Just wanted to toss in my 2 cents.

I hunt in NY and use shotgun only. I do have a scope but I use a smooth bore slug barrel and the effective range for my slug gun is not very far........not to mention the woods I hunt don't offer 100+ yard shots. 90+% of my gun kills over the years are all within bow range. I've killed 3 already this year all within 30 yards.

I guess a lot of the comparisons I have read here depend on how and where you hunt.........for me, gun and bow seasons aren't much different. The biggest difference is just the knockdown power of a slug and the fact I can pump another shell into the chamber quickly.

I don't relate to the "It's so much harder with a bow" theory..........but like I said most my kills with a gun are up close and personal. I have to be just as careful picking up my gun and clicking off the safety so as not to get busted as I do drawing a bow.......the amount of motion isn't much different. Also, there are MANY more deer casually walking around during bow season vs gun. Try and even find a deer after opening week........GOOD LUCK!! If you are not driving plots with large numbers of guys your chances are minimal......sitting on stand is pointless.

Now if you are talking about picking something off that is standing in an open field 300 yards away then that is where I start to admire the SHOOTING skills used........not the HUNTING skills.