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West Virginia Mountaineer mascot Jonathan Kimble, who famously appears in an ESPN commercial staring down football analyst Lee Corso, has been told to stop using his musket on hunting excursions after killing a black bear on Monday.

"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,” university spokesman John Bolt said.

Kimble says that hunting with the musket is a Mountaineers' mascot tradition.

"Other Mountaineers have gone and shot multiple deer with it before," Kimble said. "I've taken it with me deer hunting before also."

The fact that there is video of Kimble actually shooting the bear while in a tree is probably more disconcerting to folks than the fact he's using a university-issued weapon to do so.

"Hunting can be a controversial topic,” said Kimble, who was hunting with family and friends when he killed his first bear. "I apologize to any of those who took offense to the video. It definitely wasn't my intent to offend anybody."

Ah, yes the world we live in today. I'm sorry I'm doing something perfectly legal and acceptable with a long history and tradition around these parts, but now I'm forced to call it controversial and apologize to people who might have been "offended." America!

In New York and New Jersey the state actually encouraged bear hunting recently due to over population and a threat to the public.

Its just not cool shooting them out of a tree....its just not sporting IMHO.

Depends on who is in the tree. I cannot tell from the poorly worded sentence. All bear hunting I have witnessed has the shooter in a tree not the bear. Obviously I have not seen the utube.

I have no problem with the hunting part. I have a problem with them giving an actual firearm capable of taking down a bear to a college kid to dance around with at football games!

Good point, sail420s

The bear could have climbed down and leisurely walked off in the time it takes to load a musket

Let's look at it from the bear's viewpoint. There are far too many rednecks in West Virginia, so should we encourage the bear to eat more... uh... Mountaineers?

NY Pony wrote:In New York and New Jersey the state actually encouraged bear hunting recently due to over population and a threat to the public.

If he tries to take the Musket to the Pinstripe Bowl, Bloomberg is going to have him thrown in the hole!!

Forget about the musket. Just do not try to smuggle in a 32 ounce drink.

They should make this fair-make him shoot the Bear from his couch on the front lawn

Stallion wrote:They should make this fair-make him shoot the Bear from his couch on the front lawn

LOLOLOL

Stlhockeyguy02 wrote:Ah, yes the world we live in today. I'm sorry I'm doing something perfectly legal and acceptable with a long history and tradition around these parts, but now I'm forced to call it controversial and apologize to people who might have been "offended." America!

it's getting more and more ridiculous--this world is too sensitive...i can't handle it sometimes so i become a "howard hughes" of sorts and just don't come out.

#1PONYUP wrote:

Stlhockeyguy02 wrote:Ah, yes the world we live in today. I'm sorry I'm doing something perfectly legal and acceptable with a long history and tradition around these parts, but now I'm forced to call it controversial and apologize to people who might have been "offended." America!

it's getting more and more ridiculous--this world is too sensitive...i can't handle it sometimes so i become a "howard hughes" of sorts and just don't come out.

agree with you both. He's from WV for Gids sakes.

On the other hand I am a bit surprised he wasn't out collecting road kill for his kinfolk's viddles.