If you've read every post, you could possibly pick up the smell of maybe not "cocky", but pretty confident. I've realized as I've relived this, that the tone of my mindset at that point in time is very much reflected in my writing. Part by design, part by me looking back over it after a couple of days and being surprised that I composed my thoughts the way I did.
When I mentioned this being about a "deer hunter" as much as the "deer", I see now where I wanted my story to go. To put it to words in the right timeframe. My mind tells me I'm doing it the right way.