Neither is outrageously tough. Driving deer is a highly effective way to take them if you' re a good wing shot, have good drivers, know the area well and have it set up well. It can also be strenous, frustrating, unproductive and damned dangerous if it' s not set up well.

Bowhunting, on the other hand, can be highly effective in thick brush where drives don' t work well and also in urban areas with very high concentrations of deer but off limits to firearms. It' s also extremely effective during the rut when gun season isn' t in for many hunters. Oh yeah... it can also be damned dangerous if it' s not set up well.

With bowhunting, the trick is getting the deer inside an easy point-blank range. With gun season the range is vastly extended but the season vastly shortened (for most), and the hunting pressure - and danger of getting shot by some weekend warrior nitwit who saw a bush move as you brushed it aside - are tremendously increased which evens things out considerably.