Max Rickerson who owns a number of
Sonic Drive-in Restaurants in KS, MO, AR
and NE, has hunted with Donald Hill at Oak Creek Whitetail Ranch several times before and returned again
in late September 2009...
I Even though I have a 247” whitetail on the wall that I shot at Oak Creek, I wanted an even bigger deer. I just love whitetails and I love to see those big deer on the wall,” said Max.
After some careful planning, trail camera photography, terrain-tromping and many hours out scouting, one of Donald Hill’s top guides, (and, we might add, Max Rickersons favorite), Barry Hendricks, figured he knew where and when this huge, multi-pointed, 300-inch-plus deer would show himself. When Max arrived, he and Barry went immediately to site in Max’s rifle as always, and then made a plan.
“I have been to Oak Creek four times and every time I have hunted with Barry,” said Max, “I have been extremely satisfied with Barry. I have killed five big deer with Barry in four trips.”
So when Barry told Max that he had isolated a monster whitetail buck for him during the third week of the Oak Creek Whitetail Ranch season, Max listened.
“When I saw this 327-inch deer come out at about 80 yards, I didn’t even look at the horns. Barry had told me, ‘That is the deer,’ so I just looked at the target and shot him.”
“I shot the whitetail deer of my dreams at Oak Creek this year...a 327-inch
non-typical!” said Max. “I had seen trail camera photos of him before he broke off about 8 or 10 inches of horn.”
Max, who already has six 200-inch-plus whitetails hanging on the wall of his trophy room, was asked about the deer of his dreams.
“This is the biggest whitetail deer I have ever taken,” said Max, ”But I love whitetails. I love hunting them. I just love to see those big deer on the wall.”
Max, a native of Kansas added, “I have never killed a 200” deer in Kansas but I hope to one day…but I will probably never equal this one!”
“Donald does an extremely good job. So does Barry. I have been very happy with every trip I have taken there. Oak Creek has fabulous accommodations... great home cooked meals. They treat you well. Oak Creek is a first class operation. I would recommend them to anyone.”
So, now that you have taken a 327-inch buck, do you really need to go back again?
“I’ve hunted Oak Creek four times and have already booked for next year!" says Max. "BIG DEER...huge deer is what keeps bringing me back!"
Asking Donald what type of hunter is Max?
“The first time Max came to hunt with us he came after a big eight point. Barry guided him, they hunted hard for three days trying to catch up to that deer. They saw him the first morning of his hunt slide around the end of a food plot they were hunting and never saw him again. The day after Max had to get back to work another hunter went out and shot that deer before Max even reached his house. I know that is the way hunting works but it makes it hard to swallow sometimes. That deer went just over 200 inches and is now a full body mount in Southern Louisiana. The next year Max got his big eight point though. He was telling me before this hunt it is still his favorite deer out of all the big deer he has harvested. That says a lot, I have seen all the big deer he has harvested with a lot of them going over 200 inches. Over the years Max has become part of the family at Oak Creek, he is a great guy and we all look forward to his trip every year. It is going to be hard to top this one deer but I am sure he will come up with something special he wants and we will get it done. Congratulations Max on a huge deer!”
|
