Joshua Williams giving court-ordered apology to eagle after being convicted of endangered species harrassment.
Posted on 06/29/2006 5:02:24 PM PDT by Graybeard58
(Sioux Falls, SD) A peaceful Sunday of fishing turned sour for Josh Williams recently. The problems started when Mr. Williams hooked a nice smallmouth bass, and a bald eagle took notice. While the eagle swooped in, attempting to catch the bass in its talons, Mr. Williams was observed by a Fish and Wildlife Service officer trying to scare the eagle away by throwing stones at it.
The FWS officer testified in U.S. District Court of South Dakota that Mr. Williams had clearly violated one of the Endangered Species Act's prohibited activities that specifically makes it illegal to "...harass....an endangered or threatened species without a permit from the Secretary of the Department of the Interior."
The judge agreed, finding the man guilty of a misdemeanor violation of the Act. The judge was lenient in sentencing, however, requiring only that the man apologize to the eagle. Mr. Williams expressed remorse, stating that the eagle would be welcome to help him fish anytime it wanted to. The eagle had no comment.
Joshua Williams giving court-ordered apology to eagle after being convicted of endangered species harrassment.
Lol!
The only good eagle is a coin, and a double eagle is twice as good.
Lord, what is this nation coming to?
Would they have prefered that he not "harrass" it,
and end up with it picking up HIS fish and getting hooked?
My god, the trouble he would have been in THEN!
Good grief. This is for real?
I am lucky to have 2 Eagles Perch in my Backyard During Winter, I have tried to snap a PIC, but they always Bail.......
Please check FR mail.
I think this government employee has way too much free time on his hands to bring a worthless charge such as this against the fishermanm, based on the facts as presented here. Some government employees just love their so-called power and authority too much!
Interesting point, especially about the hook.
Of course, there's no pleasing some people, esp when it comes to Man vs Animal.
Still, somehow it's only right to allow our National Symbol to have first pickings. The eagle needs fish to live, the fisherman can always stop by the Colonel....
"illegal to harass without a permit..."
Were do I get one of these permits?
I don't care about eagles, but I'd sure like to do some harassing of the NYT editorial staff, and a few Supreme Court Justices.
Are these permits expensive?
How long are they good for?
Just Dang Ping
I think the permits have to do with American Indian tribes who are allowed to use eagle feathers in religious ceremonies.
Next time I'm very bored, I intend to masquerade as a pious Sioux and harrass me some eagles.
Bwahaha! I'm not even going to ask how you got your name!
LOL!
First mistake.
He had his puppy with him and the puppy went to close to the cubs.
Second mistake.
When the mother bear attacked the pup the man went in to rescue his puppy. The mother bear then went after the man.
Authorities killed the mother bear for doing what mother bears all do.
When will nit wit realize you leave a mother bear and her cubs alone.
If the Eagle would get a damned job, maybe it, too, could stop by a drive-thru.
It took the line out pretty far before my brother reeled him in.
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