Chris Janson Defends Hunting Amid Social Media Backlash
Country music singer Chris Janson faces mounting social media backlash over hunting photographs while defending the practice as vital conservation and community support.
Social Media Backlash Against Country Stars and Hunting
Anti-hunting critics frequently target public figures who share successful harvest photographs online. Country music artist Cody Johnson faced intense online criticism earlier this year after harvesting a grizzly bear in Alaska, defending the hunt as essential predator management to protect moose and caribou populations. Jordan Davis experienced similar backlash for harvesting an invasive axis deer in Hawaii, a species known for damaging native island ecosystems. More recently, historical hunting photos of singer Ella Langley resurfaced online, prompting some critics to call for her cancellation.
Janson largely avoids this digital hostility by stepping away from screens. “I don’t watch much internet. I don’t watch much TV,” Janson told OutKick OutDoors. “I hunt and fish and raise kids and love my wife.” Janson stated that his wife, Kelly, and his team manage his social media accounts to shield him from online negativity. “If you’re in the public spotlight, no matter if it’s me, Jordan, Cody, it doesn’t matter who it is, you better be ready for arrows to come against you and just build your shield up,” he said.
Conservation Efforts and Community Food Donations
Beyond the online controversy, Janson frames hunting primarily around food production and habitat protection. “Every animal that I’ve harvested, at least this year, at least 50% of it has gone to someone else to help somebody,” Janson told OutKick OutDoors. “And that’s a big part of why I hunt.” Regulated hunting contributes directly to wildlife management through license fees and federal excise taxes on firearms, ammunition, and archery equipment, which fund habitat restoration and research.
Janson’s conservation work extends into formal nonprofit partnerships. Since 2019, he has collaborated with Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris on a signature conservation hat. Proceeds from the initiative benefit Tennessee Hunters for the Hungry, Tennessee Riverkeeper, and the Harpeth Conservancy. The Hunters for the Hungry program allows hunters to donate harvested deer to participating processors, supplying venison to food banks and families in need.
“For any haters out there on social media, I would just encourage them to try it,” Janson told OutKick OutDoors. “If you haven’t, you can’t knock it.”
