County of site: Barber County
Location of Marker: Washington Ave. & Main St. Medicine Lodge
The Gun Room
"It’s Ruger - the company he served for 21 years. He retired in February 2008 as vice president of design and manufacturing at the company’s Arizona facility.
'“It’s a great product at a reasonable price,” Stutler said.
"Stutler’s retirement business, the “Gun Room At The Grand Hotel” in Medicine Lodge, holds his personal collection of trophy arms along with those that were willed to him by Ruger’s company founder and president, the late William B. Ruger.
"Other glass cases and shelves hold an inventory of firearms: long guns, handguns and ammunition.
"Trophy heads and horns line the walls of the three-room gun business in the restored Grand Hotel, circa 1885. They attest to Stutler’s marksmanship skills, in part a tribute to his father, the late Robert O. Stutler, who was also a gun maker and marksman.
"Stutler and his wife, Dorothy, bought the old four-story Grand Hotel and restored the basement and three floors to its original grandeur. Dorthy Kirkbride Stutler is a native of the community.
'“They’ve done a wonderful job in that restoration, and it’s fabulous for our community,” said Steve Bryan, market president at Citizens Bank of Kansas. The Gun Room attracts customers from a wide area, Bryan said.
'“It’s worth the trip to Medicine Lodge to visit The Gun Room,” he said.
"A rugged outdoorsman, Stutler outlined the history of more than a dozen South African safaris he’s made to faraway places like Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Angola. A wall of mounted antelope skulls and pronghorns represent those trips. The Cape buffalo head and horns above the fireplace, a “world class” mount, is recognized as one of the “big five” most dangerous animals in the world.
"The leopard is another in the five.
"Stutler recalled that the leopard appeared on an overhead branch 10 minutes before the day’s end for legal hunting. After a three- to four-hour wait, the cameraman assigned to the Ruger-sponsored hunt had fallen asleep. Fearing that an audible sound would alert the animal, Stutler nudged the man awake. A video of the successful hunt broadcasts on the Outdoor Channel show with the title “Tracks Across Africa.”
'“There’s lots of pressure on those hunts,” Stutler said. He added the explanation that the cameraman expects a firearm of optimum caliber, along with a trophy animal and a good shot.
'“Of course, the more dramatic the better,” he said.
"Steve Sanetti, president of the National Shooting Sports Foundation in Newtown, Conn., affirmed Stutler’s reputation as an outstanding hunter.
'“He’s a pretty fair shot,” Sanetti said. “I say this because he and I have a friendly ongoing competition. On occasion he beats me by one point or I beat him by one point.”
"Stutler has been a talented gunsmith since his dad had a shop and proved a whiz at manufacturing guns when he headed up the Ruger manufacturing plant in Prescott, Ariz., Sanetti said.
'“He made lots of changes that made the manufacturing smoother, helped design newer guns and commemorative guns that we produced,” he said.
"Stutler will continue the safari treks as long as he’s able, and he said he’d like to shoot a bear.
"Closer to home, he favors quail hunting with his German shorthair pointer Brandy, who follows her master’s every motion, lifts her ears and wags her stub tail at the word “hunt.”
"Stutler was 5 years old when he owned his first rifle and shot his first rabbit. He had a handgun when he was 9 and brought down his first antelope, and he enjoyed “15 seconds of fame” when he was pictured in a hunting magazine at age 12.
"As a child, he rode along with his dad to sharpshooter competitions. His dad would look over the crowd and whisper, ” ‘I wonder who’s going to come in second.’ ”
"Stutler joined the U.S. Marines at 17 - his mother signed the permission slip - served on active duty for 25 years and retired with the rank of major. His marksmanship earned high points. Memorabilia from those years include a flag that flew over the Capitol commemorating the 1776-1976 Bicentennial and a White House photo from when President Jimmy Carter pinned on awards connected to his service.
"During his two decades with Ruger, Stutler has traveled the world as a representative and technical adviser. He recently returned home from a tour of the six major cities in Australia, where he promoted Ruger firearms.
"Even though he has retired twice, he has no intention of stopping, Stutler said. From childhood, he wanted to be a Marine and a gun maker like his father. He’s achieved those goals.
'“But I’ll never be finished,” Stutler said.
"IF YOU GO
"Gun Room At The Grand Hotel, 124 S. Main St.: Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. The business is closed Sunday and Monday. Call (620) 930-3006." ~ The Hutchinson News, By Clara Kilbourn, Oct. 10, 2009