ORIGINAL: DropTine249
I hear alot of people talking about how they shot at deer over 200yards. Just the other day, at the range. I was sighitng in my slug and muzzleloader and this gentleman proceeded to tell me how they have night permits and they take deer 200 yards plus every year, WITH A SLUG GUN !!
That kind of touched me in the wrong way. I immediately envisioned injured deer, hillbilly type hunting. I know its not all like that with guns, but I also know that alot of NJ hunters are idiots. Heck, alot of hunters that I know of wont even take to the woods during gun season out of fear for their LIVES !!
But, thats getting away from the point. I think that long range capabilities will help keep the herd numbers in check, but also feel that more and more smaller bucks that should be left to grow will be taken just for something to shoot at.
First-how many deer are wounded by bowhunters every season?
That you relate rifle/slug hunting to injured deer and "hillbilly" hunting says a lot. That is your hang up, those areyour stereotypes. It's bad enough others stereotype us hunters but all too often we are doing it to ourselves anymore. The my way is better than your way,judgemental attitudesare alive and well in the hunting community. Just because you prefer to kill deer with a bow at closer ranges does not make you a better hunter than anyone else. I love bowhuntingI just don't think it is any harder or easier than anything else.
Second-how you relate rifle hunting and QDM is a real stretch. Mainly because trueQDM is way more than letting small bucks go, it is about reducing doe numbers, helping to get a good balance and structure to a particular herd, analyzing the carrying capacity of the land, nutrition, and so on and so on.How many does are killed every year with rifles. slug guns, muzzleloaders? Bow hunters alone could neverharvest the number of deer necessary to keep a herd in check, check the stats many bowhunters don't kill anything but time.
I killed two deer with my .25-06 yesterday, one was at 10 yards the other was about 20. I just like to hunt withmy rifle sometimes, it's not because I can't kill them with something else, I just enjoy it. That is how many of us are, of all the deer I've ever killed with any rifle only one has been over 100 yards (125) and the majority have been inside of 50 yards. Anyway that's my take on it.