Mmmm... maybe not so safe to say. :-)
I mean, think about it. Did you get "as close as possible" for each of your shots on deer? What if it's 75 yards away, but you could MAYBE close it to 70 yards? Etc. There's a point at which it's a gimmee; take the shot, kill the deer, no need to get closer. Point being- the "gimmee" point will be different for different people.
If the shot is within the capabilities of the shooter, and the caliber will carry the necessary... "stuff" to kill cleanly at the range at which the shot is taken... then it's an ethical shot.
Let's remember, we are using a HUGE crutch, in a high-powered, scoped rifle, to kill animals here! There's nothing "fair" about it. It must seem like some sort of evil black magic to the critters, to have humans be able to kill them from hundreds of yards away and all.
Anyway, lodgepole, i'm not picking on you, just pointing out that it is VERY possible to take a perfectly ethical shot without closing the distance to as close as possible.
-jeff
