Ryan Heedlee’s 2006 Steen’s Mtn. Antelope buck!

 Ryan was a Fleetwood RV Motorized Rep. that I made friends with at Valley RV Center in McMinnville, OR when I a Sales Associate with at Valley RV.   Ryan had told me that he had drawn a Steen’s Mtn. Antelope tag and didn’t know where to go.   This would be his first time to hunt for an Antelope.   I told him that I had hunted the unit, but I had a buddy that that recently hunted the unit and knew a rancher.  I told Ryan that I would handle it and see if I could get the rancher’s number and location.

I quickly called Steve Tandy who I have known for more than 25 years.  Steve and I had scouted and hunted Lopes with a bow in Gerber a few times.   Steve gave me the ranchers number and I called the rancher.  Hey! I caught him in the ranch house.  He told me he didn’t mind if Ryan and a buddy came down and hunted his ranch near Crane, OR.

I let Ryan know that he would have the privilege to hunt the ranchers place, but he needed to get a couple of cases of pop for the rancher and find a good quality folding knife.  Ryan says “why the knife Frank” , I told him that he would know that answer when he met the rancher.

Ryan and his buddy arrive Friday afternoon down near Crane to scout the area and meet the rancher.  Having arrived that the ranchers home, they were greeted by the rancher.  The rancher was very busy and told the boys to go down the road and look for a circle and they could hunt out there.   Remembering I told Ryan that he would know the answer to why he bought the knife, he quickly said that he had something for him. 

The comment back from the rancher was “let me show you guys where the bucks have been hanging around.”   Morale of the story!  A little thought to the rancher goes a long ways.   A good working knife is always welcomed by a rancher or farmer…