Quite simply, the white-tailed deer is the face of Tennessee wildlife. The poster child, the golden boy, the leading man, and all those other clichés. If you had to pick one species to represent all that is majestic, exciting, and beautiful about wildlife in our state, you would choose the white-tailed deer. And oh, how mistaken you would be. For more than 80 years, this species has pulled one of the great con games of modern times on humans, making us out to be chumps. It’s a scam of monumental proportions, making famous scandals like Watergate and, um, (hang on, quick Google search…) The One-Piece Swimsuit Affair of 1907 seem like schoolboy hijinks.

I became aware of the Tough Mudder a few years ago after discovering Crossfit and completing a couple of Warrior Dashes.  In case you’ve never heard of the Tough Mudder, it’s a 10- to 12-mile mud and obstacle run, infamous for being…