This topic will never die, to each their own. My own personal thoughts on the subject vary. Shooting and killing and animal are just one part of a hunt, scouting and trying to outsmart a worthy advisary is a great thrill and there is nothing quite like sitting in the stand and looking up and seeing a buck walking down the trail like i thought he would. That being said, the reason im out in the woods is to kill a deer, otherwise i wouldnt carry my bow, i would bring a camera. Bow hunting to me is about patience and perserverance. I could easily go out with a gun in my area in season and kill deer every day, but i like the challenge, but if im walking to my stand and on the way in i see a buck that i have scouted, im going to try to get him, no matter what the circumstances are. Success is when preparation meets opportunity and you have to jump on those chances. There are many different tactics that will work for deer. I personally cant understand how people will put in a 1-2 acre food plot and hunt over that, but yell at people and tell them that hunting over bait is noy hunting. In either circumstance you are adding a non native food that is changing the deers natural behavior. Is one right and one wrong? Who knows, but i dont think so. The same could be said about using calls and scents.
As for fences, i have mixed views on them. I feel if you are in an enclosure that hampers the movement of the animal to where it cant avoid you, that isnt hunting. If you in 1000s of acres that are just habitat, that is more of a challenge than hunting some of the neighborhoods that i hunt. Damn, some of the properties that i hunt the challenge is to not shoot and wait for the biggest ones. As long as the animal has a chance to evaid you and your having a good time, that is hunting.