I agree that "western" animals are more wary-no, there really isn't any physiological difference, they don't see, smell, or hear better, but deer that live in open areas know that they're visible for a quarter mile, they won't stray far from cover without being confident that they're alone, and will often bolt at the slightest noise or scent, while deer that live in heavily wooded areas are fully aware that they are out of sight after running 50ft.

I've hunted both "types" of deer, open range and forrest, I've witnessed an entire 20strong whitetail herd move off only 30yrds from where I shot one of them, while I've watched others run for miles across open prairies. I fully believe that "what's good for the goose is good for the gander"-if deer are more concealed in the bush, so am I, I use this to my advantage in every way possible, while getting within 50yrds of an open range deer is MUCH more difficult, sometimes a 250yrd shot is the best you're going to get.

As I mentioned before, open range deer tend to be a lot more wary, and of course, they've got a longer field of view, they can see you as soon as you can see them, if you're in a hunting blind on the edge of a pasture, and they notice that big foreign object from way off, your hunt is busted-I've had deer spook at the sight of me in my stand at 300yrds, while I've had a buck walk up to me in the dark and literally lick the doe in heat off my boots while sitting a ground blind.

Yes, shooting skill is more stressed when you're taking long range shots on game, it's a lot easier to hit 8" at 30yrds than at 300yrds, but I don't feel that it takes less hunting skill-you've got to remember, when you have a 400yrd rifle, you're hunting every range from the end of your barrel out to 400yrds, not just the maximum of your range.