Nothing like opening a can of worms..lol!!

Aranger while I agree with you in regards to people believing this or that is required to "fill your tag" and often the art of hunting can be skewed behind the stuff you have or think you need.

I also disagree that sitting and waiting can all be considered no skill. Their is a big difference between hanging a treestand or building a blind, etc where you hope to shoot a deer and that of choosing a spot you expect to shoot a deer. There are many who hunting isn't a 1 week, month, etc season but a 12 month persuit. There are those who have numerous stands or blinds and who spend countless hours scouting and pouring over terrain. While some choose to employ tactics that we may feel are less "skilled" the fact they have put forth effort in the persuit must be acknowledged. The ones that truly are successful year in year out in various forms are skilled hunter but maybe not in the way you are skilled. It is a skill to look at an area, take the sign and develop a plan that will envoke results. It is as much of a skill (one I certainly don't have) to sit motionless for days on end swinging in a tree or on a cold log, etc. It is a skill to call animal into your location or to stalk them like you did. The list goes on.......

Lest not forgot their are also those who have limited area to hunt or opportunity to hunt or scout they are simply out to enjoy and possibly harvest some venison. One can not exlude them as hunters either and certainly each have skills that bring different forms of results.

I certainly don't agree with every method or form others use personally but that doesn't make them less of a "hunter" in my mind. First and foremost the passion that fuels me I suspect is much the same for a great number of hunters while it may not be as deep or in some cases deeper than that of mine..it is a common ground we share.

The only guys I have little respect for are those who call hunting best viewed from a truck seat and the only time they get a wiff of fresh air is to relieve themself from the endless thermos of coffee. But in the end even these guys are simply ripping themselves from the best part of hunting enjoy the experience and really nature at it's finest.

It is a choice and we should stick together as a group vs put a bunch of lines in the sand (well in my case snow right now[8D]) in which who is more skilled, true woodsman or better. Simply put get out enjoy what hunting has to offer and be thankful for every moment spent chasing the dream.

Side note congrats on your deer and welcome home!