Joe Robinson was a good, good man. I will always give thanks for the way he supported me as his pastor and encouraged me as his friend. He took me on my first ever deer hunt. We got up real early one morning to go out to his ranch. We walked quite a ways in the dark through a pasture and just as it was getting light enough to see we crawled through a feed patch that bordered a wheat field where the deer would be. I had never shot at a deer before and when we reached the edge of the wheat field and I looked through my scope at the animal Joe pointed out. All I could see were antlers all over this huge buck mule deer. I was so nervous and my heart was pounding so hard and fast. I didn't know it then, but later I learned I had been overcome by buck fever. My crosshairs were bouncing all over the place and I pulled off a shot. It went right over the back of that big buck! Of course the animal began to run and Joe stood up and said shoot! I stood up again. There must have been 100 deer out there running like crazy for their lives! I found my animal again and fired another shot. It hit right in front of him and he turned to go the other way. I fired again and this one also landed in front of him, so he turned direction again. Joe was now waving his hat and yelling out, "don't miss him preacher, he's a big one, don't let him get away!" I continued to fire and miss at the deer who had become like a target at a carnival arcade, until I ran out of bullets. Well, I'm not sure who was more disappointed, Joe or me, but we came to a fence and Joe held my gun as I was climbing over and he said, "look preacher, this scope is so loose! I've been carrying it so long in my truck it must have loosened over time. No wonder you missed!" (I'm sure he was still trying to figure out how I missed him. :) I was however, so thankful for that little bit of grace that Joe found for me, although I'm not sure it would have truly changed the outcome. I did feel better though and I sure was thankful for the possibility of that being the reason. On the way back that day, Joe saw another deer, much smaller, and I did bag that one. But the biggest thing I bagged that day was a great memory of a great time with a great man who found a whole lot of grace for me! I hope I will always do the same for others. God bless your memory always Joe! I will never forget you. Thank you for being my hunting partner and my friend! Terry Tamplen
