Update Mar. 7: Yesterday, many stories in mainstream media reported Isenhour may face up to *$10,000 in fines for deliberately killing a hawk in Orlando.Today many of the same sources place the figure at $1,500. I'll make a few calls and try to find out the correct penalty.
It’s impossible for me to understand. Why would PGA Tour golfer Tripp Isenhour kill a bird as beautiful and as useful as a hawk? According to the Orlando Sentinel, Isenhour was taping a video at Grand Cypress Golf Club. The hawk was doing what it is supposed to do—crying kee-yar kee-yar. Do you know why the hawk was doing that? The golfer was in the hawk’s territory.
Isenhour broke a federal law when he killed the red-shouldered hawk. He broke a moral law when he killed a beautiful animal that helps keep rodents and small game at healthy levels. He broke another big moral law for killing something for absolutely no reason whatsoever other than he was inconvenienced. He could pay *as much as $10,000 in fines. He should pay more. It took him several shots to hit the bird. If the newspaper report is accurate, Isenhour is a complete jerk. I'd like to call him worse.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Why would pro golfer in Florida kill a red-shouldered hawk?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
Feel free to post your comments at
http://www.pgatour.com/member_services/feedback.html
I'm sure the PGA would love to hear what you have to say.
Birdie! :D
Anyhow, the hawk just sat there after getting shot at multiple times, the hawk gene pool is better off.
Anon. #1: Thanks, but I wouldn't want to troll a board I don't ever go to. I'm not a golfer.
Anon.#2: Christ. The hawk "just sat there"? The hawk was doing what hawks do.
If the guy (and I know very few golfers) can't perform under the pressure of a hawk's cry, well, I reckon that golfer ought to improve the gene pool of golf and take up a new less stressful sport.
A hawk isn't a game animal. A hunter with integrity would never kill a hawk. Same goes for a golfer.
You might want to read up on the natural history of raptors. Do you a world of good.
Thanks to both of you for stopping by.
To my other readers: you think the golfer's a jerk or just a nervous nellie who cracked under the pressure of a video camera and a little white ball? See how ridiculous that last sounds?
best,KBD
Correction to my statement:
I know very few pro golfers. I know a lot of regular golfers.
best, KBD
I have worked on golf courses, and been a member of the GCSAA for 25 years. I have brought injured and abandoned wildlife to rehabilitators(red tailed hawk, great horned owl, and green heron),or tried to rehabilitate them myself. Our industry takes a beating from environmentalists, saying we do more harm than good for wildlife, and the environment. Idiots like Isenhour just pour more fuel on the fire. If the PGA of America and the PGA Tour had any BALLS, tney would suspend him.
Fred, thanks for that. I agree. But golfers shouldn't take any heat for what he did--his actions were a personal shortcoming in my opinion.
There's no reason hawks and golfers can't exist in harmony. I agree the PGA should do something. He had to work at it to kill the bird.
This hawk is a loud one, and it's also very territorial. Hawks usually have one mate. I figure the golfer made the hawk feel threatened. I know it might have annoyed Isenhour, but he definitely overreacted.
If he plays golf there and the hawks are gone, he better start worrying. Raptors are a great environmental indicator.
Thanks so much for coming by. I can tell you are nice golfer. I got a few of those in the family.
best, Kay
Post a Comment