When it comes to slaying animals in the great outdoors, one kid is truly winning at life after completing something even the most seasoned bird hunters can only dream about.
A six-year-old from South Carolina is living the dream alongside her father in the best way possible. River McDaniel of Ridgeway, SC embarked on a journey with her father that would see them zigzag the country in hopes of accomplishing a true turkey hunting feat not many have had the opportunity to pursue.
After dropping her first bird at the tender age of four years of age, River was hooked on gobblers, letting her father know she had every intention of being the best turkey hunter in the world. For many, completing what is known in the turkey world as the U.S. Grand Slam often requires more money than skill. In River’s case, she was fortunate enough to have a willing partner to embark on the journey with at such a young age.
To complete the U.S. Turkey Grand Slam, a hunter needs to bag all four subspecies of turkeys found in the United States. Those subspecies include the elusive Osceola turkeys found in Florida, the common Eastern turkey, the Rio Grande turkey of the American southwest and the Merriam’s turkey found in the western United States.
If you’ve got a penchant for traveling with your favorite bird gun and the means to fund it, it’s a challenge that is definitely doable inside a 12-month period. And that’s just what River and her father Matt accomplished.
Starting in Florida, River was successful first in getting her first Osceola, before moving north to Georgia where she dispatched an Eastern. The next stop for the pair was Oklahoma where the duo were successful in pursuing a beautiful Rio Grande bird and closed out in Nebraska with a Merriam’s turkey on the ground.
All-in-all, her father Matt said that despite the challenges of both traveling and hunting with a 6-year-old, he has no regrets about the time spent afield with his daughter.
“I just hope she remembers the memories that we made together, and I hope she never forgets them because it’s something I’ll never forget.” McDaniel said.
While we can’t pretend to know River’s honor roll status, we can be sure that her life resume is going to be stellar.
If you are inclined to follow along, check out her YouTube channel.
