Hunter Eva Shockey revealed that she received "thousands and thousands and thousands" of death threats from anti-hunting activists as her public profile rose within the outdoor industry. Shockey, daughter of renowned hunter Jim Shockey, discussed the extensive harassment during a recent appearance on the "Country Outdoors" podcast.
Shockey stated that she became a frequent target for activists, particularly during hunts involving apex predators. She believes she was targeted because she was perceived as a more vulnerable figure than her father. "I was like the blonde young girl that they thought that they would scare off and could be really mean to and bully," she said.
She also suggested that much of the animosity stemmed from a misunderstanding between legal hunting and illegal poaching. "Still today, people don’t understand what hunting is and poaching," Shockey stated. "We hate poachers. That is what I — and we — fight against all the time."
At the height of the backlash, while living in Russia with her then-NHL player husband, the threats escalated significantly. Shockey described the difficulty of processing the sheer volume of threats against her and her family. She recalled discussing the situation with her father, questioning why she was receiving death threats for her involvement in conservation, providing food, and outdoor activities.
Her father's advice, she explained, helped her reframe the situation. "You can either get scared and stop and they win, or if you truly believe with your whole heart what you’re doing is right, then why would you be scared?" he reportedly told her. "Stand up for what you believe in."
Following this period, Shockey appeared on the cover of "Field & Stream" in 2014, becoming the second woman to do so. She viewed this as a significant moment, not only for herself but as representation for women in the outdoor space. "It was a really cool representation of, like, we’re not scared because this is what we do. This is what we believe in," she said.
Now a mother of two, Shockey continues to advocate for hunting, conservation, and encouraging women and girls to engage with the outdoors. Having grown up with few female role models in hunting, she emphasizes the importance of empowering young girls to pursue outdoor activities without fear or intimidation.