On Dec. 3, West Virginia University’s official mascot — senior Jonathan Kimble, a West Virginia native — shot a black bear during the legal hunting season, but some are up in arms over the photos he posted and a video, which has since been taken down.
According to Deadspin, a YouTube video, which was removed by the user, showed a display that included the WVU fight song, hunting dogs baying, men hollering when the bear fell out of a tree and the university’s battle cry “Let’s go Mountaineers.” Deadspin’s Barry Petchesky wrote that all these elements add up to the “most West Virginia video ever.” You can see the video, which still remains removed from YouTube, embedded on Deadspin here.
Jonathan Kimble, the official WVU Mountaineer mascot, with a bear he killed earlier in the week. (Image: @WVUMascot/Twitter)
But why was the video removed? TheBlaze was unable to contact the YouTube user and ask. We did, however, check Twitter to gauge the atmosphere there and found many are upset with Kimble for shooting the bear. The main issue? Some question whether the bear was actually a cub.
The heavily bearded Kimble used his official Mountaineer rifle to kill the bear, photos of which he posted on Twitter. He told a travel blogger in an interview last month that he, as the Mountaineer, is given special permission to carry and shoot his rifle.
(Image: @WVUMascot/Twitter)
He’s also been engaging in some conversation with other Twitter users revealing that he and a group of friends were hunting in his home county of Pendleton.
In a response to another Twitter user asking why he killed the bear and if he would be eating it, Kimble cited an overpopulation problem with black bears in the state and that he did intend to eat all the meat.
According to West Virginia’s DNR, it is illegal to “shoot at or kill a bear weighing less than 75 pounds live weight or 50 pounds field dressed weight or to kill any bear accompanied by a cub or to kill any cub accompanied by another bear, regardless of its weight.” It’s unknown how much the bear weighed or if it was accompanied by another bear.
Kimble was announced as the university’s 62nd Mountaineer Mascot ahead of the 2012-2013 school year. According to WVU Today, Kimble noted how “how it is important to really give a good image to WVU.” Chair of the Mountaineer Mascot selection committee Ross Werner said at the time that Kimble “[embodied] a lot of the qualities and characteristics of the Mountaineer.” Werner continued to say Kimble would “represent the Mountaineer Nation with enthusiasm, pride and class.”
Update: The Daily Dot (via Deadspin) received this statement from the school:
“While Jonathan Kimble’s actions broke no laws or regulations, the University has discussed this with him and he agrees that it would be appropriate to forego using the musket in this way in the future. There are some provisions regarding the gun, but none that prohibit its use outside of University-sponsored functions or for hunting purposes. It is also worth noting that powder is used when the musket is discharged at public functions.”
This post was also updated to include that Deadspin had restored the vide on its site.
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Comments (172)
Priscilla King
Dec. 5, 2012 at 10:20am@Liz Klimas: I’ve enjoyed your articles with animal pictures, and linked to them, for more than a year but am only now able to comment at The Blaze. Thanks for another good one. (Three-paragraph comment below the link at my Blogspot.) Keep up the good work!
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The_Jerk
Dec. 5, 2012 at 12:18pm“Why Are the Hunting Images of WVU’s Mountaineer Mascot Shooting a Black Bear Causing a Stir?”
Because we’ve become a nation of thin-skinned wussies.
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Favored93
Dec. 5, 2012 at 12:31pm@The_Jerk
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 12:18pm
“Why Are the Hunting Images of WVU’s Mountaineer Mascot Shooting a Black Bear Causing a Stir?”
Because we’ve become a nation of thin-skinned wussies.
———
WOW!!! yet another thing Jerkyboy and I agree on…I guess lightning does strike twice! :)
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EdSpringfieldMO
Dec. 5, 2012 at 1:11pmStop a beating heart in a women’s body, OKAY. Kill a bear due to over population not okay. Whats wrong with these people.
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KIWL-DA-WABBIT
Dec. 5, 2012 at 3:41pmThese people that are so upset should watch a slaughter house go at it, maybe they would understand that all of that pretty packaged meat that they buy comes from somewhere, it does not just magically appear on their grocer’s shelves.These people could never do what the pioneers did to create this country that now has pretty foam packed meat for them to consume! WUSSIES!
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rawmilker
Dec. 5, 2012 at 4:08pmI would/ve let it slide for a bigger one. Thats the smallest legal bear I’ve ever seen. If it is legal.
