Former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has drawn criticism over photographs of an elk she killed during an archery hunt, responding to detractors with a warning that their families would starve without harvested food. The exchange, which unfolded after Noem shared the images on Instagram on September 21, also revived discussion of her account of killing her dog, Cricket, in 2024.
Noem posted six photographs showing herself and several hunting companions posing with the dead elk. She described the outing as a "super fun hunt" with Patrick, Randy, Jason and Taylor, and referred to the animal as her "archery elk."
The images prompted sharply different responses from her followers. Some congratulated Noem on the hunt and defended the practice of harvesting wild game for food, while others objected to the photographs and questioned her decision to kill the animal. Some of those criticizing the post identified themselves as conservatives.
Noem responded directly to commenters who challenged the hunt, arguing that the elk would provide food for her family and others.
"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 also described the elk as "majestic" and recalled learning to hunt from her father, brothers and friends. She framed hunting as both a family tradition and a responsibility to use natural resources, rejecting criticism of the decision to harvest the animal.
Her response went further when she invoked religion and the role of hunting and agriculture in providing food.
"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."
The remarks intensified an argument that had initially centered on the photographs. Critics questioned whether killing and posing with the elk should be celebrated, while supporters maintained that hunting provides meat and can contribute to wildlife management.
One commenter asked whether the photographs were supposed to represent a "proud moment." Another questioned why Noem had killed an animal they considered beautiful. A self-identified conservative follower argued that recreational hunting differed from hunting undertaken out of necessity.
Other commenters defended Noem's decision, pointing to the role of regulated hunting in managing game populations and providing food. Noem said the elk would feed her family and people with whom she intended to share the meat, although she did not specify how much would be distributed.
The Instagram post had attracted more than 14,000 likes and 800 comments by Monday, according to contemporaneous reporting. The available accounts did not identify any allegation that Noem had violated hunting or wildlife regulations.
The reaction also brought renewed attention to a separate controversy involving Noem's 2024 memoir, No Going Back, in which she described shooting her 14-month-old wirehaired pointer, Cricket.
Noem wrote that the dog had killed a neighbor's chickens and behaved aggressively before she took it to a gravel pit and shot it. She said she "hated that dog" and presented the incident as an example of her willingness to make difficult decisions.
The circumstances of the two incidents were different. Cricket was a domestic dog, while the elk was wild game taken during a hunting trip. Nevertheless, Noem's earlier account resurfaced in discussions of the new photographs, connecting the latest dispute to an episode that drew widespread attention during the 2024 presidential campaign.
The controversy comes roughly six months after Noem's departure from the Department of Homeland Security. President Donald Trump announced on March 5 that he was replacing her with Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin and moving her to a new position as special envoy for the Shield of the Americas, an initiative focused on security in the Western Hemisphere.
The Senate confirmed Mullin on March 23 by a vote of 54-45, and he was sworn in the following day. Noem's departure followed congressional scrutiny of her leadership at DHS, including questions about immigration enforcement and departmental spending.
Noem has continued to emphasize hunting and other outdoor activities in her public profile since leaving the department. Her latest Instagram post placed those interests back in the public spotlight, with the debate extending beyond the hunt itself to her statements about food production, religious stewardship and the treatment of animals.
