There is some level of skill involved in consistently taking deer, period. However, the really skilled guys are the ones that are regularly killing the biggest bucks in their areas. If you have a lot of bucks ranging from 120"-160" on your property and you consistently take a 140" deer, you've got some skill and luck on your side. However, if you're on the same property and regularly take a 160"-170" buck you have some elite skill. There are some guys on this forum like that and most of us know who they are. Otherwise, as the othes have said it is a combination of both luck and skill (oh, and those skilled guys have got some luck on their side too.)