Just another hillbilly joke

A Kentucky hillbilly was salmon fishing in the ocean when his boat sank. He was fortunate enough to make it to a deserted island.

When the Coastguard finally found him after weeks of being stranded, the Officer in Charge noticed a fire pit that held the remains and feathers of a California Condor, to which the officer promptly arrests and charges the man for the killing of an endangered species.

The Kentucky man is standing before the judge in court. The judge says, "You're charged with killing a California Condor, which is a species on the endangered list, and the penalties are severe for committing such an act.”

The Kentucky hillbilly replies, “ Your honor, I swear, I never knew what it was. I just thought it was a big bird.”

The judge says, “You realize ignorance of the law is no excuse, don't you?”

The Kentucky hillbilly replies, “But your honor, I killed it because I was going to starve.”

There is a long silence in the courtroom as the judge ponders the situation and finally says, “I suppose I will make an exception in your case, since you are from Eastern Kentucky, and ignorant of the species out here, and you were trying to keep from going hungry. Case dismissed!”

The Kentucky hillbilly says, “Thank you, thank you, your honor. You don't know what a relief it is to me and my family for all this to finally be done and over with!”

The judge looks at the hillbilly and says, “Just out of curiosity, what does a California Condor taste like?"

The hillbilly says, “It's kind of a cross between a Snowy Owl and a Bald Eagle.”