Being born in 1979, I am young for an outfitter/guide, but I look at age as just a number. I started guiding very early in my life around the age of 10 when my Mom started the outfitting business.

I am the sixth generation to live in this county on the family's working cattle ranch where I spend countless hours scouting and guiding each year myself. I am proud to say this because I am paralyzed and in a wheelchair. It seems like I have hunted harder and been busier outfitting/guiding since my accident. I have a great support group that allows me to do this. Being handicapped I am very comfortable having handicapped clients as we have accessible blinds and lodging. - Randy Routier

Jeff Lucas, a C-5 quad and disabled sportsman, recently hunted with Routier Outfitters and came back with this report:

"I just returned home from a hunt in South Dakota where I took my best buck ever- a nice 11 pointer... Heres the story: I hunted with Routier Outfitters in Buffalo, SD. My friend Pat and I had a great time there in the plains, which is quite a change from the east coast where we live. Earlier in the year I saw a TV show featuring Randy Routier of Routier Outfitting. Randy is a quadriplegic and I thought who better to talk to about meeting my needs as a hunter since I am a quadriplegic myself. I called Randy and I could tell immediately I was speaking to a real hunter with a complete understanding of what most wheelchair bound hunters would need as far as accomodations and hunting setup went. Randy, having dealt with ventilator dependent paralysis for 7 years now is fully involved in his hunting operation done out of his families ranch. I felt confident about booking a trip with him even though I'd be the first wheelchair bound hunter to do so.

After many conversations in the months prior to the hunt, we flew to Rapid City on Nov. 6th and were picked up at the airport by Randys mom Laurie. Laurie and the rest of his family and friends were very nice people and did everything possible to make us comfortable when not hunting and to set us up in productive hunting areas when the hunt was to begin on Saturday. As it turned out, I took my best buck ever on Saturday, opening morning! We spotted a buck bedded with 2 does, got close enough for a shot. As soon as I fired, the buck bolted in to a draw running like nothing had happened. When the guides got there he had only gone 60 yards or so before piling up. A beautiful 5x6 whitetail taken just up the road from the ranch. Other hunters in camp came in with 3 deer that day as well, and all the hunters in camp had filled tags by Monday. I would really like to express my gratitude to Randy and all the family and friends at Routier Outfitters. You all made our stay in your spectacular and scenic country a trip of a lifetime. Yours is a professionally run operation and providing me with an accessible room, bed, an accesskible blind as well as the use of a van proves you really undersatand what most disabled hunters would need even in cases of severe disability. The weather cooperated. What more could a hunter ask for? Thanks.........