Or am I reading too much into recent threads? IMHO, new hunters should not attempt big game hunting with pistol calibers. There's a reason that .30 caliber hunting rifles have always been popular: they kill game cleanly and reliably. They'll often do the job even if a hunter botches the shot and doesn't quite put it through the boiler room. Hunters have an ethical responsibility to quickly and cleanly dispatch game. I see too much risk of wounding loss associated with under-gunning. Don't get me wrong, I see nothing wrong with hunting with pistols - I hunt deer with my 44 mag. But new hunters must become proficient and knowledgable in shot placement and ballistics before they should attempt to use thier plinkers for more serious business: killing live animals. Call me old school but I think it's better to go out with too much bullet than not enough. Hell, you can use big game hunting as a reason to go out and buy a new rifle. The last thing I want to do is turn off new hunters, but use the right tool for the job.
Flame on, Dudes!
