Buckalley,you probably don' t hear all those shots in the northern zone because of the smaller amount of hunters there as well as the lack of longer shots in the big woods(heck might even be because there are better woodsmen there).If rifles are allowed in the southern zone instead of vollies of shot guns going off it will be the same but with rifles. Can' t assume its because they are all shooting at out of range deer alot are not proficient shots and just let the lead fly(shotgun or rifle)I guess I shouldn' t assume you are hunting in big woods in nothern zone,although it is mostly, there are areas in St. Larwence county and other places that have some opened land.Everyone also seems to forget the reason rifles are legal in NZ and not SZ is because SZ in much more densly populated.We as hunters get enough blackeyes without someone with a rifle that can carry for miles hits a dwelling or the farmers cow or worse yet a person!