Yes & I agree, but that's not in question. The shot itself is in question. But I believe it has more to do with the definition of Ethics more than anything.

Is it ethical to shoot over bait? Is it ethical to kill stray dogs ruining your hunt? Do these questions even relate to hunting ethics or are they strictly personal ethics.

See, I have respect for my father, my preacher, etc. For a whitetail, I have an appitite.

leaving the buck to kick in the leaves while the boy knocked another arrow and waited for furgitter to push him another deer is where the lack of respect showed. that, imo, is greed not respect. I dont want to argue with you jason, but i strongly disagree with furgitter on this aspect.

Its fine to disagree, nobody is telling you to drive deer, or kill as many as you can, or not to finnish them right away. That would be wrong to demand that. So..... dont be telling others that they have to pass on other groceries coming down range because theres a 2 minuite panic attack some dying deer is having. Thats how we hunt, we are not in it for sport, its about poundage of veni. for us here.
Some people look at me a little odd because I dont gut in the woods. Its because I want to gut them at home hanging. Im not a big guy but tomorrow Ill be walking out of a drive with a deer over each shoulder and my bow in hand. (I dont like to drag em either)

Why don't you drag em or gut em the woods?

Too much blood down the back???

hunting for poundage of venny for me is during gun season, we only get 1 bow tag in new york.
I wait all year to "hunt"! I bowhunt to become a better tactician! Whether I release an arrow or not, I am still hunting! Yes ultimately the goal of any hunter is to harvest an animal, but the shots we take are only a small part of the actual hunt.
Trying to match wits with your quarry and outsmart them so that we can take a clean & lethal shot is the real test. Most of us have made a bad shot, wounding a deer that we decided to take, only to track them out and never find them. It's a pretty disheartening feeling. Is it not? Knowing in the back of our minds that it will most likely die and turn to crow food. I know I have and I still regret taking the shot because I'll never see that deer again.
The way I see it is do whatever floats your boat in your woods, but the first time an arrow comes winging by me due to someone trying to shoot a running deer, I'm gonna calmly walk over and commence to beating them:happy0001:

I dont gut em in the woods because im ususlly not far from home, its cleaner to do it at home without all the sticks and leaves getting all over inside, and there is no gutpile in the woods to keep predators in my hunting area. It seems like once someone leaves a gut pile or 2 in that woods the coyotes or wolves take up residency.

I take the opposite approach by intentionally leaving "bait" for the coyotes so I can git their fur! I don't have to deal with wolves, so I can understand your reasoning!
Just don't run with them deer on your shoulders, someone might try to arrow ya'! lol

no, i don't think people think its ethical to shoot a moving deer with a bow! LOL. but seriously that's a bad idea in gun season when most of the "opening day hunters" come out and shoot at anything.

You ever look your son in the eye, and tell them there is no meat to eat tonight because you were worried about hurting a deer? Me either, it was never an option.