Fieldmouse, I'll agree with you, whether right or wrong, because that is the first feeling I get when the inevitable 'comparing of the the bucks' happen at work and in church or wherever in December. I show pictures of my bucks, and everyone else shows pictures of their's or their friend's deer and when a nice one is shown that was taken with a gun, I sort of dismiss it. Is that snobbish, sure it is, but when I have seen bucks of equal or better quality at distances that I could not reach with a bow but could have taken with a rifle, why should I get all giddy over their deer? Maybe they put on a great stalk to get it, and that changes things a bit, but even in stalking, if both the bow hunter and rifle hunter are stalking, the rifle hunter still has the upper hand, except if the bow hunter is a snap shooter and the rifle hunter is using a scope, maybe.

What I'm saying, and what I think Fieldmouse is saying, is that with all things being equal (ability of hunter(s), amount of time in the field, hunting the same property at the same times, etc.) that getting a buck with a rifle is much easier than getting one with a bow, so yes, it does diminish the trophy status of the rifle kill some, IMO. I have never heard a rifle hunter (which I am one as well) say, "Gee, I saw a nice buck today but I couldn't get it with my rifle. If only I had my bow with me..."

I think what has caused such a debate is that people feel as if you are diminishing the trophy quality for the rifle hunter, as if you tell them, "Hell, who cares? You took it with a rifle." Trying to make them feel bad about it. I don't think that's what you're saying at all. You just don't praise it as much as you would a bow killed deer. I would bet that everyone that is bashing you does the same thing but in different fields of interest. An example would be Joe Montana listening to a guy in a bar brag about the High School Championship game he won as a quarterback. Sure, Joe would be happy for the guy, but would he gush all over it? Hell no, since that does not compare to the SuperBowl Rings he has on his hand. Winning the Super Bowl is a little bit tougher than winning a High School Championship. And I'll say this (and it has been said on this board before), every successful bow hunter would make a great gun hunter, but not every gun hunter could make a great bow hunter. That's a hard fact to dispute.