NHLer under fire for hunting bear, posting video
CTVNews.ca Staff
Date: Tuesday May. 15, 2012 9:45 AM ET
When Vancouver Canucks forward David Booth took a break from hockey to stalk a bear on a reality TV show, he succeeded in killing his prey. But his tweet of the moment has failed to capture the love of some viewers.
On April 30, Booth tweeted about his excursion into the wild, saying he was "in Alberta trying to kill a few bruins."
The trip was filmed as part of a half-hour episode of reality TV show "The Edge." The program and the WILD TV channel that airs it promise shows that push boundaries, but with a "good dose of humour," according to the channel's website.
On May 1, Booth reported on his progress, tweeting, "Just killed a Chara sized bruin! 7 ft black bear- 21in skull."
Booth's YouTube video of the event is unnerving to watch. As the video first unfolds, viewers might question whether it's a joke or a real hunt.
From his camouflage attire to the "Survivor"-esque music that plays in the background, viewers watch as Booth studies a black bear that has turned over a white trash can in the forest.
With the camera darting between his burly target and the metal star tip of his bow, Booth takes his shot and the bear flees. But a few moments later, Booth stands over the dead animal, its lifeless paw in his hand.
Despite the intentions of the show's producers, some fans have not taken kindly to the footage.
"What a disgusting way to send the off season… David, work more on your wrist shot rather than shooting innocent bears," wrote one blogger.
Some chastised Booth, WILD TV, and hunting itself for unnecessary brutality.
Other, however, were more forgiving.
"I bet 95% of the people complaining about Booth killing an innocent bear would have zero hesitation in regards to calling animal control if they found one in their neighbourhood who would likely put down the bear," one blogger wrote.
Booth remained unfazed by his critics, tweeting this reply on May 12 @D_Booth7: "You all know i shot a bear heres how http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssCRQMjZ9r8 you have every right not to watch just like i have the right to choose to hunt. "
He may not have posted any but a pics worth a thousand words.
