WVU mascot told to stop hunting with school musket
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - The musket toted by West Virginia University's Mountaineer isn't just a prop - it's a bona fide weapon, and mascot Jonathan Kimble demonstrated that when he brought down a black bear with it in the woods.
Now WVU has ordered Kimble to stop using his university-issued weapon on hunting trips after a video of this week's kill was posted online. He says hunting with the gun is a Mountaineer mascot tradition.
The 24-year-old Franklin resident accompanied more than a dozen friends and family on the trip in Pendleton County on Monday. In the video, Kimble is shown firing the musket at the bear in a tree.
"Let's go Mountaineers!" Kimble yells afterward. He also posted a photo of himself with the bear on Twitter.
The WVU mascot wears buckskin and a coonskin cap and fires the musket - loaded with black powder but minus ammunition - at home athletic events and other sponsored activities. Hunting isn't one of them.
"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," said WVU spokesman John Bolt.
Kimble said Friday that he's been hunting all his life and this was the first black bear he's ever killed. He said all his friends have congratulated him for that.
"Hunting can be a controversial topic," Kimble said. "I apologize to any of those who took offense to the video. It definitely wasn't my intent to offend anybody."
Kimble said he taking the musket on hunting trips has become a tradition with the mascots.
"Other Mountaineers have gone and shot multiple deer with it before. I've taken it with me deer hunting before, also."
Some WVU fans stood behind Kimble on Friday.
"This is a smart young man from West Virginia who did nothing wrong, who was celebrating who he is," said Robert Hickman, who holds two degrees from WVU and lives near Fairmont.
"If you're from West Virginia and you love the outdoors, or if you hunt or don't hunt, or if you fish or don't fish, it is a celebration of this state. As a former WVU graduate, I'm thrilled to death with him. Happy as can be."
The Mountaineer mascot first appeared at athletic events in the 1936-1937 school year. The Mountaineer is selected each year and the mascot's outfit is custom tailored to fit the winner.
Last February, the bearded Kimble was chosen from among 13 applicants.
Now WVU has ordered Kimble to stop using his university-issued weapon on hunting trips after a video of this week's kill was posted online. He says hunting with the gun is a Mountaineer mascot tradition.
The 24-year-old Franklin resident accompanied more than a dozen friends and family on the trip in Pendleton County on Monday. In the video, Kimble is shown firing the musket at the bear in a tree.
"Let's go Mountaineers!" Kimble yells afterward. He also posted a photo of himself with the bear on Twitter.
The WVU mascot wears buckskin and a coonskin cap and fires the musket - loaded with black powder but minus ammunition - at home athletic events and other sponsored activities. Hunting isn't one of them.
"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," said WVU spokesman John Bolt.
Kimble said Friday that he's been hunting all his life and this was the first black bear he's ever killed. He said all his friends have congratulated him for that.
"Hunting can be a controversial topic," Kimble said. "I apologize to any of those who took offense to the video. It definitely wasn't my intent to offend anybody."
Kimble said he taking the musket on hunting trips has become a tradition with the mascots.
"Other Mountaineers have gone and shot multiple deer with it before. I've taken it with me deer hunting before, also."
Some WVU fans stood behind Kimble on Friday.
"This is a smart young man from West Virginia who did nothing wrong, who was celebrating who he is," said Robert Hickman, who holds two degrees from WVU and lives near Fairmont.
"If you're from West Virginia and you love the outdoors, or if you hunt or don't hunt, or if you fish or don't fish, it is a celebration of this state. As a former WVU graduate, I'm thrilled to death with him. Happy as can be."
The Mountaineer mascot first appeared at athletic events in the 1936-1937 school year. The Mountaineer is selected each year and the mascot's outfit is custom tailored to fit the winner.
Last February, the bearded Kimble was chosen from among 13 applicants.
Danl Boone kilt a bar 1803
He used a gun to harvest a animal. Way to go. Nothing like going to the wild grocery store to feed family and friends with meat you harvested.Â
 The guy may have had license to hunt the bear...but he is still an arrogant d*ck.
Let's goooooo Mountaineers! Proud to have attended this fine university!
Pretty loud music to be hunting by. Wonder why the bear didn't run.
We finally have a mascot that is out doing what they did when the mascot was invesioned and the PC crowed has thier nicker in a bind!!! Grow up. this is what the gun was designed to do and it is being used in a safe fasion. This is the tradition of the  mountaineer and needs to be continued!!
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 @bustedupredneck Earlier I just wanted to shoot him with the gun... Now I want both you and him up a tree so I can shoot you both with the gun.
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After we're done tell me if you still feel the same....Â
 @PortSCUM  @bustedupredneck So you're against hunting. And you feel killing humans is the answer? I am a hunter and I donate money every year to wildlife conservation. Let me ask you, how much money do you donate?Â
 @PortSCUM Get off your over PC high horse and see how the real world is for a change.
 @JeepRex  @PortSCUM Don't feed the troll guys......it might grow another opinion.
 @PortSCUM  @bustedupredneck I see. Killing is wrong, so we must therefore kill the killers! Nice logic.
That's a pretty cool looking mascot.
Is there ANYTHING in this country that SOMEONE won't get all butthurt about? Our country is becoming the "Land of Oversensitive Couch Dweller looking for a Purpose." PLEASE people......if something offends you? Don't look at, listen to, or touch it......you'll be fine. Just don't CRY about it if someone else doesn't share your aversions.
 @Wolfen I was thinking i should be butthurt for portraying white males as buckskin wearin' bear killers and move to have that stereotypical white man removed as a mascot, because like native americans, it hurts my feelings
That's the thing Wolfen. If ya claim yer butt hurts, ya can always blaim someone else. Never mind that ya put yerself in that situation. It's all about feewings.
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U hute my feewings. U scared me. Â U should be punished.
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What a pansy assed society we've become.
and the anti hunters will come out soon saying he is a future serial killer, etc..