Eva Shockey should be a familiar name for hunters and non-hunters alike.
Originally from Vancouver Island, Canada, Shockey has charted her own hunting course here in the U.S., largely with the help of social media. She’s not simply the daughter of renowned hunter Jim Shockey or his co-host on the Outdoor Channel program, Jim Shockey’s Hunting Adventures. She’s a hunting trailblazer in her own right.
Although she took up hunting at the age of 20, the former classically-trained ballerina and salsa dancer has gained traction over the years for making the outdoor lifestyle, especially hunting, relatable on her social media channels. In a past interview, she said she enjoyed being on the forefront of the women’s movement in hunting. She is certainly on the cusp of it alongside other notable ladies like Jana Waller, Kristy Titus, Melissa Bachmann, Julie McQueen, and Tiffany Lakosky.
In 2014, Eva was the second overall woman and first Canadian woman to grace the cover of Field & Stream magazine. She served as a 2015 co-chair of National Hunting and Fishing Day. Her Brand Ambassador roles have included stints for Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s, GSM Outdoors, Crosman, MTN Ops, and other notable outdoor companies. More recently, she released her inaugural book Taking Aim: Daring to Be Different, Happier, and Healthier in the Great Outdoors (2017). It became an instant hit and reached the top 150 books on Amazon shortly after its release. She debuted on The Hollywood Reporter’s Top 10 TV Personalities chart in late 2017. Last May, she was appointed to serve on the Department of Interior’s Hunting and Shooting Sports Council with other conservation leaders.
Credit: Facebook Watch / Eva Shockey’s Outdoor 101
With approximately two million followers spanning across her Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts, Shockey is undoubtedly one of the most recognizable female hunters in North America. It’s no surprise she landed her own series: Eva Shockey’s Outdoor 101.
Her telegenic nature and amiable personality have made her a favorite among outdoor companies and hunting organizations as a brand representative and speaker, respectively. More importantly, she’s reaching non-consumers of fishing, hunting, and shooting sports who have discovered her for her various family, lifestyle, and cooking posts and videos.
Credit: Facebook Watch / Eva Shockey’s Outdoor 101
Enter her new digital series on Facebook Watch, which debuted on the social media platform on December 17th, 2018. With the rise of video on social media, which Shockey has mastered, it’s no surprise she agreed to broadcast her outdoor pursuits on a medium like Facebook that boasts well over one billion daily users.
In an email to Sporting Classics Daily, Shockey expressed her excitement with the positive reception she’s been receiving about her Facebook Watch series.
“I couldn’t be more thrilled with the results of our work with Facebook Watch,” she said. “When we set out to develop the digital series, the aim was to create content that spoke to a community of outdoor adventure seekers and build an ongoing social dialogue about the world outside.”
The first season of the digital series comprises six episodes. It follows Shockey, her husband Tim Brent, and daughter Leni Bow, as they explore new outdoor opportunities in their adopted state of North Carolina. The activities include fly fishing, hiking Grandfather Mountain, attempting wilderness yoga, trekking to Pisgah National Forest, bass fishing on Jordan Lake, and driving on “America’s Favorite Drive” on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
The importance of family is especially central to Eva Shockey’s Outdoor 101. Most notably, Eva’s husband—a former NHL player for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes—is prominently featured in the series. He is a good sport and willing participant for outdoor adventures, as he is an avid bass angler and hunter. Eva’s daughter, Leni Bow, also makes an appearance in the series.
The episodes average 10 to 15 minutes in length and are packed with resourceful tricks and tips, making it perfect for today’s online consumer. Eva’s recommendations throughout the series are common sense, serving as good reminders on what to pack for your next, or first, outdoor adventure. As of this writing, the series has amassed 820,000 views—with the first episode, which centered around Eva fly fishing for the first time, receiving an impressive 547,000 plus views.
Credit: Facebook Watch / Eva Shockey’s Outdoor 101
This series can especially resonate with millennials, who currently comprise 25 percent of the U.S. population. Our generation will be instrumental in turning the tide on diminishing hunting participation numbers and in promoting true conservation efforts. Eva Shockey knows how important this is and how important it is to hook more people, especially her 2-year-old daughter Leni Bow, in to the Great Outdoors.
“Through ‘Eva Shockey’s Outdoor 101,’ my first foray into lead hosting duties, I want to mobilize and motivate my millennial peers to enjoy all that Mother Nature has to offer. And I want to showcase how much fun it can be to raise a future nature-lover in the process!” Shockey added.
With 80 percent of the country living within or near city limits, outdoor activities like fishing and hunting can be hard to seek out—especially in Shockey’s adopted home. The series underscores how easy and possible finding outdoor activities close to home or within driving distance is, even if you live in a metropolis. She says living in an urban area shouldn’t deter one from partaking in outdoor or sporting activities.
The Raleigh, North Carolina resident is like other transient millennials who reside near a city, but she is one keen on taking full advantage of her state’s outdoor opportunities. She is cognizant that her social media reach and newly-launched series can inspire her audience to do the same in their respective states—even if they have yet to discover the joys of fishing, hiking, camping, or hunting.
Shockey added, “‘Eva Shockey’s Outdoor 101’ on Facebook Watch is meant for outdoor novices and enthusiasts alike. It was developed with the mission of reminding viewers to go on adventures in their own backyard, visit a nearby park, or explore some other green space that’s a short ride away.”
During a recent Facebook Watch Instagram takeover, Shockey was asked a variety of questions about the future of her series and if it would be renewed. She alluded to a potential second season of her digital series if it gets enough attention and reach, plus she has plans for a cookbook in the coming year. She also said she may dip into podcasting in the near future.
For those interested in meeting the TV host and author this year, she posted on her social media accounts that she will be attending some upcoming winter/spring trade shows including Dallas Safari Club, SHOT Show in Las Vegas, Western Hunt Expo in Utah, and Dixie Deer Classic in North Carolina.
Sporting Classics Daily readers can watch all six episodes of Eva Shockey’s new Facebook Watch series here. Visit her website www.evashockey.com . Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.