management company, SFX Golf. “I want to let everyone know there was neither any malice nor deliberate intent whatsoever to hit or harm the hawk. I was trying to simply scare it into flying away.”

And he expects people to believe him? Too bad he can't be banned from Golf, serve a jail term AND be fined...at the least!


“We ask that everyone accept my sincerest apology, and please be respectful of my family’s privacy,” he said.

TOO LATE!!!

Shi

[little bird]

I believe that any animal abuser SHOULD be confined in solitary confinement until the abused animal is FULLY RECOVERED from the abuse....and if the animal dies........let the abuser rot in Solitary forever.

[xxmoxiexx]

Right on little bird! I feel the EXACT same way! I cant belive he actually acted SURPRISED when he hit it! I say ACTED, because it was a BIG ACT!
Oh, and how he just CASUALLY mentioned what a big animal lover he was because he adopted 3 cats from a shelter? Like that is something so amazing! I mean, of course it is a GOOD thing, but compared to what i see people on this site do EVERY day it just seems like a give-in for folks here! If any of us adopted a cat, it would be from a shelter i'm sure, it's just that people seem to think that if they adopt a pet from a shelter they have met their "quota" of animal caring, and that quota is for a lifetime too. And then they can rest on that fact anytime they do something bad! "but judge, yes, i did commit a horrible crime, yes, i did murder 3 people, but i adopted a shelter dog, i am a community man!" HUH??

[eric98223]

ok i understand and honestly believe that what he did was wrong and horrible. but lets flip this around a loittle just to get the discussion going again. here in washington we have A LOT of hawks. at what point to i begin to be able to protect my pigeons and other pets from their attacks. if a dog attacks one of my animals i can call animal control and request it be put down. but i have lost several pideons to hawk attack this year usually by him just harrassing them until they are hopelessly lost. i dont believe in cruelty and i dont think hawk and owls and such should be hunted but i do think we should be able to protect our birds and our investment. any one wanna weigh in?

and just to clarify i think what he has done is sick and wrong. but i do understan his frustration i have lost 6 birds already this year at least. and that is just this years young.

Eric..

[Lady Tarheel]

Hi Eric

The main reason no one can do anything to predator birds is that they are a protected species. I know it is so sad to lose six birds to hawks and if I flew mine I would be upset too, but, I also love hawks so my emotions are torn. They are very good at keeping the rat/mice/mole/vole populations down.

What this golfer did was terrible. He was on a mission to kill that hawk simply because it was disturbing his golf game.

You may want to do a search to find threads that discuss the best times of the day to fly your birds.

[Canadamanada]

Originally Posted by eric98223

ok i understand and honestly believe that what he did was wrong and horrible. but lets flip this around a loittle just to get the discussion going again. here in washington we have A LOT of hawks. at what point to i begin to be able to protect my pigeons and other pets from their attacks. if a dog attacks one of my animals i can call animal control and request it be put down. but i have lost several pideons to hawk attack this year usually by him just harrassing them until they are hopelessly lost. i dont believe in cruelty and i dont think hawk and owls and such should be hunted but i do think we should be able to protect our birds and our investment. any one wanna weigh in?

and just to clarify i think what he has done is sick and wrong. but i do understan his frustration i have lost 6 birds already this year at least. and that is just this years young.

Eric..

Eric, I understand your frustration. I am a flaconer and I cherish my birds as much as you do your pigeons. Fact is, I have a problem here in Japan with wild kites hitting my hawks when they are on the ground. My male Harris Hawk was injured in just this way last summer. The biggest danger to falconry birds in the U.S. and Canada are Horned Owls and Eagles which will come from miles to kill a falconry bird before the falconer can arrive.
Fact is, we falconers take it as just something we have to live with. We put our birds in the way of the owls and eagles. If we lose a bird, it's a tragedy, but it is something we have to live with. Truth is, nature put wild birds of prey where they are. Falconers and pigeon fanciers put our birds into that mix.
I pay about $4000USD per falconry bird over here in Japan, so I know how you feel about your investment, but it would never occur to me to kill a protected wild animal so I could better enjoy my hobby. That would show a blatant disregard for nature and its processs.

Justin

[Canadamanada]

Originally Posted by Lady Tarheel

You may want to do a search to find threads that discuss the best times of the day to fly your birds.

Also, if you locate your pigeon coop away from trees and bushes, you take away the advantage of ambush to the hawks. Most hawks cannot fly down a fit pigeon in fair flight, they need to have the advantage of height (falcons), concealment (hawks), or to have taken position very close to the coop.

Justin