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yougottabekidding
Dec. 5, 2012 at 4:19pmEdSpringfieldMO
What don’t you understand? they are talking about baby bears — your talking about real babies.
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Jake Dog2
Dec. 5, 2012 at 5:40pm@ jurk
hell is frozen over I agree with you. If you would just stop the anty jew cr*p I could agree more
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Keatonc33
Dec. 5, 2012 at 6:12pmI still have so much trouble seeing how people find so much pleasure in the act of killing other living beings. especially something as beautiful as a bear, a very young bear at that. sad. I don’t get it.. but whatever its your right.
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OlderCowGirl
Dec. 5, 2012 at 8:26pm@Keatonc33
If you could see what a bear or cougar or wolf does to another animal (or human if available) you would not be bothered at all about just shooting a bear. (I do believe he shot a cub, though).
I’ve seen coyotes tear into a deer while it is still alive…eating from the rear-end of the deer first, and eating the guts also…all while the deer is still breathing. It’s sickening to see. But that’s the natural for ya. These wild animals would do the same to you…like they do young calves, sheep, and goats.
I saw a llama with his face torn and and eye gouged out while guarding his flock by a cougar. I know of a woman who was attacked while riding her bicycle by a cougar. I know a dog that lost an eye from a cougar attack before the farmer wife ran the cougar off. My daughter’s horse was attacked by a cougar. Our Pyrenees dogs tree’s a bear that had come into our pasture and was after our litter of nine, week old puppies.
These animals are dangerous, and hungry. They will kill other animals or people…doesn’t matter to them. There are plenty of deer and raccoons to eat…but fenced in animals are a much easier target.
I’m really tired of wimpy city folk who have no clue about wild animals. They are not sweet. Not even the deer. And if you don’t believe that Bambi will hurt you severely…just corner Bambi sometime.
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brigott
Dec. 5, 2012 at 8:26pmUm, if he wants to eat meat, shouldn’t he just buy it at the grocery store rather than killing an animal?
(I know, I know – but I just HAD to post it. Unfortunately, we have too many liberally-”educated” college students who think exactly thataway!)
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ashestoashes
Dec. 5, 2012 at 8:50pmGuess I’m for the underdogs..I do not support predatory animals..but to my understanding..black and brown bears are mostly berry eaters..Grizzlies..and Polar bears..not berry eaters..Saw a pride of lions take out an elephant at night..the camera crew was in a truck with windows down..terrified that the lions would attack them..Had I been there and properly outfitted with silencer..I would have attempted to take out the lions..same with the wolves attacking a defenseless animal..It’s not that I have such a kind heart..but I do have one for the ones who can’t defend themselves..In the kingdom of God..the lions will be eating grass along with the rest of the animals..and there will be no violence in kingdom and no..I do not eat animal flesh..in hamburgers..steaks,pork ,chicken or turkey. Now shrimp and fish are a different story..
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Wolfgang the Gray
Dec. 5, 2012 at 9:10pmMaybe the leftists would have preferred that he jam a rod into the base of the bear’s skull & scramble it’s brains & let it die that way. That is how babies are handled in partial-birth abortions. The left loves those.
I like that he used a black-powder fire-arm, but think it would have been more sporting without the dogs. Shooting a bear in a tree is like shooting a fish in a barrel.
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Gorp
Dec. 5, 2012 at 10:01pmBear meat is good if cooked right. I’m 66 years old and I remember Mom cooking bear meat several times. Not only that but we have venison, rabbit, partridge, pheasant, and a whole boat load of fish. We lived across the road from the woods and on the shore of a lake. We also had a good sized garden. I remember pulling carrots out by the roots and listening to them scream as they were ripped out while still alive. Peas screamed too when we ripped their pods open to get the peas out. We were Cruel Cruel people back then.
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coldnorth
Dec. 5, 2012 at 10:17pm@AshestoAshes
You are mistaken. Brown bears and grizzlys are the same animal. Browns are located near the coast, grizzlys are inland. Browns and blacks will feed on almost anything, grass, insects, berries, but when the fish are in, it’s a feast. If there are enough salmon, they’ll just eat the heads, and leave the rest of the fish.
Preditors are needed to keep the balance. I’ve watched with sadness when I glassed a couple of coyotes finishing off a yearling whitetail.
