Jordan Davis faces fan backlash over Hawaii axis deer hunt despite strong conservation backing

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Country music star Jordan Davis is getting a crash course in the internet’s complicated relationship with hunting.

The Louisiana native recently shared photos from what he described as an “absolute bucket list” axis deer hunt in Hawaii, proudly posing with the harvested animal and several friends.

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country star Jordan Davis sings into a microphone

“Axis deer in Hawaii. Absolute bucket list hunt with some great people,” Davis wrote on Instagram.

The post quickly drew a mixed reaction from fans. While plenty congratulated the singer on checking off a dream hunt, others called the photo “horrifying,” “disappointing” and “unnecessary.”

Some fans said they didn’t mind that Davis hunts but questioned why he felt the need to share the photo publicly. Others took issue with the hunt itself.

The backlash may sound familiar.

Just last month, fellow country star Cody Johnson found himself in similar hot water after posting photos from a grizzly bear hunt in Alaska. Johnson eventually defended the hunt as a “conservationist effort” and a “meat-harvesting hunt.”

Jordan Davis pats fellow country music star Cody Johnson on the shoulder

Davis has not publicly responded to the criticism.

CODY JOHNSON FIRES BACK AT CRITICS, CALLS ALASKA GRIZZLY BEAR HUNT A ‘CONSERVATIONIST EFFORT’

Context matters here, though, because axis deer are an invasive species in Hawaii.

The spotted deer, which are native to India, were introduced to the Hawaiian Islands in the 1860s and eventually spread to Maui, Lanai and Molokai. With no natural predators and the ability to breed year-round, their populations have exploded over the decades.

Today, wildlife officials and conservation groups consider axis deer a major ecological problem. The animals damage agricultural land, consume native vegetation, contribute to soil erosion and compete with livestock for forage. Overpopulation has become such a concern that hunting is widely viewed as one of the primary tools for controlling their numbers.

The fact that axis venison is often regarded as some of the best-tasting wild game in the world is an added perk.

Still, as both Davis and Johnson have learned, the conservation argument doesn’t always end the debate.

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For some fans, the issue isn’t necessarily that country artists hunt. It’s that they don’t want dead animals popping up in their Instagram feeds. And that’s fair.

Then again, odds are those same folks wouldn’t bat an eye at a photo of a cheeseburger.

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