Ohio Valley Outdoors Magazine Fall 2001

Six-Year-Old New Swickley Hunter to attempt Turkey Grand Slam.

Dave Freeman

While working at our Ohio Valley Outdoors Magazine booth at the Hookstown Fair last August, a young boy came up to the booth and announced that he was a hunter... a turkey hunter.

My first thought was 'in your dreams young fellow' particularly since I was in Pennsylvania and I knew the minimum age for a young hunter was twelve years old. Boy was I wrong! After talking to him further and finding out that he already had sponsors he had my attention.

As the story of the young hunter, named Hunter, unfolded, I met the proud parents, Sherree and Aaron Black. Sherree and Aaron met through hunting and, after two years, decided not only to add a child to their family, but also a hunting partner. Thus six-year-old Hunter Black.

While Hunter is a typical six-year-old, his enthusiasm for the outdoors and hunting is certainly way beyond his years. At age six, he has harvested two turkeys. The first on his parents' land in Athens County, Ohio on April 23 at 35 yards, and the second on property also owned by the Blacks in Guernsey County on May 6th at 25 yards.

Hunter used a Mossberg 500 Youth Model 20-gauge for his turkey gun.

This fall Hunter passed the hunters safety course in Ohio and on November 26, 2001 harvested his first whitetail in Athens County Ohio -- a doe. The doe was harvested with one shot from hunters Mossberg 20.

Hunter has been using turkey calls since he was two years old. He has impressed area crowds at sportsmen's banquets and county fairs, and even competed this past February at a National Wild Turkey Federation Convention in Indianapolis.

Year 2002 will be even more exciting if Hunter's mom, Sherree, has her way. While most six-year-olds' parents are planning for their children to go to summer camp, the Blacks' are busy booking hunts for Hunter to harvest a Grand Slam this spring. "Booking these hunts is not as easy as it would be for you and me," claims Sherree.

"To find states that permit hunting at the age of six and can provide Hunter with a chance at an Osceola, Rio Grande and Merriam take a lot of time and work, as well as searching on the Internet."

It appears the booking is complete and the Blacks will begin the quest in mid-March in Florida. The quest will then take them to Texas, Ohio and finally New Mexico on or near Hunter's seventh birthday. If successful in harvesting his Grand Slam, Hunter will be entered in the Guinness Book of Records as the youngest to accomplish the feat. A 10-year-old girl is now the record holder for the youngest to get the slam.

As publisher of Ohio Valley Outdoors Magazine, I hope to have the opportunity to accompany the Blacks in at least one or two legs of their journey.

Some people ask the question, "are Sherree and Aaron pushing their offspring to hunt?" You must keep in mind that this is a family that lives to hunt. And, while they are encouraging Hunter to participate in their passion, from all indications it will not be long before their biggest concern will not be pushing him but keeping up with him.