Ted Nugent Illegally Killed Bear in Alaska for His Reality Show
After illegally killing a bear, Ted Nugent has agreed to sign a plea deal with federal prosecutors.
The incident occurred two years ago while Nugent was filming his Outdoor Channel television show "Spirit of the Wild" in Alaska. Nugent illegally killed and transported a black bear off federal property. The rocker's hunt was captured on camera and later aired on his show. Nugent also injured a second bear.
So what punishments will the musician face as part of the deal?
"The Motor City Madman" will be required to pay a $10,000 fine and will also have to make a 30-60 second public service announcement about responsible hunting. The PSA will air every other week on his TV show.
Nugent will also be placed on two years' probation. And he'll be banned for one year from fishing or hunting in Alaska as well as on any U.S. Forest Service land. For the hardcore hunting enthusiast, that's probably the worst news of all.
But it could've been much worse for Nugent. The Republican activist was charged with violating the Lacey Act, which protects certain animal and plant species. In addition to the $10,000 fine he received, violators can also get up to a year imprisonment.
Nugent hasn't commented on the deal yet. But his lawyer, Wayne Anthony Ross, said Nugent checked to see if the bear was hit and that he didn't believe it was fatal. Ross is also a NRA board member.
This wasn't Nugent's first run-in with the law regarding his hunting. In August 2010, he pled no contest in California to a misdemeanor charge for deer-baiting and not having a properly signed tag. Following the incident, he had his deer hunting license revoked.
For now, it looks like Ted Nugent's bear-killing opportunities will be limited for the year.
Related Resources:
- Ted Nugent Admits to Illegal Alaska Bear Kill (Anchorage Daily News)
- The Lacey Act (FindLaw)
- Select State Laws on Hunting and Trespassing (FindLaw)
