This theory iscrap, there will not be more injuries. Last year, there were 34 related shooting injuries in New York State (
http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/environmentdec/2005a/deerharvest032805.html), and in PA where they almost entirely use rifles, with a larger population of hunters, there were 23 hunting related shooting incidents (
http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/view.asp?Q=166582&A=11). You have a better chance of getting hurt or killed by swimming or bicycling either way you look at it.
Rifles will not cause more people to be hurt, it's as simple as that. Now others may not like the added capabilities of being able to use a rifle, but that isn't for safety reasons.
With that said, I will be sitting in the woods tomorrow morning with my scoped .270 near Oneonta, and if I have a clean 300 yard shot at a shooter buck, you can be guaranteed I will take the shot.