Last week, much of the Duggar family traveled west to visit Jinger Duggar in Los Angeles.
It was the Duggars' first pilgrimage to the City of Angels, and the entire Counting On clan made the trip -- with two important exceptions.
Jill Duggar stayed home with her kids, and her younger sister Joy-Anna embarked on a different kind of journey.
Joy was curiously quiet on social media for most of the time that her family was in California, which led to rumors of a falling out.
But now, we know she had simply set out on an adventure -- one that made it very difficult to update her social media pages.
Earlier this week, Joy posted the photo below to the joint Instagram account she shares with Austin.
“Colorado,” the mother of one captioned the pic.
“Y’all! I got to come with the guys this year on their Elk hunting trip! It’s freezing cold and we have already done a ton of hiking, but we’re excited cuz we’ve already spotted some elk!" she added.
"Can’t wait for opening morning! It is absolutely GORGEOUS here!”
While it's unclear if Joy actually wielded a weapon herself, the revelation that she participated in an elk hunt didn't sit well with some fans.
“Why do you like to kill animals?I could not!” commented one such follower.
Several others voiced their displeasure with Joy's heavily-armed camping trip, but in the end, she seemed to have more supporters than detractors.
“From one Colorado hunting woman to another, I appreciate you!” wrote one fan.
”I have lived here my whole life but my husband and I began hunting together 3 years ago," the commenter continued.
"Such an amazing experience and there's just something about being surrounded by the beauty of Gods creation that really relaxes you! Cannot wait to get out there for deer season in just a few weeks! Good luck!!”
Another fan pushed back against Joy's critics, pointing out that raising one's own food -- by any means -- generally cuts back on environmental waste:
“If anything hunting is better for the world. Less packaging, zero plastic waste, zero machines for processing,” the follower commented.
“As long as they’re eating what they hunt, what’s the problem. You can’t be against killing animals but not against destroying the environment.”
One person who didn't feel the need to weigh in on the debate was Joy.
While she posted several updates on the trip she kept her comments apolitical, preferring instead to gush about her doting husband:
“This Man! He has tucked me in every night, given me his blanket so I’d be warm, took my heavy backpack when I was getting tired, encouraged me when I was struggling to finish hiking up the steep trail, he is such a gentleman and helps encourage me to achieve me goals and dreams!” wrote Joy-Anna.
“I love you so much, Austin Martyn!”
As fans know, Joy-Anna suffered a miscarriage back in July, and she's reportedly struggled with depression in the months since.
So we're in favor of whatever puts a smile on her face, be it hiking, hunting, or just spending quality time with Austin.