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minorityconservative2
Dec. 6, 2012 at 3:31pmI am no leftist progressive, but I do believe GOD would want us to respect animals being good stewards of what he gives us and all. Meaning when we kill something we use all of it that we can and we don’t kill baby animals or animals that have a baby with them unless we have no other choice. I believe in hunting for food if you need it and in gun ownership, but this is clearly a cub and not an adult bear. I think the kill was wrong.
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JUSTANOTHEROPINION
Dec. 5, 2012 at 10:16amOh my God! He gathered his own food. This could lead to joblessness if too many people start doing this workers at the USDA might get laid off. Oh my God, what a tragedy that would be, NOT!!!! Nice hunt.
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searcher619
Dec. 5, 2012 at 10:56amSeems the issue is that he shot a cub not an adult bear.
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drphil69
Dec. 5, 2012 at 11:29amThat’s not a cub. Black bears don’t get that big. According to the LAW, 75 lbs live weight or 50 lbs field dressed. This bear easily is above that.
So for all the WIMPS out there, that get all upset over the killing of a dangerous animal – if you eat meat, you are worse than a hippocrit. You actually hire someone else to kill your meat for you. In other words, YOU ARE WORSE THAN A MOBSTER ORDERING HITS.
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searcher619
Dec. 5, 2012 at 11:38amI’ve seen black bears in real life and that one is small.
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Rowgue
Dec. 5, 2012 at 12:30pmIt is obviusly well above 75lbs. And if it was a cub accompanied by it’s mother then he wouldn’t have been alive to take the photo being hat he was using a single shot muzzle loading rifle.
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shakedowncrews
Dec. 5, 2012 at 12:33pmI actually read the post of a ******* one day on facebook who literally said “I hate you hunters who kill poor animals just because you like killing thngs. why don’t you get your meat from the market so no innocent animals have to die?”
LOL
either they don’t know beef is dead cow…or they think cows are not “innocent”. What crime has a cow committed that makes its death more tolerable than a bear’s?
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SUNTZU
Dec. 5, 2012 at 12:57pmShakedown
Cows are ugly We are doing them a favor
eating them.
Had a farm back in the 50-60′s Milk cows Would try to eat 2 or 3 each year
Government got bigger farm smaller .Farm regulated out of bis.in early 70′s
To close to town.
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MDECKER
Dec. 5, 2012 at 1:47pmI was offended that he referred to the black bear as a, “black” bear.
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AmericaMustBeFree
Dec. 5, 2012 at 3:40pmImagine the hunting after our government drives us over the cliff!
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Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Dec. 5, 2012 at 3:53pmI’m offended by the “code words” baying dogs and ‘black bear’. They were obviously talking code for hunting black people. What’s the mountaineer going to hunt next, coons?
(Sarcasm for those who missed it.)
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coldnorth
Dec. 5, 2012 at 9:56pmLooks like a cub to me. I know they don’t get as big as browns, but still that’s small for a black. I’ve fished steams with bigger bears than that in eyesight. I believe most hunters have more insight, understanding, and contact with nature and the animals they hunt than the public and so called activists.
I say most hunters, because we do have some chestbeaters out there that are proud to show you deer they have shot, that still have spots.
Most of us will spend countless hours practicing, researching terrain and habitat, along with animal habits, and how they interact.
If you look to see who is restoring natural habitat for animals, it’s likely to be a hunter.
I have let trophy whitetails walk because I had a low percentage shot, and come away feeling more rewarded for the experience. I have shot the lesser deer, because she had a leg injury. For every arrow used to harvest an animal, I have shot thousands practice shots. Most hunter will say the same.
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Lt_Scrounge
Dec. 5, 2012 at 11:13pmBlack bears grow bigger based on available feed. If the state is experiencing an over population issue with their bear population, it will result in smaller animals. It is completely possible that the animal is a smaller younger bear. Old enough to no longer be a cub, but not by much. A mother bear probably wouldn’t have been separated from a cub by a pack of dogs.
That’s one beautiful flintlock rifle though.
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caleejr
Dec. 5, 2012 at 10:16amit’s ok to kill unborn humans – but it’s wrong to harvest a bear? The left makes no sense.
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AMickey1126
Dec. 5, 2012 at 10:33amI was going to say that! They just hate anything to do with guns it seems. When my liberal friends say, “Don’t like abortion? Then don’t have one.” I respond with, “Don’t like guns? Then don’t buy one.” They don’t seem to like that. Also, they’re for abortion… but against the death penalty? Nonsense.
