Skipper Bettis

As a young boy I spent my days running the swamps of Winnie Texas chasing small game and waterfowl. As the years passed quickly to adulthood I settled for a Texas State Trooper position which left little time or money for my outdoor obsession. My heart was restless as Mother Nature continued to beckon me.


My head questioned my heart. Did I have what it takes in life for the unknown? Did I want to be one of those who only talked about their dreams and later regretted not pursuing them? Could I accept rejection or even failure? My feet left my heart and head behind as I set out to fulfill my dreams.

So in 1975 the tales and legends of the far north drew me to British Columbia, Canada to develop Turnagain River Outfitters, a 3.5 million acre hunting operation. We hunted for bear, moose, sheep and caribou. Packing horses, setting up camp, sleeping under the stars, drinking out of the cool mountain streams and hunting …..living the dreams of my youth as a modern day mountain man.

After 10 years in Canada I was approached by a client, another lover of whitetails, to become involved in the development of a managed whitetail herd in Michigan. My passion for whitetails brought me out of the mountains to take the reins in the development of Michigan’s first whitetail hunting ranch. Abruptly after working there 11 years, the door of opportunity was shut. Not understanding the situation at the time but trusting that God had another direction for me, I soon found myself working to complete the project of a lifetime and thus the Legends Ranch was born. Through much personal growth, challenge and commitment I soon learned that, “In all things God works for the good of those who love him who have been called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28. I am blessed to be a part of the Legends Ranch, God’s great outdoors, working with premium professionals in the hunting field and cultivating lifelong friendships with some of the finest outdoorsmen on this earth.

I’ve made mistakes, failed and have been rejected. I’ve been on the mountain top and down in the valley. The rich soil of the valley was always my fertile ground where I did my growing and learned most about life. Regardless of where I go I always feel closest to God in His great outdoors; not only do I see His beauty and wonder but feeling His presence there as He’s my constant companion.

I’m thankful I took that chance in 1975 because I have lived a great life and have few regrets. I only wish that everyone would have had such a life. Oh what an exciting journey it has been! I have been truly blessed.

I invite you to come and visit us at the Legends Ranch and experience a little part of the life I’m privileged to live everyday. The moment you enter Legends the hand of fellowship is extended and you will soon know that you’ll only be a stranger here once.



Chef Lawrence

I suppose my beginnings in the culinary world are similar to those of hundreds of other chefs: My parents loved good food. As a youngster I was encouraged to try everything that came my way. Meal time was family time and my parents went to great lengths to insure that it was special. One simple truth I learned early on was that Life will inevitably throw difficult challenges our way. Good meals, shared with family and friends, is one of the most prudent measures one can practice to insure a rich and satisfying life.

As for my education, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to study with the OMF Capuchins - a branch of the Franciscan order in the Roman Catholic Church, from ’78 – ’82. I spent four years working in their large refectory learning the ins and outs of big kitchen dynamics. It was in this culinary crucible (Dante’s Kitchen if you will) that I began to acquire the discipline and organization skill that is the heart of haute cuisine. I can’t emphasize how important my time spent in big kitchens is to me, even today.

Large kitchen cooking (e.g. school/college cafeterias, hospitals, hotel/banquet centers, cruise ship, etc) provides an invaluable learning opportunity to any aspiring chef. Big kitchens are chaotic at best when the dinner bell rings and you’re serving 600 people a sit-down meal. Because of the sheer volume of service, any small mistake could instantly upgrade itself to disaster as fast as you can say “pass the salt”. Large kitchen cooking affords any chef an honest environment in which to 1) practice his problem-solving skills, 2) refine his team-building and organizational technique and 3) embrace one’s imagination and creativity. Food is art.

My cooking can be defined as French technique adapted to the preparation of Southern regional cuisine flavored liberally with Tex-Mex, South Pacific and Hawaiian cultural influences. We are known for our Texas-style BBQ, steaks and chops. We serve seafood of every kind and offer superb fresh fish dishes. Vegetable dishes are given high priority and our clients enjoy our creative preparations. Over the past year we have begun to explore the Dutch-oven in an intimate fashion. The unique dishes this form of cooking offers has been warmly embraced by the clients and staff. Last of all, we are an established authority on the preparation of wild game and small game dishes.

Our ranched venison, The Manistee Strip, is one of the finest steaks you will find anywhere. The attention given nutrition in raising our herd insures a consistently superior product in the end animal. Our hunting clients eat five dinners during a week hunt and Manistee Strip night is the night they all look forward to upon their return to Legends Ranch. During the off-season our wildly popular Steak Night at Legends Lodge has been a real showcase for our venison with the Manistee Strip entrée the most popular dish by a large 3 – 1 margin.

In my time here at Legends I have also developed The Manistee Burger – the very first USDA approved Whitetail burger available for sale here in the states. Made with a select blend of our venison, pork and our own special seasoning mix, its flavor and healthy properties are turning heads as people discover exactly how wonderful a little red meat can be for you. I hope you will join us here at Legends Ranch for the hunt of a lifetime. Ciao!