Folks, I can't add much to this discussion. I am 47 now and I find that my tastes in many things, firearms in particular, have changed since I was in my 20s. I don't own an SKS now and ABSOLUTELY would not own one to HUNT with; however, much of my outlook on life is because I now am a well paid manager in middle age whom the Good Lord has blessed with good fortune and opportunity, as opposed to a struggling young man of more modest means. An SKS CAN be used for a variety of tasks, such as hunting, plinking, self defense and so on. I remember a day when I didn't have an extra 20 bucks, and if a guy of modest means, or whose tastes differ from mine, wants an affordable rifle to do a variety of tasks so that he can hunt deer, punch paper, feel safe in his home and do whatever, then power to him!

All I recommend, is that anyone who wants to be a humane and ethical hunter, knows his or her own limitations, knows their weapon, and confine their shots to ethical ones.