Son of the South: The Original Natural Caller

On the surface, everything about Josh Carney’s story is a tragedy. 13 years old. Shot in a hunting accident. Paralyzed from the waist down. Every detail seems like a reason to drop your head and feel sorry. However, to Josh, his story is anything but tragic. From his perspective, it’s a victory.

Josh didn’t always see it that way. In the wake of the accident, when his father accidentally shot him on his first turkey hunt, he saw his circumstances as entirely bleak. He was depressed and he felt hopeless. He was angry at the God that he thought he believed in.

“I can remember many nights of me fighting against [God] and asking Him why me? Why didn’t You just take my life when You had the chance instead of leaving me miserable? If You love me so much, why would You hurt me?” said Josh.

But hope emerged when Josh eventually hit rock bottom, unsure at that point what to do and where to go. Desperate to escape the nightmare that was his life, Josh cried out to God. “I got to the point where I gave up and said, ‘God, I quit. I’m done being who I want to be so show me who You want me to be and what You want me to do’”.

Since that moment, things haven’t been easy. The seeming limits of being paralyzed have been difficult. But, despite his struggles, Josh has started to see things differently. He now sees his challenges as opportunities to make a difference in people’s lives. He now realizes that he has a voice of inspiration.

Josh also learned that he has a new gift. After recovering from his accident and getting back into hunting, Josh discovered that he no longer needs a piece of plastic to call animals. He discovered that he could do everything naturally, with only his voice. Whether it is a gobbling tom or a hooting owl, he can now imitate 10 different species with 30 diverse calls.

With his unique story and extraordinary gift, Josh, who is now 22, finds himself traveling across the country as an esteemed hunter, a motivational speaker and a world-renowned caller. He has dedicated his life to helping others, with involvement in organizations such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Trinity Outdoors Disabled Adventures and more. His next plan is to start his own TV show, where he can further inspire people around the world.

“Once again, [God] came through with 10-folds of blessings, more than I could have ever imagined,” said Josh. “God told me: I gave you a voice to speak but not only to people, I gave you a voice to communicate with many of my creations, so use it.”

From the new things he has brought to the hunting world, to all those who have been and will continue to be touched by his story, to all those he is reaching out to through his charity work, Josh is showing that what seems like a curse can actually be a blessing. He is inspiring us that what we think might be a tragedy can actually be a victory.

It’s a story that should lead us all into seeing our lives differently. It’s a story that forces us to see our struggles not as challenges but as opportunities.

AFTERWORD: HunterVids.com is pleased to announce the start of a partnership with Son of the South as Josh is taking a new step with his level of production. We look forward to sharing Josh’s adventures and inspiring messages through a series of videos released with the combined teamwork of HuntervVids.com. Check out the new branding theme for Josh by W Design Company at: SonoftheSouthTV.com.

Written by: David Roark