This post is half in response to the " ethics" post by Duckmastor2 and half to voice my opinion a related topic.
I don’t think a lot of you see what is going on here. As many of you have already said... you hunt private property. A lot of these hunters, yes contrary to popular belief they are hunters, may only see one deer the entire season. I have a friend who shot the leg off of a deer and he made an effort to finish it off. He was not the best hunter or the best tracker. I trailed the deer and killed it. It has a lot more to do with opportunity and anticipation than it does with compromised morals. It is a momentary lack in ethical judgment brought forward in most cases by years of fruitless labor. These hunters get to a point where they are willing to take a shot that isn’t a high percentage shot because they feel that it is going to be their best shot.
With that said bragging about it is a whole other matter. I in no way support this type of hunting but it is a reality that we have to live with. In part machismo and trophy hunting are to blame. These guys are resting their namesake on their ability to bag a deer. They feel that they must harvest and animal to be successful and they will take pot shots to do so.

In the course of human affairs, we make decisions based on what we find acceptable. We all have different ideas of what is acceptable and make decisions based on that. Without fail these decisions will be contrary to what others deem acceptable. There will always be someone willing to go further than you and they create their own critics by doing so. Just as you have a major problem with these hunters, a wildlife photographer may not support hunting and a PETA member may hate it. There is always going to be someone that will be able to tell you that you are wrong in doing something. Does that make it wrong? NOPE. One person may find it to be an atrocity to even disturb deer in their natural setting, while other will openly kill them for food.
I’m not supporting these people actions, in fact I am openly against this type of hunting. But at the same time I extend a small amount of understanding as to why they do this. I guess what I am trying to say is that we should not harass fellow hunters for the strategy they employ to harvest an animal. We should embrace them and try to change their ways rather than fueling the fire for people who are entirely against even the most ethical hunter alive.
I would be a hypocrite if I were against these peoples rights to as they please in a law abiding fashion.

I think making excuses is rubbish. Either you have an oppurtunity for a clean shot, or you wait until next season. If these people can' t control themselves, they don' t belong in the woods in the first place. Hunting is not just about shooting at a deer and gaining bragging rights. It' s about harvesting deer legally and ethically while making the outdoor experience enjoyable for all hunters.

Well said Aught Six.

I can' t tell you how many nice animals I' ve passed up because a high percentage shot didn' t present itself. Especially while bowhunting.

B&C

I agree with you to an degree. I find bow hunters worse that rifle since many shoot deer only to wound them, some deer survive for a while with an arrow sticking out of them. I always try for a kill and spend much time at the range practicing on the rifles I plan on using. Sometimes I have shot at running deer only to miss and most I go for double lung or shoot out the front shoulders. If the deer is running away and the flags are raised, oh well, I don' t do butt shots.

Of the deer I have shot at, I know what my limitations are. If I have a clean shot and those antlers apear, my ability to shoot straight becomes less. If I have a clean shot and the deer takes off, I will trail as long as I can find a trail. Last year, I shot a button buck in rifle season with a slug. He either jumped or I hit him low and the bullet travled on through his leg, missing the body. I could not find him after several hours of looking in the dark. He came within shooting distance again during late muzzleloader and I shot him again, as he limped over towards me. The leg was healing nicely and all meat was good except for that leg.

Tomster

That' s the most rediculous statement I think I' ve ever read.[X(] [:@]Implying that bowhunters are only in the woods to wound game is an outrage. [:@][:@]Rifle hunter lose just as many deer and likely take more low percentage shots for the reasons stated above.[]

Aught six,
I agree 100%. Theses " hunters" think they aren' t going to get another shot because they HAVE to get there deer the first day so they can sit at camp the rest of the week. If they really want a deer that bad then they should put all the time in the woods they can. If they do this then there is no reason they shouldn' t get a good shot at a deer. It' s called hunting, not shooting. Then I hear people say, " well I have to work and I can only hunt one day" . This I understand and it is rough when you are in this situation. what I don' t understand is why people think this gives them the right to go throwing lead at every deer within 300 yards. This subject could go on forever, and we could debate it until we' re blue in the face. It is just one of those topics that can really push my buttons.

Tomster,

I have to disagree with you on the bowhunters wounding more game.

In my personal experience, bowhunters tend to take more caution than rifle hunters. Bow shots are limited in range, more off season preparation is needed, etc.

I' ve seen many more instances of neglect from rifle hunters, most of which didn' t even take their gun out of the case until they got to camp.

Don' t get me wrong, I' m not saying I don' t rifle hunt, or that all rifle hunters are bad. I' m just saying it' s alot easier to take a poor shot with the extended range and confidence a rifle gives you.

JMO....... for what thats worth!!!!! lol

I agree Jason, and I' m not even a bowhunter (not yet ). There' s no doubt that it takes so much more skill and patience to harvest deer with a bow.

Besides that point, when you' re in the woods and the lead starts to fly around your stand, who do you think is to blame? Why, the unethical and dangerous nuts with rifles, of course.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm, Not sure if I agree with this one. If you are taking a low percentage shot just because it may be the only shot you get that year then in my mind YOU DON' T HAVE A SHOT. It may be tough to restrain yourself from a heat of the moment decision but we all owe it to deer to make a clean kill. I know my response may seem invalid since I hunt private land but even this year I passed up the opprotunity for an upper neck/head shot at a nice 8pt. I got lucky, he eventually walked out and presented a broadside shot which I took and folded him on the spot.

In my mind this does not make me holier than thou and I am not attempting to say that I am the most ethical/proper hunter and that things are always black and white. This is simply the way I hunt.

" I guess what I am trying to say is that we should not harass fellow hunters for the strategy they employ to harvest an animal. We should embrace them and try to change their ways rather than fueling the fire for people who are entirely against even the most ethical hunter alive. "

If their strategy is wrong, then it' s wrong. I don' t feel I should make excuses for the actions of other hunters who' s hunting style goes sgainst what I was taught. It' s one thing to stick together as hunters (and well we should) but hunting as you have stated above....is not right and should always be questioned. My 2 cents.