I shoot .12 slug and .44mag when hunting for personal enjoyment. I shoot .308 for culling larger game and .223 for varmints. I inherited and shoot for fun 30-06, .303, and .300winmag.

My next all-around hunting/hiking/stalking gun is probably going to be a .270 because it is a 30-06 load necked down to a .270 bullet (what I understand); it is very flat shooting and zero@200 is plus/minus 3 inches between the muzzle and just shy of 300 yards.

I would have no buyers remorse. Either one is fine for any animal in Texas, assuming a shot with in a 6" circle of the vitals (regarless of what distance).

Two very interesting points you bring up.

1. Unethical is a complex word.

Is it more ethical to harvest a deer with a long bow or shoot it in the ear with a rifle? Assuming equally good shot placement, it is hard to argue that the long bow is NOT more painful to the animal and a bloodier, slower death. If I were choosing how I was going to die in battle, I vote for the bullet in my left ear rather than an arrow through my lungs.

For the niche of people who hunt with spears (I have only met one person who has actually harvested a whitetail with a spear), how would you react to him telling you that you are unethical because you use a mechanical instrument to launch a projectile instead of your own body strength? Where is the line of what you call unethical?

Or, is it unethical to hunt for sport in general? Should you only be allowed to "harvest" a deer if you are in NEED of food? The word "harvest" does sound a lot like farming.

If you are hunting for food, young does taste better than old bucks. So we should harvest yearlings, like we butcher cattle at a young age. Which is more unethical, to kill yearling does for the best meat or old bucks for the best trophy antlers?

My grandmother shot the first whitetail she saw – male or female – because was not hunting for sport. She was “harvesting” meat. There were no early mornings, deer stands or deer blinds. In fact, you could argue that her vegetable garden doubled as a “food plot.” Was she unethical with her open sight 30-30 shooting from the door of her mobile home?

Why is hunting the mott of oak trees ok, but hunting the waterhole unethical as I mentioned above?

2. Private Property Rights vs. Public Property Rights

I don't think you mean that you would trespass on someone's land to shoot a wild animal? If you do, then how do you rationalize the ethics of that action? PS: You do realize that if you trespass on private land with a weapon you will either go to jail, get a big fine, or be killed by the landowner.

Texas, unlike many other states, is 95%+ private lands. However, the sun, wind, water (not always), and wildlife (not always) are property of the State.

If I choose to raise cows, can you come and harvest my cow - of course not. If I choose to raise quail, turkey, whitetail, pigs, or any other animal - just because that animal also exists in the wild somewhere - does that mean you have a right to harvest it on my land? Of course not. What if I have a natural grove of apple trees and wild berries, are you allowed to trespass and "harvest" the wild fruit on my land? No.

Your comments should serve as a wake up call for those who do not realize the perils facing the future of hunting as a sport, as a food source, and as a symbol of the rugged individualism that has defined America's past. Whether you believe your comments, or are just enjoying stirring the pot, I for one appreciate your posts (as long as there are not personal attacks involved.)

I have mine at 1.5 - 2lbs like Hardy. I am a big fan of knowing your trigger.

I think you really want to consider:

what region of Texas (differences is habitat, water, etc.)

is there supplemental feed or food plots?

are you just looking to shoot a deer and have fun or do you really care about mature trophy deer hunting?

and finally, from a safety perspective, think about rifle hunters and their proximity to each other and whether or not you mandate staying in the blind because of how close hunters might be to each other.

With all that said I think you end up with ONE high quality buck per 500 acres in South Texas and West Texas; and maybe ONE per 300 acres in East Texas.

The Hill Country seems different because there are so many deer and so many small properties and if you have water, the deer congregate from all surrounding areas. In general the deer are the poorest quality, but I have seen places with NO quality deer and I have seen times (like right now around good water and protein feeders) when I have seen four great quality hill country bucks at the same time on a 82 acre free range parcel.

.338 is a big caliber and I would think the recoil in a light rifle might be intolerable. I have not shot any of the new mossberg rifles, but I am interested to hear what you find out.

Read the field report about Mr. Whiskers, near Brownwood, Texas. We had a great time. I am not sure, but he might let you shoot his rifle.