Troy Gentry Insists He’s a ‘Different Person’ Since Bear Hunting Incident

Troy Gentry, one half of award-winning duo Montgomery Gentry, is finding he has a lot more apologizing to do for an incident that happened back in 2006. The Kentucky native was charged with a felony for illegally killing a bear held in an enclosure in Minnesota, and claiming it was caught in the wild. Four years later, the killing was brought to the surface again when the animal-rights group, SHARK (Showing Animals Respect and Kindness), released a YouTube video of Troy killing the bear. According to the Associated Press, SHARK wanted to bring the issue back to light on the stance that Troy got off too easily.

The singer, who had previously apologized for the crime, is speaking out again about his regret. "Four years ago, I was charged for illegally tagging and taking the hide of a bear across state lines," Troy says in a handwritten note posted on his website. "For that, I paid a 15,000 dollar fine, served a period of probation and gave up my rights to hunt and fish in the state of Minnesota for a period of five years. At the time, I apologized for the crime committed, but failed to apologize to the public for the unethical way the bear was taken.

"There is no one who feels as bad about this as I do," the note continues. "I have beaten myself up about this over the years. I made a mistake, a bad decision, and it has been an embarrassment to both me and my family. I have learned my lesson, and have paid a huge price, both personally and professionally. Since this happened, I know in my heart that I am a different and better person.

"I am not proud of what I did and I am truly sorry," he concludes, signing his name at the bottom.

Time will tell if this latest gesture will prevail over the sentiment behind the YouTube video, which has already had more than 66,000 views. Meanwhile, Troy and his singing partner Eddie Montgomery, recently exited Columbia Records, the label they called home for more than a decade. They continue to tour, as well as work on new music. Their tour schedule can be found here.