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searcher619
Dec. 5, 2012 at 11:04amYou don’t get why you don’t want to kill the young of your prey? You don’t see the difference between getting an abortion and this? Seriously?
/face-palm
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AMickey1126
Dec. 5, 2012 at 11:34amSearcher:
How do we even know that this bear was a baby? I live in an area that has a small bear population and even the adults are kind of small. A bear’s size depends on its territory and what food it’s able to get. Most black bears forage for berries and nuts and are smaller than other bears. I think killing the young of species is wrong and a waste. I also believe that all life on this planet has value. Do you?
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Favored93
Dec. 5, 2012 at 11:42am@searcher619
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 11:04am
You don’t get why you don’t want to kill the young of your prey? You don’t see the difference between getting an abortion and this? Seriously?
/face-palm
——————
An abortion is FAAAR WORSE! Are you KIDDING ME? One is a living person the other is an animal! Hunting is good,right and legal. We actually NEED people to hunt so that we don’t get over run by the deer,elk,bear ect.
Have you ever seen a black bear? They are small. You and others are thinking they are massive like the Grizzly but are mistaken. An adult male will only get up to about 300lbs. This bear MAY not have been fully grown but it was NOT a cub! Even if it was a cub the bear population in WV is becoming a problem. Hunting for meat is a good thing and murdering innocent HUMAN children while they are in the safest place on earth…or at least it is supposed to be is wicked and should be a capitol offense.
Saying that the murder of a child in the womb is ok and should be encouraged but how dare you shoot a bear during hunting season demonstrates your total lack of conscience and character.
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KingCoal59
Dec. 5, 2012 at 12:13pmPerfect I agree
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shakedowncrews
Dec. 5, 2012 at 12:29pmlet’s alljust stop with the stupidity, OK?
The reason we (as hunters, and I am one) do not hunt the babies is that we are managing the population, and we need to ensure that the young ones have the chance to grow to adulthood and pass on their genes, to maintain the population. With deer, in my state, there isn’t any regulation stating how old or heavy it has to be. We generally try to avoid killing young deer, sometimes it’s hard to tell in the dense forest how big it is when you shoot it. They often look bigger through the scope than they are in real life. It’s what we typically call “ground shrinkage”–the animal looked larger from a distance than it is when you get closer. A bear in a tree could also appear larger than when you get hold of it.
This is why the law prohibits killing cubs, especially with their mothers, and provides a clear minimum weight. It is the responsibility of every hunter to know the regulations around the game they are hunting.
As for this bear, and its weight; it’s hard to tell from photos. But it looks like a close call. Def doesn’t look over 100 lbs, so Idon’t know if I would have killed it. But that wasn’t my call. And if you weren’t there, then shut up.
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PaxInVeritate
Dec. 5, 2012 at 3:52pmSHAKEDOWNCREWS… wonderfully stated!
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garylee123
Dec. 6, 2012 at 2:33pmThat’s because they want to have sex with the homosexual bears.
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RightUnite
Dec. 5, 2012 at 10:13amYeah, I don’t know… I would have waited for an adult specimen. That is just a shame….
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mikem1969
Dec. 5, 2012 at 10:29amso would I, larger bear=more meat=more food.
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AMickey1126
Dec. 5, 2012 at 10:36amThe size of a bear depends on where they live and what food sources are available. For instance, brown bears in the lower 48 are smaller because they mostly have berries and small game. Whereas brown bears in Alaska are larger because they can load up on salmon and big game as well as berries and small game. So, I see what you’re saying, however, this bear could, in fact, be an adult. Black bears are much smaller compared to brown bears.
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Favored93
Dec. 5, 2012 at 11:51amBLACK BEARS ARE NOT GRIZZLY’S!
Black bears are small they are not the massive hulking things you see on TV! This was NOT a cub! the legal weight is 75lbs and this bear is EASILY bigger then that!
Stop crying over a legally harvested bear! Freaking libs are absolutely killing this country with your hypocritical, bleeding heart nonsense!
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ZAP
Dec. 5, 2012 at 10:10amBO BO bites the dust…
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ApokTheGreat
Dec. 5, 2012 at 4:10pmThey shot Bozzy…they shot Bozzy
(reference movie Scavenger Hunt)
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mapgirl10
Dec. 5, 2012 at 10:09amGee was it so shocking that he went and got his own bear? If Obama gave it to you then everyone would want one. LOL The people who don’t eat game will never get this article.
