“Dewey Delaney” / Unhappy Campers…..........

[Silver One]

Many of you here have monikers and or mention “Oregon Hunters Association” from time to time. This month’s magazine references the passing of one of Dewey’s main source’s of material, Ray. Anyone who is a dedicated reader of “Dewey Delaney” must be at least a little bit curious about Ray.

Ray and I go waaay back. Thirty five years give or take. Ray was everything Dewey ever wrote about and a lot more. As a young pup of 18 I ventured to his basement many a Saturday night. By day Ray plied the roads as a telephone repairman, by nights he moonlighted as a gunsmith wannabe. He had a bunch of hand tools and a Unimat lathe in those days. He glass bed, made stocks and fixed anything his tools allowed him to. He had a few passions, at the top was his family followed closely by guns, history, and conservative politics. Unlike many people he could cite chapter and verse to defend his positions. Pity the man who argued history with Ray because there wasn’t an era going back thousands of years he didn’t know inside out. More often than not if you dropped by, Ray had his nose stuck in some classic. But, he was equally at home discussing guns, anything guns or what you did with them and what they could do for you. Especially as to why our founding fathers found it necessary to included them in our original documents. Most of all Ray was fun to laugh with and at, being stuck in a time long ago can be entertaining to watch.

By the time Ray retired, he had collected a full compliment of tools and machinery to do virtually anything, build, repair, or alter any gun. This lifelong passion allowed him to get up every day to excitement, excitement in doing exactly what he wanted to do for the people he liked doing it for. Rarely did he charge more than a token and many were the time when he offered a repair for the cost of some nick nack tool required to perform the task. Visiting Ray’s shop was a step back in time. A time when people sat on porches and talked (imagine that), and talk he did. I tried to get him into the internet age but it was something he just didn’t care to do. Above his work bench was an assortment of bumper stickers. My favorite was, “I Drink Coffee For A Living”, his was “I’ de be Embaressed If I Wasn’t Italian”.

Dewey’s stories provided a glimpse of a man who most found comical but whose friends found that, along with much more. In a modern world where many people are a mile wide and a quarter inch deep Ray was a delight. I never saw him actually mow his lawn …wash his truck…or paint anything he had primed. But, I never saw him tell anyone off…turn down a friend in need…or tell anyone, anywhere, anytime, he didn’t have time to talk. It could be frustrating being married to Ray but Connie never complained other than to kid him. All who knew Ray will miss him…….Including Dewey Delaney.

Mike

[Keeper]

Thank you for taking the time to write this. We have been OHA members for almost a year and it is nice to know Dewey's tales are about real people. Sounds like the world lost a great guy.

[ehunter]

I have been a long time member and love those stories thanks for sharing. It is nice to know that those chararters are real and that they are good people

[Silver One]

ehunter,

As a final tribute I remember a long ago story, but true.

I had just moved to Medford from K Falls. Ray had moved here from Astoria where I had met him years earlier. By then I was deep into Archery hunting and had got Ray interested to. So, that season we agreed to share a hunt. Me a rifle deer tag to Ray's haunts and he a bow hunt to mine. My season came first so we found Ray a bow and he started practicing diligently. Finally the day came and we were off. We drove all night and Ray was sacked out in the back canopy when we arrived. Being an hour before light I opted to ready myself for the hunt. I tried wrestling Ray from his slumber but all I could get out of him was “go on, I ‘ll catch you later.” Well, as luck would have it I was lucky enough to get a nice 5 X 6 bull elk.

Well, Ray was stoked now. He kept looking at the rack and saying "That's a nice bull." The following morning we approached an adjacent ridge and I let out a bugle. Immediately a bull answered. We set up a plan where we got down wind and I called again. Again the bull bugled like crazy and limbs began popping. I looked at Ray and said here he comes! Out in the shadows we glimpsed the bull making his way towards us bugling as he came. I whispered encouragement, and to get ready. From behind Ray I could watch him going into full "Bull Fever" decomposition. First signs were his shaking, his arrow would not stay on his rest. His hands were also shaking. As the bull disappeared behind a last clump of trees at 50 yards I heard these words, "PLEASE GOD DON"T LET ME MISS!" The bull reappeared and Ray struggled mightily to draw the bow but the bull was on to all this choas and was gone. Ray and I began laughing uncontrollably. The whole experience was beyond anything he could have imagined. In the years to come I was quick to remind Ray that this was the first and last time I saw him pray. This was my all-time fun experience watching a friend lose total control due to uncontrollable excitement, I’ll cherish it always.

Ray, first and always, recounted this trip and that moment as his top thrill in the woods. I am just happy to have been there and witnessed it.

Mike

[Salmo trutta]

So who is "Dewey?"

[ehunter]

Mike I was cracking up even before I started to read your story I was smiling in anticipation. Those are truley the kind of stories that only hunting parnters can only experience, and to be able to laugh at him self talks to his character.

Thanks.

Salmotrutta, If you ever have ever read Oregon hunters magazine someitmes “Dewey Delaney is in there and is hunting stories of a group of guys and it is very funny sort of a Ed McManas(sp) comedy..

[Salmo trutta]

I mean who "really" is Dewey?

[baltz526]

google is barren on dewey delaney. a few dewey delaney's just not one that is a current writer. now if he is from texas, the class of 1961 is looking for him