Country singer Chris Janson says he isn’t bothered by online critics attacking musicians for hunting, pointing to his own approach of staying off social media rather than engaging with the backlash.
Janson’s comments to OutKick OutDoors come after a string of country stars faced criticism over hunting photos. Cody Johnson defended a grizzly bear hunt in Alaska earlier this year, framing it as predator management that protects moose and caribou populations. Jordan Davis drew criticism for harvesting an axis deer in Hawaii, an invasive species known to damage the islands’ native ecosystems. More recently, old hunting photos of “Choosin’ Texas” singer Ella Langley resurfaced online, with some critics calling for her to be canceled.
Janson said he hadn’t seen the Langley controversy specifically, but knows the pattern well.
“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,” Janson said.
He added that he doesn’t spend much time worrying about public opinion. “I don’t watch much internet. I don’t watch much TV,” he said. “I hunt and fish and raise kids and love my wife.” He said his wife, Kelly, and his team manage much of his social media presence, which keeps him largely removed from the comment sections where the criticism tends to pile up.
Janson, who lives in Tennessee, argues that hunting critics often overlook the conservation and food-distribution work tied to regulated hunting. “Every animal that I’ve harvested, at least this year, at least 50% of it has gone to someone else to help somebody,” he said. “And that’s a big part of why I hunt.”
He noted that license fees and federal excise taxes on firearms, ammunition and archery equipment fund habitat restoration and wildlife research nationwide, and that regulated hunting is used in some regions as a tool to manage animal populations and limit damage to native ecosystems.
Janson’s own conservation ties run deeper than his personal hunting trips. Since 2019 he has partnered with Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris on a signature hat, with proceeds benefiting three nonprofits: Tennessee Hunters for the Hungry, Tennessee Riverkeeper and the Harpeth Conservancy. Through the Tennessee Wildlife Federation’s Hunters for the Hungry program, hunters can donate harvested deer to processors who prepare venison for food banks and other groups serving people in need.
The other two groups focus on protecting waterways, including the Harpeth River near his home. “I have a very close connection with it,” Janson said. “Lots of Native American history there, and just the best hunting grounds you could ever imagine.”
Janson has also linked other business partnerships to charitable causes, including Crav’n Flavor, which recognizes hometown heroes with grocery assistance and gift cards, and a partnership with seed company Pioneer on its “Hats Off to Farmers” initiative, which raises money for Rural Minds, a nonprofit offering mental health resources to farmers and rural communities.
Rather than arguing with critics, Janson said he’d rather invite them to try hunting or fishing themselves. “For any haters out there on social media, I would just encourage them to try it,” he said. “If you haven’t, you can’t knock it.” He added that even those uninterested in hunting might find something to enjoy in fishing. “If you think you hate it, you might find something that you love.”