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mikem1969
Dec. 5, 2012 at 10:28amlittle hitler would have given out dogs to eat.
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Chicken_Math
Dec. 5, 2012 at 12:26pmWell that would give a new meaning to dog pounds! Dog not fit to be a pet, to aggressive with people Dog Chow Mein. I’ll pass thanks.
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HumbleMan
Dec. 5, 2012 at 12:36pmHe didn’t shoot that, somebody else did that!
Honesty, the bear looks easily over 100 lbs. I don’t get it. I think it’s nice that he used a classic muzzle-loader. Good job.
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RobbieTLHughie
Dec. 6, 2012 at 10:07amYou people are a shameful bunch, attributing the comments of what are probably a-political people to radical leftists (like always) but worse not even grasping their side of the argument at all.
Yeah, Americans are way over sensitive and I am so tired of people screaming about hunting. When most of them aren’t even aware their bologna comes from an animal.
Once again, ignorance is the key factor here – the truth? Well, the ridiculous orginization named PETA has done far more for educating people (even though they are totally wrong) about hunting than you ever have and probably ever will.
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Metallicat
Dec. 5, 2012 at 10:09amDont the bigger ones usually hole up this time of year,while the smaller ones are still out foraging to put on weight for winter?
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Metallicat
Dec. 5, 2012 at 10:20amThis bear would probably have starved to death this winter had he not harvested it.
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Favored93
Dec. 5, 2012 at 12:05pm@Metallicat
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 10:20am
This bear would probably have starved to death this winter had he not harvested it.
———
Yes but that would have been nature killing it. Nature does not have a gun. Nature does not enjoy the hunt. Nature would have had this bear slowly and painfully die so that other bears and worms could enjoy it.
Did you not get the memo that people are a cancer for “mother earth”? We should all be killed so that the earth can spin on without us polluting the planet. Animals are to be saved but people need to die. Human babies can be left in a closet to slowly die if they DARE to survive their attempted murder at the hands of a DOCTOR but this poor little cub now that is just immoral.
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Centralsville
Dec. 5, 2012 at 10:06amHuman males hunting is as natural as breathing. As long as there are animals there will be humans hunting them. Bears have recently been hunted in my state because of their expanding range. Deer are expanding too in my state. Every year there are more of both, with hunting. Hunters dollars support the wildlife department. This years duck count is at a record high. We no longer have wolf packs, grizzly bears and mountain lions roaming the country to control the excess population of animals. We are the top hunters now. Hunters value wildlife and wild habitat more than non-hunters. Without hunting and wild places my life would be as empty and boring as all the liberal city dwellers. Liberals are in favor of the murder of millions of babies in their mothers bellies. Liberals are in favor of executing the old when they cost to much to keep alive. City dwellers love to kill their fellow human every day of the year with the high urban murder rate. If only liberals put the same value on human life they put on animal life. You don’t have the right to judge hunters you urban liberal trash.
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mikem1969
Dec. 5, 2012 at 10:27amI am not juidging him for hunting, I hunt myself. I just don’t like the fact that he killed a juvanile instead of an adult. Reason being is a high percentage of the juvanile bears don’t make it to adulthood. Go after the adults so the babies and juvaniles can grow up and keep the population strong and healthy.
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Favored93
Dec. 5, 2012 at 12:09pm@mikem1969
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 10:27am
I am not juidging him for hunting, I hunt myself. I just don’t like the fact that he killed a juvanile instead of an adult. Reason being is a high percentage of the juvanile bears don’t make it to adulthood. Go after the adults so the babies and juvaniles can grow up and keep the population strong and healthy.
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THIS WAS NOT A CUB IT WAS A LEGAL KILL!!!!
Did you NOT read the story?!?!
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OlderCowGirl
Dec. 5, 2012 at 9:04pmBravo Centralsville! Well said.
One point though: You said “We no longer have wolf packs, grizzly bears and mountain lions roaming the country to control the excess population of animals”.
Not true anymore in Oregon (now you folks know where I live). We now have wolves (Planted) in addition to the other predators large such as Cougar and Bear. And our (black) bear are very much bigger than the picture above. Thank God the Fish and Wildlife have not YET planted Grizzlys in Oregon. No fence could hold a Grizzly bear. It would be like having a dinosaur around.. We killed a black bear one time (after our stock) that weighed about 250 pounds. Yes, we ate it all. Even the dogs munched the bones. I canned bear and made bear bone broth. We took the guts (Offal) and the hide into the woods so the other animals could feast.
