As long as they are legal everyone should hunt on their own terms. I hunt the way I hunt because I enjoy it, not to get in a book, not to impress anyone with my skills, etc. If you are not hunting on your own terms how can you enjoy it?

I guess this didn't come out right.

What it was meant to try and do, is show that not EVERYONE takes the same approach to killing deer. Some guys try to maximize thier hunting repitoire to be ready for any chance they are presented. Other guys have an otherwise defined criteria, and only shoot deer under those conditions.

I think everyone hunts under their own terms. Perhaps a better question would be "what limitations do you hold yourself to?" or "under what terms do you hunt?" I don't know, I'm still searching for where you are going here. Is this on track with what you are thinking?

I take every advantage that I can get. However, it should be noted thatI have never feigned a disability to get a crossbow permit or put up POSTED signs on my favorite stretch of gamelands. Yet. LOL [:-]

Everyone doesn't take the same approach. The problem is that some people think that if you aren't taking their approach then you are lacking in something or are an inferior hunter or something else that would place them above you. When they begin to force their approach on others I begin to lack paying attention to them.

Yes, huntingbry that's sort of where I was going, I just didn't want it to turn into a "I limit myself more than you so I am better" I just wanted to let everyone lay out thier "terms" and show that sometimes people do impose restrictionsupon themselves and the way in which they hunt other than a rack/agelimitation for bucks.

It all basically stemmed from me and germ pretty much limiting ourselves to 20 yd shots and not really even planning for anything farther and some people didn't seem to grasp that someone would actually limit themselves in that way.

bruce ... well said

rybo .... I still am confused ..... it's prolly just me

Gotcha, and I know I'm one of the ones that has a different view than you guys on your self-imposed 20 yard limits.

One of the best things that being on this forum has taught me is to appreciate other people's styles and preferences in hunting. Being as opinionated as the next guy I used to have disagreements with people who did things in a way that I didn't feel was "right." Many other people were/are like this as well and I left the forum only coming back during hunting season to congratulate old buddies on their success. Now I have learned that there is no "right" or "wrong" even within the confines of the law, because each state has different laws. So, I try to be open to other people's styles and even if it isn't for me I listen to their perspective. This has made participation on the forum much more enjoyable and I've learned more because of it.

So, with that being said, here is what I try to limit myself to:

A buck better than my last. Shots 30 yards and in with special exceptions when optimum conditions present themselves.

I prefer treestands, but will construct a blind in the right situation or if suitablea tree is not available.

I use calls and scents sparingly.

I play the wind, and keep mindful of my scent along with employing scent control technology (sprays, cover scents, carbon suits)

I try to take does from the areas that need the numbers reduced.

I will not shoot more than I can eat unless I have someone to give the meat to or know that my butcher is accepting Hunters Helping the Hungry donations.

Those are my terms, but their always open to change.

Yes we all have things we do different than others. My 20 ydrule is because I want to limit the chance of something "Bad" happening. Within my 20 yard radius I feel I can put a killing shot on any deer.

As for not using a range finder, well it really is very simple. I sight my bow in to my20 paces. So I march out my 20 paces and set up my "kill zone" at my stand sights also.

Same for 3d I sight my bow in off my steps. When I check distance I step it off. To me I just get a better "feel" of the distance. Some people are visual learners, I am not. I need to experiance the distance and this helps me in the field also.

When I go west I will have my Leica 900 Scan

So Germ, who makes the rangefinder you use for deer Danner, Muck, Rocky, Lacrosse?