So I think I just want to put in my two cents on the matter.I'm quite sure a lot of good points have been made. So first I'd like to state the matter of linear fighter vs. quadratic wizard in this case we have the ranger who is forced into a linear progression presuming he doesn't dive into some obscure prestige class.

The ranger has the benefit of being extremely good at what he does while working in some other areas such as having a good animal companion, tracking, stealth, and being able to work some magic. It's well put together about level ten the ranger could pick up the gear he needs like armor and a nasty enough weapon and be done with all that. A bonebow greatbow with the Distance gets him a pretty good distance with range increments he can hit some insane distances. (Math reads out to 3,000 feet at a minus 10 if he took far shot. With some spare cash due to low maintenance the ranger can pick up a few gadgets and charms to help him along some protection from scrying and some healing supplies goes a long way. On top of this the ranger can get himself huge benefits to killing something and if he's been hunting this wizard his whole life he'll just keep going human or whatever it is.

So he'll have a huge bonus to hit the wizard and with his favored terrain he can get past any plane the wizard wants to hop off to. I like the Rangers odd of finding the wizard and taking out his familiar. I like his odds of hurting the wizard but the wizard can flee. The wizard will flee he has no reason to stay. The rangers hope is in that he can make the Wizard flee and loot his lab and such and than find the wizard again. Rinse and repeat until the ranger gives the wizard nowhere to run.

Honestly the wizard can try to stay and fight but the ranger has some of the best saves around and could hold his own for a long while. The wizard can have some high level buffs or try to kill the ranger with high level spells he can't have both. So some eighth level spells the ranger can take, he can kill the wizards familiar as I mentioned and with that the ranger's animal companion can attack the wizard every time he casts a spell and hopefully interrupt.

I'm not going to say the ranger will win if he does it will be a long drawn out fight and it will be a good fight.