The gun bunnies are coming: Bambi's perspective

Picture a beautiful clearing in the woods in the late afternoon. The sun is low in the western sky and it tosses a golden hue over the long brown grass. It's a beautiful pristine moment of awe inspiring quiet and tranquility as the winter afternoon gives in to the evening. The serenity is broken as a Hummer crashes through the wood line, bounds to the center of the field, and comes to an abrupt stop. Before the trucks diesel engine slows to idle, eight men in full battle gear file out of the rear with M16 rifles held to the ready. They quickly fan out into the field to establish a perimeter around the truck. Two men remain in the center of the field, unloading equipment from the back. One of the soldiers barks a command to the driver and the truck rumbles from the center of the field to the edge of the woods where the engine is put to rest. The driver jumps out, promptly tilts the hood open, and takes his place on the perimeter. The scene now seems quiet again as the two men in the center continue to work. In a mater of a minute or so they have set up two tripods with small OD green dome like apparatus perched on top. They are offset thirty or so feet from one another. When the soldiers in the center appear to have finished their task, one at a time, the perimeter guards return to the center of the field to consult with them. After a brief consultation, the soldiers each run to a different area within the clearing and set up two thin poles approximately ten feet from one another. One pole is around four feet tall and the second is around eight. Each pole is strangely marked. On one side it is alternating white and red like a barber pole. On the other it's OD green and blends into the scenery. Once each of the six soldiers have completed erecting their equipment it becomes clear, although staggered, all the poles are set in the same line with the taller of the two set to the northeast. A short order is barked from one of the soldiers in the center and, as one, all of the soldiers return to the woods near the truck. A minute later the truck is started and disappears back into the trees. Nature seems restored but the strange tripods and poles remain within the clearing.

Dusk quickly settles in as the sun disappears behind clouds on the distant horizon. A fresh winter storm appears to be approaching from the west. From a distance, at first faint, comes the drone of diesel engines. As the sound gets closer it becomes apparent that the original Hummer has brought reinforcements. On the edge of the clearing the nose of the first truck appears and comes to a halt. No sooner than it appears, a soldier breaks from the tree line and signals for the truck to follow. The heavily laden Hummer lumbers forward into the clearing. The rear suspension of the four wheel drive seems to sag under the weight it's carrying. Over the drivers cab is a big bag that appears to be stuffed with lumpy laundry. The muzzle of a rifle pokes from the passengers window. The canvas in the rear cargo area is partially rolled back to reveal the men in the rear who aren't sitting on the seats, but mountains of boxes and other unidentifiable gear. There are back packs slung along the bed outside of the truck to save what space possible within the cargo area. The truck creaks and rattles as it pulls into the clearing dutifully following the soldier. Behind is a two wheeled trailer but there is no lawn equipment here. It's a cannon. It is stowed in the travel configuration and the barrel faces the tail gate of the truck as if it were going to shoot its own mule. The truck, in spite of its heavy load, seems to have no problem crossing the rough ground while the soldier leads it to a set of poles in the clearing. The 4x4 is brought up along side of the poles and comes to a quick stop.

Immediately four men jump from the rear with rifles slung diagonally across their backs. They pounce on the cannon as if they were a pit crew at Daytona. The big barrel of the gun is cranked up from its horizontal travel position about fifteen degrees. As soon as the barrel is raised, two men on either side of the trailer are attending to a large round metal base reminiscent of a giant beer bottle cap. It's dropped to the earth in front of the two wheels of the trailer. While these two men struggle with the heavy base, the rest of the gun crew is hard at work as well. Two are near the tow hitch attaching the spade of the gun, which looks a bit like a mini bulldozer blade. One man jumps from the truck carrying a large mallet and a long metal tube. Wielding the mallet like a madman he beats on the drivers side wheel of the trailer to loosen a knock off or spinner. Once the spinner is loose, the tube is used as a prop under the axle of the big gun. When given the signal the driver of the truck pulls slightly forward and the wheel is raised from the ground. The whole wheel assembly comes off. Once removed, two men attend to the gun barrel. One at the muzzle and the other at the hand crank. Swinging the barrel around it becomes apparent why the drivers side wheel has to be removed. The breach of the big gun, where the ammo is loaded, wont clear the wheel base of the trailer and the barrel has to be raised so that it will clear the other wheel. Now the gun is in its firing position and the barrel faces away from the truck. The wheel is put back on with mallet motivation and the driver is signaled again. This time the gun is pulled up so that the two wheels are now on the base that was lowered earlier. The soldiers attach steel cables from the base to the gun and it's dropped from its hitch and ready to fire. The truck is pulled several feet forward where it comes to rest and the engine is shut off. The driver jumps out and tilts the hood up as the other had earlier. He climbs to the top of the cab and opens the big laundry bag. Within is a huge camouflage net rolled up neatly. He swiftly unrolls the net and the rest of the gun crew joins in the set up. Within fifteen minutes the net is erected and, from a distance, the truck is almost invisible. This same procedure is repeated five times by crews that follow.