Cody Johnson Claps Back After Bear Hunt Criticism

Cody Johnson would like to point out the irony of comments from those critical of his successful grizzly bear hunt.

Last month, the singer and recent ACM Entertainer of the Year winner went to Alaska for a 10-day hunting trip. He actually left the morning after the ACMs and shared photos on May 26.

While some people celebrated with him, others expressed disappointment.

Johnson had the chance to respond to that criticism last week when American Country Countdown host Ryan Fox brought up his post.

Cody Johnson's Response to Grizzly Bear Hunt Critics

"The Fall" singer says people in Alaska praised him for the hunt. "Because when you don't control a predator population like a grizzly bear, it can get out of control really fast."

He went on to explain how hunting grizzly bears helps preserve the moose and caribou populations.

Related: Here's Why Cody Johnson Won ACM Entertainer of the Year In 2026

"In a lot of ways — in every way — this was not only a meat-harvesting hunt, it was a conservationist effort tag," he tells Fox.

"So I’m really proud of it. You’re never going to please everybody, but I just think that it’s awful ironic that people would say, ‘How dare you kill this poor bear, but do you want to go eat at Chick-fil-A?'”

Comments beneath that video were equally divisive.

Some people expressed the view that hunting was as American the "American way" while others called it murder.

"You’ll never make the tree huggers understand," says TikTok user Rhett Seekins.

Per Johnson's original post, highlights from his hunt will soon populate the Chasing Legends YouTube channel.

The comments and headlines come ahead of his June 5 performance at CMA Fest in Nashville. Later this month (June 26), Johnson will release his new album The Banks of the Trinity, which features a duet with Luke Combs.