That’s how it’s done in the West. And thank God all the dinosaurs went extinct before the Libs/Preservationists could see that they had enough acreage (think spotted owl). We’d have to start killing people just to make room…or wait…we are…aren’t we! Hmmmmmm? Watch yer back!
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Ohello
Dec. 5, 2012 at 9:39pmMIKEM1969 makes an excellent point, make way for the young and kill the old. The Margaret Sanger story applied to animals. Why the communists (liberals & Democrats) should be all happy ga – ga about this idea… After all we learned it from them… Make way for the young …..execute the old using Obama-care Death Panels.
Besides Liberals have been trying to assassinate Momma Grisslies since before 2008.
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CWPrequired
Dec. 5, 2012 at 10:02amIf it’s legal, it’s about choice…right? Go kill some more babies you socialist pigs on the left, hang them up with a rope and post some youtube video of it. You have free speech…go for it.
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Landon410
Dec. 5, 2012 at 9:59amdo you guys remember the head of the DNR in California got fired for going and hunting Mountain Lion in (wyomming? Idaho?) some state where it was legal to do so, and a picture was posted and California fired him, because legally hunting animals in places where it is legal to do so is not inline with California morals
libs, what he did is legal, deal with it
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RIGS
Dec. 5, 2012 at 9:58amIf bothers you don’t look at it…………
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grimmster
Dec. 5, 2012 at 9:55amIf anyone ive hunted with would have taken something that small, legal or not, they would never have heard the end of it, and maybe not hunted with me again.Legal or not, and im no tree hugger,that “bear” looks to be a cub,and not even weened yet……
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apbt55
Dec. 5, 2012 at 10:09ambest meat is on a bear under 150lbs. So depends on whether you are hunting to eat for a trophy. Guess that makes you sound like a trophy hunter. Kind of like most animals, there is an optimal age and weight to harvest for the best meat.
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Priscilla King
Dec. 5, 2012 at 10:17amIf it hadn’t been weaned, its mother would have had something to say about its being shot.
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Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
Dec. 5, 2012 at 10:29amI gotta agree. Where I’m at I hear the young pigs taste way better than the boars and sows. I wouldn’t know. I can’t really think I’d shoot a piglet unless I was really hunting for survival. As long as I can still buy bacon I think the objective of my hunts will remain adults.
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BasketFullOfPuppies
Dec. 5, 2012 at 10:34amThat bear is easily an adult and probably weighs close to 120 pounds.
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Favored93
Dec. 5, 2012 at 12:23pm@Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 10:29am
I gotta agree. Where I’m at I hear the young pigs taste way better than the boars and sows. I wouldn’t know. I can’t really think I’d shoot a piglet unless I was really hunting for survival. As long as I can still buy bacon I think the objective of my hunts will remain adults.
———-
I hunt the pigs to thin out the pop…they are WAY out of control.
I give the meat away but if it’s a pig no matter the age it dies if i see it.
This bear was NOT A CUB!!! I will say that again… THIS BEAR WAS NOT A CUB!!!!
Is that clear enough for e-1?
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brianemcfarlane
Dec. 5, 2012 at 8:52pmI agree, I live in Colorado and have never seen a black bear that small, I have not seen a cub in person… maybe they are smaller in WV? That bear looks like a cub, legal or not should not have been taken if it was a cub. Very small for an adult.
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denkat56
Dec. 5, 2012 at 9:52amLook mom only 1 shot. Bear tastes pretty good in a stew. But remember only you can prevent fires. Where’s Smokey’s little hat.
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Ghandi was a Republican
Dec. 5, 2012 at 9:49amBut if he had killed it with a coat hanger, would he be getting a medal from the same?
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Sig Sauer Guy
Dec. 5, 2012 at 10:04amHa,ha,ha… Good one!!! Maybe a gold coat hanger on a plaque?
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biohazard23
Dec. 5, 2012 at 10:15amOnly if the bear was an unborn human baby instead.
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Metallicat
Dec. 5, 2012 at 9:48amIt has to be legal or he would never have posted it on twitter and admitted to it. He had to check the animal in with a game warden or its illegal,and the DNR would be looking for him. He would know this.
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TheMajority
Dec. 5, 2012 at 9:48amA small Bear yes, but is it a legal Bear? (not accompanied by momma Bear, and looks like over 75lbs) The story does not answer the one question—that makes it a story worth reporting.
