For many Americans, a love of hunting is something that is passed down in families.
But one former professional wrestler found her passion for it in the most unexpected way.
And the knockout former WWE Divas star revealed this surprising reason she became a hunter.
Former WWE star becomes a hunter because of PETA
Natalie Eva Marie spent nearly a decade as a professional wrestler known for her fluorescent red hair with the WWE under the ring name Eva Marie.
Who else is ready for summer?! ????????♀️????☀️???? pic.twitter.com/QiEv9odnrb
— Eva Marie (@natalieevamarie) May 1, 2024
She recently appeared on the cover of the outdoor magazine Hook & Barrel holding a rifle.
During an interview with the magazine, she explained how she developed her love of hunting.
Growing up in California, she was exposed to it at a young age because her godfather was an “avid hunter,” but never took an interest in it because she focused on playing sports.
Marie was an All-American soccer player in junior college.
Her perspective on hunting changed when she watched a document produced by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) – a militant animal rights group – on factory farming.
“Shout out to PETA because you guys made me a hunter,” Marie said.
“Thank you very much. Because they did all the hard work by showcasing factory farming… so now I’m going to go hunt my own meat. You should know where your meat comes from.”
Former WWE star touted the health benefits of harvesting game
Marie’s epiphany on hunting came because of what she saw as the health benefits of harvesting her own meat.
“One reason was obviously the food. (husband Jonathan Coyle) is really into nutrition and health and wellness. And anybody that has followed my journey by watching Total Divas, and things of that nature, knows I truly believe health is wealth,” Marie explained.
Marie was one of the stars on the E! reality show Total Divas, which gave a behind-the-scenes look at the lives of female wrestlers.
“If you don’t have your health, you have nothing,” Marie said.
“I don’t care: You can be rich and have all of the things that you think will make you happy. But if you don’t have your health, then you’re done.”
She said that hunting was something that humans were “meant to do,” and it allowed her to “eat food the way God intended it.”
“Hunting makes you appreciate food a lot more, and we make sure we have zero waste from the wild game we take,” Marie stated.
“When you go out there, and you actually see this beautiful, majestic animal, it is mind-blowing.”
The former wrestler recommended that everyone try hunting at least once.
“I feel like anybody who has never done it should at least experience it once,” Marie said. “I get that it’s not for everybody. But to experience it one time, I think, would do a lot of people a solid from understanding what goes into it, the love, the appreciation, all of the emotions.”
PETA uses shock value and in-your-face tactics to try and guilt people into becoming vegetarians and to stop using animal products.
Their factory farming video completely backfired by inspiring Marie to become a hunter.
Keep Fully Loaded Magazine in your sights to stay on top of exactly what the Gun Control Lobby is plotting, how guns actually make Americans safer, and fun stories surrounding the regular exercise of your Second Amendment freedoms.
