Gift for Rancher ???

[acolobowhunter]

Every year we go to Texas and hunt javelina, turkeys, and white tails.  The rancher lets us hunt for nearly nothing and provides a house for us.  We try and give him and his wife a gift each year, but are running out of ideas - need help.
Have given in the past: pocket knives, elk skin gloves, candy, book on the "Great Ranches of the West", etc.  
Does anyone have a suggestion - we share the cost between 4 of us.
They are in their 40's, he mostly rifle hunts but has shot a compound.

Would appreciate your suggestions.

[Gatekeeper]

Cabela's gift certificate

[Kip]

Some nice artwork or a nice portrait of his homeplace,send him and wife to a very nice resturant and pick up the tab or a weekend trip somewhere.Massages for him and her(don't laugh)very enjoyable,A wine club where they send a new brand every month or something like that.You notice many gifts include the wife when Moma is happy everybody is happy.Kip

[DBerrard]

With the price of ammo he may appreciate a few boxes of his caliber.
And Kip, guys shouldn't go outside of the house for a massage lol  :p

[acolobowhunter]

Good ideas, thanks.  Can't see him getting a massage, would probably have to spit out his chew first.  Ha  Their ranch is 40 miles from town and not much at that town either.  Gift certificate might work, but not real personable.

[Soilarch]

They can get crazy expensive...but kitchen knives? Actually, for the price of a complete "set" of nice kitchen knives you could have 2 or 3 matching knives made by hand.  A Chef's, a Santoku (sp?), and a boning knife. They don't have to be fancy to be gorgeous.  White micarta handles with red liners are stunning to me. Would have to "fit" the rest of their house though.  PM me if you need help on this.

There's the old standby of some of the actual meat you harvest.  Don't know if your setup to properly process the meat there while you're in texas...but every deer has two backstraps.      (I priced some beef last night...even some lesser cuts were $4/lb!!!)
 
What's his favorite caliber/gun?  Ammo can be personal with some people...some people don't care at all as long as it goes bang.


In honesty, I like kips ideas.  If they're time-sensitive gifts make sure they don't interfere with the "busy time" for whatever the couple does for a living.  Uncle is a farmer and once got some tickets for somethin' or other in September...that's the dead of harvest!!!

[Wary Buck]

Something I've considered but not yet done (I usually go the route of gift certificates for local steak houses/restaurants) is to get a piece of polished marble or something with the ranch's brand (logo) sandblasted in it.  I'm guessing a tombstone or monument company could do this.  It could be done large to sit in their drive, or maybe smaller to fit on a mantle or even a paperweight for the desk.  Just an idea I had that I think some western ranchers might appreciate.

[Ray Hammond]

custom knives for he and the Mrs? a general purpose utility/skinner type and a nice kitchen chopper for her? Unless she is a hunter too and wants the same as him!

[KillerDyller]

process some of what you kill there into summer sausage and such. Who does'nt like meat?

[Pat B.]

Who doesn't like money !

If he ranches for a living he's not getting rich.

[Steve Watkins]

All great ideas,
I have a local farmer who lets me hunt and fish on his property and I always show up during hay time to lend a hand "bucking hay" or "fixing fence."  On birthdays and holidays they get a card.

steve

[DaveBriner]

I get my farmer friends walmart gift certificates every year.
Dave

[BMN]

A framed aerial photo of his ranch.

[bbassi]

My wife and I usually make up gift baskets full of locally made products (jams, sauces, specialty coffee, etc.) and throw in home made fudge and cookies and a Christmas tree ordainment or 2. We get the baskets from the local $1 store and the whole basket we might have $20 in, which is good when you have multiple land owners that let you hunt. If that doesn't work for you, try Harry & Davids gift baskets. I've never known anyone who didn't appreciate those.  

[Diamondback59]

ok  as a former guide i can  honestly tell ya a few tricks that d work wonders  ya say  he shoot s a copound  ?? how about the mrs ?   we make bows dont we???? well why not make a matchin set   ?? i did that for a couple and i have a place to hunt as along as he owns the ranch  ,, so  you never know  worth a try   but  then   other things can help also but 2 staves and a lil elbow grease might do wonders  good luck  brock

[Diamondback59]

and gene  i forgt to say hi buddy been a long time no see haha brock

[acolobowhunter]

Thanks for your suggestions.  We already pay a small fee to hunt for the entire week.  He sets that fee, so to pay him more I don't think is an option.  He also reloads all his own shells - must have 30-40 rifles, etc.  He shoots all their game meat, so giving him some of ours is not an option.  We live 800 miles away so helping with chores is out.  We had him and his wife come up and hunt elk with us a yr. ago.  This loved the mountains here in Colo.  He drew a late NM tag this year.  Might have to go the gift cert. route or maybe the kitchen knives as he has a ton of hunting knives.  
I really appreicate all your help and suggestions.  I am sure we all like to tell the land owner we appreciate him giving us access.  If you think of anything else it would be appreciated!!!

[acolobowhunter]

Hey Brock - sorry you have me stumped.  I give up.  Need more information - probably getting short timers here,memory failing.  Ha

[gregg dudley]

Kip nailed it.  A framed piece of artwork that reflects his land/lifestyle or a well done photo book of ranch buildings, landscapes and animals on his ranch would really show that you value and respect his property.  Since he is so far removed from town, some of the mail delivery items would be great as well.

[Shedrock]

I build antler lamps on the side. I have given a 6' tall, six elk antler floor lamp to a couple different ranchers that have let me hunt.