Hunting

So this will be the first year I will be able to hunt since I was a kid... For animals that is... I mean furry ones... Okay terrorists are furry too... I'm finally going to go and hunt something other than people. There, I got it. I have always loved the hunt, for people or otherwise. But something about being out in nature involved and part of the natural food chain, taking part in the great circle of life, it is... Humbling. The absence of fear is nice, but I find I'm still doing it as if I were hunting people. The other day I decided to take the family on a "Recon" for "Enemy activity in the area." The wife and her sniper eyes had discovered some "displacement" (Tracks) from a Mule deer approximately 150 pounds that had traveled approximately two hours before our arrival in the "area of responsibility." The location is known in standard Military Grid Reference System format, but is from here forward considered classified by me as to protect my future operations in the area. Upon completion of the successful recon, I proceeded to download satellite images of the area, and plan a very detailed insertion and extraction plan, using numerous extraction points, and a primary and alternate insertion route. Upon marking said grids on my version of topographic software, I have decided to give the wife a brief initial oral plan using said graphics to give her a general idea of the plan so far. Upon further ground recon missions in the area, and other nearby areas, I will decide on a day by day route log and plan at which my wife can tell where I will be at any given time in the day throughout the "campaign." I will have designated extraction points throughout the entire zone and will pre-designate Helicopter Landing Zones (HLZ's) for emergency extraction of wounded personnel. (Because you never know?) I have a full combat load already planned to sustain me for the entire season so I can stay in the field and work the area in search of the big Mule deer. I will have some old school technology on hand (Optics and writing material with calculator) to determine range and wind. I will have been to the range numerous times to dial in that SWS (Sniper Weapon System) so that I can place that cold bore shot right where I want it to go. So the question remains... Am I working too hard or what? One thing is for certain - That moss back out in the bush is mine!