AHHH, this is leading around to a crossbow debate, aint it ? I think thats exactly right - in general because crossbows are easier to use, and easier to master and accurate to 25-30 yards, that people use them irresponsibly. Same could be said of gun hunters, but guns are much easier to use and more accurate than crossbows, though the wounding rate is still higher than it should be.

Back to the question at hand - technology does make deer hunting easier, but at the same time I think hunters set higher goals too. Bigger bucks, more meat, etc etc and I think this hurts hunting.

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Overconfidence= Bad. Confidence= good.You like the 30-40 number don't you? 30-40 yard shots 30-40%.lol I don't agree again I know your shocked.I don't believe that these deer were lost because the shooter was overconfident.Things happen.

What is the reason for deer lost by trad hunters?Shooting ability?

Yes, bad shots happen, but remember the thread I started about the terrible shooting stats that people were reporting ? I cannot find that topic, but it was like 36 shots, 6 kills, 10 wounds and 20 misses. I cannot remember exactly, but it was not good stats. Are you telling me all those failed shots were just one of those things ? No, people were taking bad shots, people were using equipment they weren't fully attuned to, their equipment was not tuned, sloppy shooting, a myriad of things but the least of which would be "it just happened". Heck, I missed a doe at 12 steps myself, shot over her back with my compound, but I waited a LONG time for the right shot. Using high tech equipment, bone busting head, high KE bows make people think they can take a marginal shot. No or yes ?

" Let's say that the average shot with a compound is 26 yards and with trad gear its 15 yards.How much less do my skills have to be to get that deer 11 yards further away?

Not much I think, but your shooting skills with a compound compared to that of a recurve/longbow WOULD be a huge difference. When you shoot a deer with a compound, i bet you try to draw when the deers looking away, or head behind a tree, and hold your draw until it step into a good shot, right ? You cannot do that with a longbow/recurve, maybe just a couple of seconds, but not long. MUCH tougher I have found, and I have only shot on squirrels !