When it comes to golf, we’ve heard of birdies and eagles, but we never hear about hawks when we’re out on the greens. Apparently there is a good reason for that; Tripp Isenhour kills them when they are too loud.
IIsenhour, who plays on the developmental Nationwide Tour, 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 quickly apologized Thursday.
“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.”
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 when a squawking red-shouldered hawk roughly 300 yards away forced another take.
He drove closer to the bird in his golf cart 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.
And you know what is coming next, right? PETA is gonna want a piece of his ass for lunch. But before everyone gets all worked up, let’s just make it perfectly clear that Isenhour is, in fact, an animal lover and he has three cats at his house that he adopted from a local animal shelter. So, take that PETA.
Links:
[Golf.com]: Golfer apologizes for shot that killed protected hawk
6 replies on “Tripp Isenhour gives new meaning to the term "hawkeye"”
RICH STUPID GOLFERS – BIRD KILLERS — HEY TRIPP THE 111 YOU DEGENERATE PIECE OF SHIT. KILLING A HAWK THAT IS IN HIS NATURAL SETTING AND YOU INTRUDING INTO HIS AND KILLING HIM FOR SPORT IS JUST SHIT. JOHN HENRY ISENHOUR III, IS THAT THE THIRD MISTAKE YOUR MOTHER MADE?
dumb ass golfers — Hey Trip, i’ve got an old driver in the garage,want to see it you piece of shit?Take you worthless ass back to ga. and hide for a couple of years cause if you come to sc to play that stupid game i,ll be there to see you and you can bet your ass you won’t finish the round.
tripp isenhour — I heard Tripp originally had four cats. What happened to the fourth one?
Big King Douche Bag — This makes me sick. The fact the he does this and is only looking at 14 months in prison. Which I’m sure he won’t serve anyway. He’ll probably get a friendly slap on the wrist and a “now don’t do that any more, bad Tripp, bad…” Just despicable. To kill a harmless animal simply because it’s bothersome is about the most disgusting crime against an animal that I can think of. Way to go Tripp. Douche bag.
Isenhour in a tree? — That poor bird… Hawks are such beautiful creatures, it’s a shame this one had to die because of one man’s insolence. Tripp, I wish I could park your sorry ass in a tree and take some free shots at you.
GC member — As a member at Grand Cypress, I’ve known Tripp for some time now and have spoken to him on a number of occasions. The guy is a frat boy and nobody I’ve talked to likes him. He goes around hanging annoying nicknames on people that he barely knows. I have not heard one good word said about him and word in the clubhouse is they’ve been looking for any excuse to revoke him membership. Good riddance!
PS — Don’t kid yourself about his love of animals. He hated those cats. I happened to see him shortly after his wife came home with the third one. He went on and on about what terrible pets cats make and said he’d kill them himself and tell his kids they got out if he thought he could get away with it. I thought he was joking at the time.