Danny Roberts, a self-employed logger from Titusville, Pennsylvania, cuts back on work during hunting season, but he doesn’t do it for himself. He does it so he can spend more time in the woods with his three young daughters, Milli, Amelia, and Josephine, who take turns leaving school to hunt with their dad.
That decision has paid off in a big way this year as 8-year-old Josephine “JoJo” and 11-year-old Amelia joined their older sister in pulling off one of Pennsylvania’s rarest hunting feats — the triple trophy. That means each of them tagged a buck, a black bear, and a gobbler — all in the same license year.
It’s a rare accomplishment for even a seasoned hunter, let alone three sisters all under 13. It’s also the kind of success that earns Dad the kind of bragging rights you just can’t fit in a Father’s Day card.
“These girls are amazing,” Danny tells Outdoor Life. “I always wanted boys, because I thought they would be more into hunting. But the girls do everything I like to do. That’s pretty special.”
Milli was the first of the Roberts girls to earn the coveted triple trophy, which she earned in 2022 at age 10 after tagging a black bear, a whitetail buck, and a turkey all in the same license year.
JoJo was next. She dropped a 4-point buck with her crossbow last fall and bagged a turkey a few days later. She capped her season with a 185-pound black bear she killed in late Oct.
But JoJo wasn’t done yet. She took her triple trophy one step further, turning it into a grand slam, when she scored a spring gobbler on May 3. In Pennsylvania, a grand slam is when a hunter tags a buck, a black bear, and both spring and fall gobblers during the same license year.
Her dad says he was far more nervous than Jojo was during her bear hunt.
“She is one of the calmest people I know. I was shaking so bad, and I looked at her and she was just ready.”
Eleven-year-old Amelia completed her triple trophy on May 10, when she made a crackerjack shot on a young gobbler. She had killed an 8-point buck with her crossbow in the fall and tagged a 100-pound black bear on the first day of the Pennsylvania bear season.
“Amelia’s gotten multiple bucks and turkeys,” Danny says. “But until this year, she had never gotten a bear.”
Although her dad says watching the girls during bear season is what he finds most exciting, Amelia says turkey season is what got her fired up.
“Turkey was my favorite,” Amelia says. “It came within 10 feet. That was exciting.”
The Pennsylvania Game Commission officially recognized the triple trophy achievement from 1966 to 1972, awarding hunters a plaque, a certificate, and a patch to commemorate it. Although the game commission no longer recognizes the triple trophy achievement, an organization called PA Triple Trophy Unlimited is keeping the tradition alive by honoring men, women, and youth who complete it. The group also keeps a record of everyone who has accomplished the triple trophy in the Keystone State.
On top of being the father of three fine hunters, Danny is also an accomplished outdoorsman. He’s completed the triple trophy five times since 2017.
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“They kind of hog the shots at the beginning of the season, but once I get their tags filled, then I can start hunting for myself,” he says.
Their mother, Amy, is proud of her daughters’ accomplishments in the woods and impressed by the hard work they put into achieving them. She’s also blown away by the bond Danny has created with their girls through hunting together.
“It’s incredible to watch Dan pass on his passion for the outdoors,” Amy says. “The amount of practice they spend learning to make ethical shots, setting deer stands, scouting, and all the work that comes after a successful hunt. The amount of hours they spend in the woods, waking up before school to get a hunt in and then heading out again after school for hours. These kids are learning dedication and sacrifice of their time for something they are passionate about. I’m so proud of them. I love watching their bond grow.”
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