The Harris-Walz campaign’s latest effort to connect with rural voters has hit a major snag. Democratic vice presidential hopeful Tim Walz’s appearance at the annual Minnesota Governor’s Pheasant Hunting Opener in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, over the weekend turned into an embarrassing spectacle, raising serious doubts about his hunting credibility and, by extension, his authenticity in trying to appeal to rural Americans.
The event, intended to highlight Walz’s purported hunting skills, quickly became a PR disaster. Walz, who has previously boasted about his hunting prowess, struggled to even load his Beretta A400 semi-automatic shotgun during a staged photo op. His fumbling attempt to adjust the firearm’s stock, paired with his awkward muttering of “It never fits quite right,” left many wondering if he’s ever handled a shotgun before.
The embarrassment didn’t stop there. Walz spent three hours in the field without bagging a single bird. For a politician who had been hyping up his hunting abilities, this was nothing short of a disaster. What was meant to be a display of skill and connection with rural voters instead became a laughable moment of incompetence.
Social Media Mocks Walz’s “Hunting” Skills
The spectacle didn’t go unnoticed. Country music star John Rich was among the first to mock Walz’s failed hunting attempt. He tweeted, “Tim Walz claimed he carried ‘weapons of war in combat,’ but he can’t load a shotgun? This guy is beyond weak. My little sister could beat him up.”
Rich wasn’t the only one piling on. Conservative commentator Buck Sexton tweeted, “Tim Walz looks as comfortable loading a shotgun as Kamala does answering basic questions.” Ouch.
Walz has previously tried to portray himself as a tough, outdoorsy type, even going so far as to take a shot at GOP vice-presidential candidate J.D. Vance. “I guarantee you he can’t shoot pheasants like I can,” Walz said. But after this weekend’s debacle, it’s safe to say that Vance has nothing to worry about.
Conservative influencer Ian Miles Cheong joined the chorus of critics, quipping, “Incredible. Tim Walz has never used a gun before. So much for being a military badass. Just another lie in a long string of lies.”
The internet didn’t stop there. Twitter users gleefully compared Walz to the bumbling cartoon character Elmer Fudd. Cheong posted a side-by-side image of Walz and the famous Looney Tunes character, captioning it, “This is Tim Walz hunting pheasants. Who did it better?” Spoiler alert: Elmer Fudd took the win.
The Harris-Walz Campaign’s Desperate Attempt to Woo Rural Voters
This failed hunting stunt came on the heels of the Harris-Walz campaign’s launch of a new “Hunters and Anglers for Harris-Walz” coalition, an obvious attempt to appeal to rural voters and sportsmen. However, the campaign’s support for strict gun control measures undermines any effort to win over these voters. Both Kamala Harris and Tim Walz have advocated for gun control policies, and Walz has signed anti-gun legislation as governor, including expanded background checks and a red flag law.
For many rural voters and gun owners, the Harris-Walz campaign’s positions on gun rights stand in direct opposition to their values. The hunting photo op, designed to show Walz as a man of the people, instead highlighted just how out of touch the campaign is with the very demographic it’s trying to win over.
As Twitter user Kate Hyde sarcastically noted, “Glock-enthusiast Kamala Harris needs to teach Tim Walz how to load a gun.”
Even the Trump campaign joined in on the mockery. Trump campaign co-manager Chris LaCivita tweeted, “My prediction was in fact accurate… staged… and watching him bumbling around trying to load his shotgun was fun.” LaCivita summed up the sentiments of many, suggesting that Walz’s appearance was nothing more than a desperate attempt to pander to voters who are all too familiar with these kinds of political stunts.
Walz’s Hunting Credentials Under Fire
Walz, who once boasted an “A” rating from the National Rifle Association during his time in Congress, has since fallen out of favor with gun rights advocates. His shift toward supporting gun control measures, coupled with this weekend’s hunting debacle, has raised questions about his sincerity and authenticity.
Author and commentator John Cardillo added fuel to the fire, tweeting, “Tim Walz claims that he’s a lifelong bird hunter, but this proves he has no idea how to load or charge a semi-automatic shotgun.” Cardillo, an experienced shooter, wasn’t impressed. “I shoot A LOT of sporting clays with both semi-autos but mostly over-under. He’s a first-timer right here,” he added.
The backlash intensified when Trump campaign adviser Tim Murtaugh weighed in, delivering the final blow. He said, “The report from The Great Pheasant Hunt of 2024 is that, if Walz fired his gun at all, he didn’t hit anything. The claim is that one of his friends killed a pheasant, but they didn’t recover the bird—even while using dogs. So, no proof of any success.”
A Failed Photo Op That May Cost Walz
This ill-fated hunting stunt has only served to reinforce the perception that Walz and the Harris-Walz campaign are out of touch with the values of rural voters. For a candidate who is supposed to be trying to win over voters in key swing states, this kind of blunder could have serious political consequences.
As Chris LaCivita noted, the entire event felt “staged” and artificial, a sad attempt to win over voters who are unlikely to be swayed by such an obvious photo op. Rural voters, many of whom are avid hunters and gun owners, saw right through Walz’s performance.
The Minnesota Governor’s Pheasant Hunting Opener has been a cherished tradition since 2011, but after this weekend’s display, Tim Walz is unlikely to be remembered for his marksmanship. Instead, he’s now the butt of jokes across the internet, with many questioning his authenticity and sincerity.
Perhaps next time, Walz should stick to safer territory—like reading gun control talking points from a teleprompter.