Been thru it all...
Kill every deer you see... only kill bucks. Only kill big bucks... kill all deer with a bow, or ML, or pistol ( something to make it harder than it should be). Take friends hunting, take kids hunting....
Let's face it... killing deer isn't a big deal, it no longer instills a great sense of accomplishment like it once did.
What has made me more connected to the land and hunting has been managing the land and herd as a steward. Knowing I've left the land and herd in better shape after each deer season. Investing sweat and money into improving habitat, and seeing how the herd responds by increase in population and antler quality.
I no longer care if I kill a high scoring deer. In fact i no longer care if I kill a single deer. But I still enjoy the heck out of personifing bucks, giving them more credit than they deserve, double and triple guessing my hunts, and SPENDING TIME WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY while doing it.
I'd rather a kid or a friend kill the best deer on my farms than myself. I've put my time in as a hunter and gotten my fair share of rewards.
I'm also having fun turning tough gamey venison into gourmet meals... deer that were almost inedible into steaks that would be worthy to be served at $50 per plate at a fancy restaurants.
But the real question is... what would you do with all those 100s of hours of free time in the fall? Will you volunteer at church? Will you work on the house/ yard? Or will you sit on the TV/ internet instead of living life? What could you do instead of hunting that would give you the greatest sense of connection to life and our God in place of hunting? (there are plenty of alternatives, just make sure you find one!)