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November 25, 2006
Hunt special to disabled youth
Youngsters take to woods with celebs
By Barin von Foregger
Outdoors Columnist
All too often, it's the little things that we take for granted: Walking out to get the morning paper, enjoying the sunrise over the neighborhood and watching the day come alive.
For 12-year-old Austin Nix, of Brandon, it's the little things that he can't experience with others.
Austin is blind and hearing impaired, and though he can't see or hear well, he strives to do everything that others do on a daily basis, including hunting and getting outdoors.
After a night of living it up at Bass Pro Shops in Pearl, complete with dinner, music and an auction, Nix, along with his father, Chris, loaded up the car and headed to Kearney Park in Flora.
They didn't get into bed until around 11 p.m., and whether they got any sleep still produces a big question mark.
The father-son duo was taking part in the Wheelin' Sportsmen National Wild Turkey Federation Youth Team-Up Celebrity Hunt.
The event was held to promote the outdoors to 25 young Mississippians with disabilities and give them a taste of what they can accomplish.
The participants were teamed up with celebrities from sports, music and entertainment.
The alarm clock went off early the next morning - around 4:30 - and Austin, though tired, was eager to get out of bed and hit the woods. His dad came into the room and helped him get ready for the hunt.
(Chris Nix guides his son, Austin (right) up the trail as their guide for the day, Jimmy Primos of Primos Wild Game Calls, scouts the next field for whitetail deer. The group was hunting together as part of the first Wheelin’ Sportsmen NWTF Celebrity-Youth Team Up.)
When I tell people about my experience with this duo, I get the same question: How can someone who is blind hunt a deer?
Well, it's simple. His dad helps him.
Chris Nix has been a sportsman for most of his life.
"Being able to take my son outdoors and share the experience with him is a great feeling," Chris said. "We have to work as a team."
Austin and his father were teamed with Primos Hunting Calls' Jimmy Primos. Besides working with the world-renowned hunting call company, Primos has gained popularity among sportsmen from his appearances on the company's hunting video productions.
"Jimmy was so genuine and down to earth," Chris said. "He and Austin joked and laughed throughout the hunt. They had a great time together, and Austin learned a lot from (Jimmy)."
Primos jumped at the chance to get involved with the program.
"To many people all over this country, hunting is a family event, and when you have a handicapped person and show them that they don't have to be excluded, it is a great thing," Primos said. "Like Austin, who has been blind since birth, he knows now that he can go hunting with his father and not have to stay home and feel left out."
I think Jimmy and I both saw how much love was shared between father and son on this trip.
Whether it was comedian Jeff Foxworthy's Blue Collar Comedy Tour bits by Austin, or the Johnny Cash songs between both of the Nix boys, it was evident these two had fun together, no matter where they were or what they were doing.
"What I will remember most about the time I spent with Austin and Chris was the excitement Austin would show when we told him we saw a deer and how we laughed and told jokes and stories together - the 3 of us," Primos said. "I will never forget the way Chris would look at his son when we were in the stand - with so much love and fatherly pride - I felt blessed to be a small part of the time they shared together."
Primos and the Nix boys saw several deer and shot at three of them.
But those shots never found their mark. Austin didn't harvest a deer that weekend.
Although he was upset, that didn't stop him from sharing stories about the one that got awaywith other participants back at Bass Pro Shops at the closing ceremonies.
Joe Wood, a NWTF regional director from Madison, said although not all of the 25 participants in the hunt bagged a deer, the experiences the kids took home made it a success.
"While it would be nice if every child got a deer, the real purpose of the event was to provide an opportunity for disabled children to enjoy outdoor activities that able-bodied folks like you and me take for granted," Wood said.
"Bottom line, the event was a success only if children, like Austin, say it was a success."
From what I saw in Austin's face, it was.
"This is very nice," Austin said. "I'm having fun."
His daddy was pleased, too.
"This is one of the best programs I've ever seen," Chris said.
"I can't say enough about the guys and what they've done for Austin. They treated us like family."
Austin was able to spend time with an old friend while on the hunt.
His best friend from the Mississippi School for the Blind, 17-year-old Kainen Gilley of Water Valley, was also on hand for the weekend event with his father, Bryan Gilley.
"We've been friends for a long time," Gilley said.
Kainen harvested a 150-pound doe during the weekend.
Austin's mother, Angie, was grateful for the event and said it brought father and son closer.
"They had such a good time," Angie said. "The stories I hear from those two make it sound like it was a fun time with Jimmy."
A fun time indeed.
"What I enjoyed most was sharing my love of hunting with Austin and seeing his enthusiasm," Primos said. "I feel sure that before this deer season is over Austin will harvest a deer with his daddy. We are already making plans to hunt together at the event next year."
Now, don't think that the Nix boys aren't going to hunt anymore this season. Chris and Austin have already logged several hours at the Rock Hill Hunting Club in Rankin County, and are hoping to be a part of a similar Team-Up event in Meridian on Jan. 5, 2007.
For more information on that hunt, contact Steve Thomas at (814) 542-2964, or the NWTF at (800) THE-NWTF.
See you in the woods!
