Manitoba's Extreme Whitetails with Whitetail Outfitters
Through the Eyes of a Dad
 Editor's Note: Yesterday we saw a first man hunt that Christopher Messina
ever went on through Christopher's eyes. Today and tomorrow we'll see the
hunt through Christopher's father's eyes, what made the hunt so special for
both of them, and why a wilderness hunt in extreme conditions can be the
biggest adventure in both the man and the boy's lives. Anthony Messina from
Wallkill, New York, is 34-years old and works in his family's scrap-metal
recycling business. Messina's been hunting for 22 years, and this year he
took his 13-year old son, Christopher, on his first blackpowder hunt, his
first hunt out of the United States and his first man hunt with no women in
camp.
Question: Anthony, how did you decide that Christopher was old enough to
come on this hunt with Whitetail Outfitters?
Messina: I discussed the possibilities of taking Christopher on this hunt
with my wife, and she agreed that the time had arrived for him to start
hunting with the men. When he'd asked if he could go on this hunt, his mom
and I talked and agreed that if he could keep his grades up, then we'd allow
him to come.
Question: What did Christopher think about your ride into the camp?
Messina: He loved go ing through the beaver swamps, the mud and the water -
particularly the mud. We ride 4 wheelers back home, so Christopher was
accustomed to riding on an ATV. However, he'd never been in the extreme
conditions we had here in Canada, and he loved it!
Question: Why did you decide to bring Christopher all the way to Canada to
hunt?
Messina: Well, I knew I was going on the hunt, and he said he wanted to go.
After clearing it with his mother, I wanted him to come. I also talked to
Doug Grantham, the owner of Whitetail Outfitters, and found out who our
guide would be. I wanted to make sure that Christopher would be welcome and
that the camp would be all I'd hoped it would be for him.
Question: Anthony, tell me about your first day's hunt with Christopher.
Messina: I helped him get into his tree stand. Then I climbed down and got
into my stand, which was about 15 yards from his sta nd. I liked the way the
stands were set up, so I could keep my eyes on Christopher. Too, he knew I
was close by, but he still was hunting on his own. The first deer that came
in was a spike, and he came in really close to us. Christopher and I looked
back and forth to each other, and we both knew it wasn't the buck that
Christopher had come to Manitoba to take. A little while later, the snow
picked up. We heard a branch crack in the woods. I figured the deer had
bedded-down because the snow really had started falling heavily. We ate our
lunches while the heavy snow fell. Sometime after lunch, I looked over at
Christopher, and he was pointing to the other side of his tree stand. I saw
his buck - a nice 10-pointer. So, I gave Christopher the thumbs-up sign to
take the buck. I felt confident that Christopher could take the deer because
he'd been practicing with his muzzleloader at home. I knew he could shoot it
accurately.
When I saw Christopher shoot, and the deer hump up, I really got excited. I
knew that Christopher had hit the deer well. Up until the time he pulled
trigger, Christopher was cool, calm and collected. But as I watched
Christopher after the shot, I could see how excited he was, although
somewhat shaken and wowed by the whole experience. I left Christopher in his
stand to calm down, and  I climbed out of my tree stand, blood trailed the
deer and reported back to Christopher that he'd taken a 10-pointer. Then I
asked Christopher to climb out of his stand, and I taught him how to blood
trail his own deer.
Question: What did Christopher say when he reached where the deer was?
Messina: He was really excited and hollering, "I can't believe I did it."
Question: What was seeing Christopher take his first deer like for you?
Messina: It was one of the most-exciting moments of my life - far more
exciting than when I took my first deer. All the way back to camp,
Christopher kept talking about the buck coming in, his making the shot, what
he was thinking, and what was happening. We had a great walk back to camp,
and his excitement continued to build my own.
Question: Do you think you'll take Christopher deer hunting again?
Messina: You bet I will - as soon as next deer season arrives. I've got me a
hunting buddy now.
For more information about hunting with Manitoba's Whitetail Outfitters,
write Box 70, Stonewall, Manitoba, R0C 2Z0, call (888) 398-3459, visit
www.whitetailoutfitters.ca, or email hunt@whitetailoutfitters.ca.
Tomorrow: The Dad Takes a Fine Buck Too
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