I've taken 2 big mature does (on nuisance permits) in the past two years with a borrowed 30.06. I hit both rightthrought the back of the shoulderwith 180-grain bullets...the first one literally fell on her butt and tipped over backwards and the other dropped andcrawled a few yards and that was it. I've had the same thing happen with slugs too. I've seen a ton of deer hunts on video where the deer have run off after being hit with a rifle and I've seen a bunch where the hit the ground like a ton of bricks too. Rifles definatelyaren't a total cure all for droppingdeer in its tracks. I'm still not jumping on the pro-rifle in the Southern Tier bandwagon either.
You're right, there's lots of folks who just like rifles (I'm one, too.) But there's also a lot of folks who want rifles so they can blaze away at that deer on the other side of the field, too.
That's exactly my feelings on the matter...there's gonnabe tons of peopleout there ripping off long range shots that are well outta their effective shooting range. Shotgun hunting is more like bowhunting...you gotta get the deer in relatively close before you pull the trigger.
If it passes it passes....but I still don't like the safety issues, I don't like the idea of all of the yearling bucks in the county being taken out of the pop. (sounds like PA prior the implementaion of AR's) and I certainly don't like how the DEC has managed to sneak this bill into legislation.