Xtec.....I like you, but you and others need to read a little slower and closer.
First, I never said taking a shot at a running buck is unethical. If you can do it and make a good shot, great, I have. Here's the MAJOR part you missed, as well as others.........
To advocate making deer run before you shoot at them to "make deer hunting more challenging" Or to take 4 shots at a running buck after you bent your sight....."I had to compensate because I fell and bent my sight while tracking this buck."
If you seriously think those two examples are ethical, you would not be welcome in my camp. Seriously, knowing you bent your sight and then trying to compensate while taking 4 shots at a running deer......KNOWING YOUR GUN IS OFF.....that's ethical? [&:]
Here we go, back to the game warden incident......hearsay? Right from the wardens mouth? You can take that how ever you want, I know the wardens in the area well and I don't take what they say lightly.
Fair enough and my bad. But still....part of my point stands, of course from the outside looking in. I have seen a large amount of their shows and I don't get the impression nor have I seen them intentionally do the things you say. But again, watching their hunting shows is what I know of them. If they do what you said on a consistant basis, then I would agree with you whole heartedly. We ALL have skeletans in the closet and I'm sure one point in time the "unethical" tag would be slapped on all of us for something.
I love watching the Benoits and here's why....
They(at least from the surface and TV) seem to be good old boys. They don't look or act like they have more money than God and that it flows out of every hole in their body. A guy looks at the land they hunt and you have the feeling that you could hunt their too, so you can relate with them. Most of the shows today, the guys are hunting on such prime land through out the Midwest that at least I know unless I shelled out 5K+, there is no way I'm ever hunting that type of unpressured ground. I don't have to watch 86 ads per half hour show about scentblocker, mossy oak, bad boy buggies, antler king, mathews, etc.., etc.., etc.., etc... It gets old. But I suppose not too much anymore, gotta love TIVO so I can fast forward through it all. LOL