Pro golfer Tripp Isenhour, who was charged in Orlando, Fla., with killing a protected migratory hawk with a golf shot, said Friday it was a "one-in-a-million" shot and that he just was trying to scare it away.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Pro golfer Tripp Isenhour said it was a "one-in-a-million" golf shot that killed a protected hawk and that he only was trying to scare the bird he now faces criminal charges for killing.

Isenhour spoke on the Golf Channel's PODS Championship post-round show Friday, his first interview since news broke that he killed the protected bird Dec. 12.

Investigators say Isenhour got upset because the hawk's loud chirps interrupted the filming of his instructional video. He was charged Wednesday in Orange County Circuit Court with animal cruelty and killing a migratory bird, charges that carry a combined 14 months in jail and $1,500 in fines.

"What happened was, you know, the bird was making noise, but the fact that I was upset was inaccurate," Isenhour said. "There were several others trying to get the bird to simply fly away. That's all we were trying to do. The bird was high up in the tree and I was simply just tying to hit the tree to make the bird fly away."

Also Friday, Wayne Pacelle, the head of the Humane Society of the United States faxed PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem a letter urging "appropriate remedial action against Isenhour up to and including fines and suspension."

Isenhour is playing the Nationwide Tour this year, but has played two years on the PGA Tour. He lost his card both times after failing to finish in the top 125 money winners.

"Obviously, any set of facts which involve an individual hitting a golf ball at a living target is clearly inappropriate behavior," PGA Tour executive vice president Ty Votaw said in a written statement. "Tripp has publicly apologized and expressed remorse and regret about his actions. We find this entire incident regrettable and unfortunate."

Isenhour, whose real name is John Henry Isenhour III, said it was foolish for people to believe he could have realistically hit the bird.

"That's obviously people who don't know very much about golf," he said. "To say it's a one-in-a-million shot for an accident like that to happen, you know, and when it did happen, I was very remorseful, very upset that it happened.

"The event did occur, but it didn't exactly occur that way, exactly as they described it. My reaction from the time it happened has been one of regret and remorse that it happened, because it was an unfortunate accident."