February 18, 2019 - I left Amarillo in 1968 to return to Hemphill, Texas to fish a couple of days with my friend Forest Ranger Lew Whitaker. Toledo Bend Reservoir was still filling up and the fishing was at its best. I had just bought a weird little car to drive along the sandy outback of The Canadian River. It was a “52 Volkswagen Beetle—29 HP Motor—no gas guage. When the motor started sputtering, you turned a lever in the floorboard with your foot, connected to a one gallon auxiliary tank, and prayed the gallon would get you to a gas station.
I didn’t realize how little power the engine had and shifted to second gear to climb the steep hills between Amarillo and Bowie. But I finally made it to Hemphill and Lew and had two days of amazing fishing. On my way back home I drove to the top of a tall hill near Childress and spotted a beautiful antelope about seventy yards to my right. I’d never seen one before…only read that they were the 2nd fastest animals on earth….. and was surprised that he didn’t run off. He just stood stone still and stared.
I reached in my back seat and grabbed my Remington .222 Rifle. I had mounted a 10 power scope on it and it was deadly accurate. But when I put the crosshairs on him and saw how beautiful he was, I began questioning myself. Why did I want to shoot him…and how many laws would I break if I did? Season wasn’t open, I didn’t have a license, it’s unlawful to shoot from the highway…and who owned the land?
I eased my hand off the trigger and returned my rifle to the back seat. The Antelope just stood there as I cranked up and eased away. As I left, I felt guilty about wanting to shoot him. Many of my preacher friends believe, “To think the thought is the same as committing the act.” I don’t believe that. The Bible says Jesus was “tempted in like manner as we… yet without sin.” But as I thought it over, I was glad I had not shot him. And if the antelope knew what I about to do, he’d been glad, too. But lastly…and most importantly…….
……. I know God was glad, too.