If you don’t answer the legal question—your just stirring the pot.
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BlackCrow
Dec. 5, 2012 at 9:47amIt’s West Virgina not Alaska after all. You want BIG bears go to Alaska. I would wager that bear would have been HUGE if it had wandered into any of those idiots kitchens.
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jowettusmc
Dec. 5, 2012 at 9:45amAs a transplanted West Virginian, hunting is a culture here. Hunting and processing what you kill is an art you will be needing should the economy collapse and you find yourself on your own. I pity the city folk who will have no idea where to get food when that happens or how to process it for food. WV is overrun by bears. The 75 lb. ones are not in danger of being overharvested; believe me, there are still plenty out there.
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mikem1969
Dec. 5, 2012 at 9:54amI hunt and harvest what I kill, as well as raise farm animals for food. Still killing a baby in a freaking tree is not hunting. He should have gone after the adults. You say you are over run by the small ones, but 25% – 35% of the babies don’t make it to adulthood because of natural predetors. Hunters are supposed to help conserve populations, not kill the babies.
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apbt55
Dec. 5, 2012 at 10:11amExactly. and the meat is probably much better. As they get over 150-200lbs the meats starts to get more stringy and does not taste as good. It is also easier to process lighter animals. So to me it sounds like many people who hunt aren’t thinking of eating.
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mikem1969
Dec. 5, 2012 at 10:22amAPBT, more meat=more food. The meat can be cooked in many different ways so it still tastes good. A 50-50 vinegar/water solution works well to get rid of gamey flavor if you don’t like it. You soak it for a couple of hours and then rinse it well and cook in desired fashion. Older bears do have a lot of fat, but triming the meat, cooking it in a stew and then skimming off the excess fat takes care of that issue.
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Favored93
Dec. 5, 2012 at 12:29pm@mikem1969
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 9:54am
I hunt and harvest what I kill, as well as raise farm animals for food. Still killing a baby in a freaking tree is not hunting. He should have gone after the adults. You say you are over run by the small ones, but 25% – 35% of the babies don’t make it to adulthood because of natural predetors. Hunters are supposed to help conserve populations, not kill the babies.
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THIS WAS NOT A CUB!!!
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displaced
Dec. 5, 2012 at 9:40amWell, it IS West Virginia after all. At least the guy was not cooking meth in the woods….
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rabblechat
Dec. 5, 2012 at 9:37amThat is a little bear! I bet its tender!
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RRFlyer
Dec. 5, 2012 at 9:34amOf course we all know those same people that complained put as much energy into saving the life of unborn human children. They do don’t they? What? They are in favor of murdering babies but not cubs?
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mikem1969
Dec. 5, 2012 at 9:38amrant much?
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Favored93
Dec. 5, 2012 at 12:35pm@mikem1969
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 9:38am
rant much?
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This is a topic that needs more ranting! We should ALL of us be ranting about this until our collective faces turn three shades of blue!
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mikem1969
Dec. 5, 2012 at 9:31amI am a hunter, and I am a little ticked off at that as well. He killed a juvanile in a tree. That is not hunting, that is just killing. If you are going to hunt bear in bear season, you do the manly thing and hunt the adult ones. The babies you take pictures of and let them grow older so they can keep the bear population alive and there of the rest of us. Moron.
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ksmike
Dec. 5, 2012 at 9:30amC’mon folks. The poor mountaineer bearly (intended, for all you spell-checkers) kept his family fed. That puppy looks close to 100 lbs. Good for him culling the herd and using the meat.
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mikem1969
Dec. 5, 2012 at 9:41amThat baby would not have even been a snack for jethro.
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jungle J
Dec. 5, 2012 at 9:29amhis girlfriend had 3 abortions .
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marvlus
Dec. 5, 2012 at 9:36amHow do you know? Or are you just being a jerk?
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manilowfan99
Dec. 5, 2012 at 11:43amHe doesn’t know anything. If he knew Mr. Kimble at all he would have said, “his wife…” not “his girlfriend…”
The Kimbles are a very christian couple who would not intentionally do anything wrong or illegal. I have no clue if that bear was the legal weight, but the personal slander against Kimble should stop. He is a fine man.
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WillG
Dec. 5, 2012 at 9:26amThat cub was too small to harvest.
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Favored93
Dec. 5, 2012 at 12:43pmAgain… for all of you who just look at the pic and not read the story… IT WAS NOT A CUB!!!!
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