Kristi Noem Torched for Archery Elk Hunt Post Before Telling Critics That 'Your Family Will Starve'

Former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has faced backlash after posting graphic photographs from an elk hunt, then telling critics that their families would 'starve' if they rejected harvested food.

Noem shared six photographs on Instagram on 21 September showing herself and hunting companions posing with the dead elk. In the caption, she called it her 'archery elk' and described the trip as a 'super fun hunt' with Patrick, Randy, Jason and Taylor.

The post drew criticism from some followers, including users who identified as conservative, while others defended Noem and argued that hunting provides food and can play a role in wildlife management.

Noem Defends the Hunt As Food And 'Stewardship'

After commenters objected to the photographs, Noem responded directly.

'For those of you who choose to be ignorant and uninformed and critical, of course this beautiful animal will nourish our family and many others we will share with,' she wrote.

Noem said the animal was 'majestic' and recalled learning about hunting from her father, brothers and friends.

She then invoked religion and food supplies in addressing her critics.

'Shame on you who desecrate and don't understand the stewardship responsibilities God has given us,' Noem wrote. 'Go to a store and shop for anything that hasn't been harvested, and you will find bare shelves and your family will starve.'

Noem did not provide details in the post about how much meat would be distributed, but said the elk would nourish her family and others they would share it with.

Critics Challenge the Hunt and the Display

Some commenters objected to the photographs themselves. One asked whether the post was supposed to be a 'proud moment', while another questioned why Noem had killed what they described as a beautiful animal.

A commenter who identified as conservative wrote that killing an animal for sport was wrong and contrasted modern hunting with the survival needs of earlier generations.

Other users defended Noem, arguing that critics did not understand game management and that the elk would provide food.

The post had attracted more than 14,000 likes and over 800 comments by Monday, according to contemporaneous reporting. Those figures were a snapshot and could change as the post circulated.

There is no indication in the reporting reviewed that Noem was accused of violating hunting or wildlife laws. Her post shows her taking part in an archery hunt and presenting the elk as food for her family and others.

The Elk Photos Reopen the Cricket Controversy

The photographs also brought renewed attention to Noem's account of killing her 14-month-old wirehaired pointer, Cricket, in her 2024 memoir, No Going Back.

Noem wrote that the dog had killed a neighbour's chickens and behaved aggressively before she took it to a gravel pit and shot it. She wrote that she 'hated that dog' and presented the episode as an example of making difficult decisions.

The circumstances were different: Cricket was a domestic dog, while the elk was wild game. But the earlier episode has remained part of public discussion of Noem's approach to animals, making the new hunting photographs particularly sensitive.

Noem's DHS Exit Adds Political Context

The controversy comes months after Noem left the Department of Homeland Security.

President Donald Trump announced on 5 March that Sen. Markwayne Mullin would replace Noem as DHS secretary. The Senate confirmed Mullin on 23 March, and he was sworn in on 24 March.

Trump said Noem would move to a role as special envoy for the Shield of the Americas, which she subsequently took up.

The elk post has now turned a personal hunting story into another public fight over Noem's views on animals, hunting and 'stewardship' — with her own words about families starving at the centre of the backlash.