Former Homeland Security head Kristi Noem received backlash after posting a series of photos from a recent hunting trip.
Noem – whose tenure in the federal government was mired in controversy – was seen in one image along with a massive elk she killed on a trip in Wyoming.
‘Finally had a little time to post a few pictures of my archery elk. Super fun hunt with Patrick, Randy, Jason, and Taylor,’ she wrote on Instagram, naming her four hunting partners.
‘The strategy and work paid off and I’m so grateful for their help and friendship,’
Noem held onto the elk’s antlers as she stood beside the large dead animal in the image. The crossbow she used for the kill is propped up next to the elk.
Noem faced backlash for the post as critics called her ‘murderous,’ ‘absolutely despicable’ and ‘disturbing.’ She defended her hunting hobby in the comments.
‘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.
Kristi Noem fought back at critics after she posted a series of photos of an elk she killed while going hunting with friends
Noem caused a stir when she posted photos of massive elk she killed on a hunting trip in Wyoming. Noem posted standing beside the dead animal with it draped in the bow and arrow she presumably used to kill it
‘These majestic animals are incredible and I’ve so loved learning their ways from my father, sharing memories in the mountains with him and my brothers and now my friends.’
‘Shame on you who desecrate and don’t understand the stewardship responsibilities God has given us. Go to a store and shop for anything that hasn’t been harvested and you will find bare shelves and your family will starve,’ she added.
Noem is public about her love of outdoor sports, as her Instagram bio reads: ‘Hunting and Horses, Government and Grandkids, Fishing and FREEDOM! God bless America!’
However, she has also faced derision in the past for having revealed she shot her puppy, a 14-month-old named Cricket, in a book, No Going Back: The Truth on What’s Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward.
One Instagram commenter on her hunting post even joked: ‘At least she’s not killing dogs.’
Responding to the backlash, Noem said she ‘can understand why some people are upset about a 20 year old story of Cricket.’
The Republican continued: ‘The book is filled with many honest stories of my life, good and bad days, challenges, painful decisions, and lessons learned. What I learned from my years of public service, especially leading South Dakota through COVID, is people are looking for leaders who are authentic, willing to learn from the past, and don’t shy away from tough challenges.
‘My hope is anyone reading this book will have an understanding that I always work to make the best decisions I can for the people in my life.
The photo of the animal is initially censored by those who view it on Noem’s Instagram page, with readers having to opt-in to looking at it
Noem faced haters in the comments and had to defend her hunting hobby
‘The fact is, South Dakota law states that dogs who attack and kill livestock can be put down. Given that Cricket had shown aggressive behavior toward people by biting them, I decided what I did. Whether running the ranch or in politics, I have never passed on my responsibilities to anyone else to handle. Even if it’s hard and painful.
‘I followed the law and was being a responsible parent, dog owner, and neighbor. As I explained in the book, it wasn’t easy. But often the easy way isn’t the right way.’
Noem claimed she included the tale in her book to show her willingness to do anything ‘difficult, messy and ugly’ if it has to be done.
The Republican writes that she took Cricket on a hunting trip with older dogs in hopes of calming down the wild puppy. Instead, Cricket chased the pheasants while ‘having the time of her life.’
On the way home from the hunting trip, Noem writes that when she stopped to talk to a family, Cricket got out of her truck and attacked and killed some of the family’s chickens, and then bit the governor.
Noem apologized profusely, wrote the distraught family a check for the deceased chickens, and helped them dispose of the carcasses, she writes. She wrote that Cricket ‘was the picture of joy’ as all that unfolded.
‘I hated that dog,’ Noem writes, deeming her ‘untrainable.’
‘At that moment,’ she says, ‘I realized I had to put her down.’
Noem then recalls leading Cricket to a gravel pit and shooting her dead.
Noem has gone from running the president’s mass deportation agenda to a far lower profile special envoy post after Trump forced her out in March.
In April, Noem brought 10 of her closest Homeland Security aides with her to the Shield of the Americas, which is under the State Department umbrella.
But within weeks the White House had placed four of them on leave, including her former deputy chief of staff, the Daily Mail previously reported.
