Contributors to this thread:
His airplane
His airplane
Not the picture I uploaded!
Not the picture I uploaded!
Rest in Peace Dale!
Rest in Peace Dale!
If you have been reading Bowsite for as long as I have, some of you will remember my friend that used the handle Chief here on the threads. Many of you should have known more about the man, met him in person, seen some of his inventions, contraptions, and learned a thing or two about hunting from him like I have done since knowing the man for the last 36 years or so. Dale didn't let many into his circle.
Dale served his country. He was a proud veteran of the Navy. Dale was a retired Kansas Highway Patrolman, again working/risking his life for the people of this country through his adult life. Dale was a pilot. Dale was an avid outdoorsman, one of the best deer hunters I have ever met. The first time he invited me into his home, I was awe struck at his collection of trophy deer mounts hanging from his living room walls. Dale called them "average deer", said he'd seen and hunted others that were much bigger than anything hanging on his wall. Every deer on his wall could have easily made any of the record books, likely in the top 10 or better of any of the organizational records for Kansas. I asked him what they all scored? He told me that he didn't know and didn't care, that he enjoyed the hunts and had eaten every one of them, so they scored great! He was an avid stick and string hunter (read VERY primitive archery) right down to the self-made bows, knapped broadheads and self-made arrows. He didn't hunt from store bought tree stands, he would climb up a tree and settle into a notch of a branch or make himself invisible in a cedar tree. He didn't wear the latest greatest camo, use scents, cameras, or any of the other store-bought gadgets or easy button items. He did not supplemental feed deer, put out salt or protein blocks, I would have paid to watch a salesman try to sell him a feeder or "deer corn". He hunted large bucks.
Dale kept a low profile in person and on-line until you pushed his buttons. Most people never got a chance to know Dale, he was borderline anti-social until he got to know you or what you were about. If he didn't like you, you knew it right away. I know several folks on these threads got a taste of his grumpiness or displeasure a time or two. Those that knew him like I did, sat back laughing knowing his forehead was wrinkled up, his face red as a beet, while his poor keyboard took a pounding while he was typing his response to them. A day or two later he wouldn't even remember the conversation because he had moved on from it.
Dale passed away Tuesday evening following a long drawn-out battle with his health issues. I will miss Dale, his dry wit, and our deer hunting conversations I've been blessed to have with him over the years I've known him. I wish I would have met him sooner and been able to hunt with him. RIP Dale! See you around the Patch my friend!
Never got the chance to meet him in person, but we exchanged many messages here. He always seemed to enjoy my Pronghorn hunts/pics. No nonsense kind of guy, gonna miss him.
If you hear of a memorial, or any needs from the family, please post here or send me a PM Randy.
I never met him either, but read a lot of his posts over the years. Seemed liked a real down to earth man. Sorry to hear of his passing.
I never met him either, but read a lot of his posts over the years. Seemed liked a real down to earth man. Sorry to hear of his passing.
RIP Dale. Sorry Randy, nice tribute. Prayers for you and his family and other friends.
Don't think we ever met but sounds a lot like me and another Kansan we all know who is in the short rows.
Very sorry to hear this news. Sounds like he lived a great life and touched many lives. Thanks for sharing the very nice tribute. I’ll be praying for his family.
I always liked to hear his perspective on issues. He had those old school values.
I’m pretty sure I would’ve liked Dale here and I was hoping to meet him one day. I too always enjoyed what he had to say on here. Thank you Randy for the write up and prayers for the family.
He was a first rate guy! I enjoyed many conversations with him. He was the first guy I went to when I switched to traditional bows. I will always remember him telling me about his first compound bow. He liked it so much that he took it out a bailing wired it to a hedge tree. Legend has it that it is still there.
Sounds like a great guy that lived a good life. RIP Dale.
Prayers for Dale and his loved ones.
Dale was actually a cousin of mine, but only met him a couple times the past few years. Great guy!
Randy that is a real nice tribute to him. I always enjoyed his posts and it was obvious that he was the type of person I would surely like. I remember he had some health issues and recently I had wondered about him. Thanks for your post.
That was a nice tribute, Randy. I'm sorry for your loss. I remember having a conversation with him on here about one of his relatives. His father I think. Seems, I had mentioned that I lived outside of Eureka for a while and he asked if I'd heard of Otis Hellman. Otis was getting close to his 90's when I knew him about 45 years ago. He had a lot of WW1 and WW2 stories that he told us one day after we put up a lot of hay for him. I told Dale that Otis had rigged up a combine belt with cleats on pulleys going down the stairs to his wood burning stove because he wasn't able to carry it down anymore. He also had a lot of engine parts all over inside the kitchen. I mentioned that he drove on the side of the road into town every Friday night to go dance with the ladies. Dale seemed a little touched at the time. I expect they are getting to visit with each other again right now :)
RIP ...condolences to those who knew him.
RIP Chief! Keep on flinging arrows up there!
Dale’s family and friends are reading this thread, are appreciating all your responses and prayers.
Over the last 10 years or so, I had quite a few conversations with Chief on here in PM or on Facebook Messenger. I never met him, but his brother would let me fish his dam on the river west of Eureka when I was growing up. It wasn't a spring break without catching a few Kentucky bass and a crappie or two at Mr. Hellman's dam. In 2011, I wasn't seeing much on my farm and I started scouting and hunting Fall River a few miles away in earnest. Seemed like every good spot I found and asked him about, he had already hunted it, killed a big one, or had an interesting story about it. There is an old rock wall I found way back in a valley that he told of hearing music in the dead of night, and another time, watching a huge 8 point fight a huge ten point. The music spooked him enough that he would only go back in the daylight. He enjoyed the area enough though, that he told me if he were to be cremated, he wanted his ashes spread there. Recently, he saw I purchased a Piper Tripacer, and he told me he owned one years ago, that he sold to a well-known local in Eureka. He gave me some pointers on flying it that have turned out to be dead-on. In 2019, I asked him if he would be hunting, and his reply was " I had my day in the sun, and a lot of memories. The memories are good enough for me now. Wouldn't trade it for anything." I don't know that an end to hunting could be stated in a better fashion. I will miss him.
Sounds like Kansas lost a good man, and we need more like him in this country.
He will be missed, RIP Dale
Very sorry to hear this! I logged on for the first time in a year (maybe). Was hoping to see some of his posts. May God rest his soul and shower his grace upon Dale's loved ones.
Prayers for your friend. Fellow retired officer, rest in peace brother.
I have responded to Randy's beautiful tribute to Dale. I also want to thank all of you for you personal stories and memories of him. He was a special kind of man. He loved hunting and it was really hard for him to give it up. We are having a gathering of family and friends on Nov 18th at the airport (1005 County Road 120) in Emporia, It will be from 2 - 4 and please know that you are welcome. Your stories are now a part of my memories of him. Thank you so much!! Patricia Hellman
Sorry to hear this.
RIP Chief, I can honestly say I never scrolled passed a comment he made.
