It wasn't till I bought an AR that I figured out what was wrong with ARs. And it wasn't a mag poking me in the back for the 100 yard walk to the blind.
The AR hunters I had were dressed in military camos, had a pistol strapped to their leg and looked like Inspector Gadget Goes to War. They talked stories of running head shots at 200 yards that was unbelievable. "If 20 pigs come, none will leave" drove me nuts, and "where the red dot points, the bullet goes" were heard more than once. But they couldn't hit a broadside hog at 75 yards in broad daylight with their SBR.
After I had an AR and several kills, it was clear... it was the hunter with a problem, not the gun.
I have had a few really good AR hunters that have really impressed me. It took a while for the stereotype to wear thin.
I still prefer my bolt guns, personal preference.

I see an AR as more of a tool than the rest of my guns. It isn't pretty to begin with, and it's much tougher, anyway. Nasty conditions would give me all the more reason to take it over my other rifles.

If a man takes a Browning BAR to the woods, by God, he's a deer hunter. Take away the wood and add more capacity to the magazine, and we've got a problem. Now he's using an "assault weapon." Suddenly, the deer have no chance. Sportsmanship is a foregone conclusion. What would Teddy think, you homegrown terrorist?!

It's no wonder at all that gun grabbers have gained as much traction as they have. People, even well-intentioned conservatives, by and large, think with the wrong side of their brain. This is a black and white, common sense kind of issue. Leave emotion and personal preference out of it, except when deciding on a weapon for yourself. Let others shoot what they want. It's their right....for now.

The gun is the tool. I respect the person holding the gun and how they act

I'm debating going with an AR platform this season. I hunt pine plantations and most of the land is thick arse brush and pine rows. I'll be taking 10-200 yard shots from hang on stands 20' in trees. Wouldn't a shorter, lighter rifle work best in this situation? I'm debating between a 30/30 and the AR. Will the AR-10 be too heavy for this? Hunting hogs and white tailed deer. What do yall suggest?

I'd much prefer to see more people hunting with a .308 AR over a .223 or 300 blackout AR

My friend hunts with a .223 AR15 soft point for deer, but he ONLy does neck shots. If he misses its a clean miss and the deer is unharmed. BUt i have not seen him miss yet. He waits for the right shot.

Me I like my .308 AR - a little more knock down power lol

JT, there is no shot like that on a deer. Regardless of where you aim, a miss can get ugly, quick. There is no foolproof "clean kill or clean miss" shot. There's always that gray area that can result in a long suffering deer.

Well said. Have witnessed deer with lower jaws blown off from a neighbor's "clean miss." Painful death as they slowly starve. Also had a guy blow a 3" chunk of meat out of a doe's neck this year from that "clean miss." She lived but had a nasty wound for a long time. As hunters we need to quit perpetuating that myth.

Maybe you could read this article as I think these guys may have a clue.

AR for Deer Hunting

When I sought to build what would be, for me, the most practical all around Texas hunting gun, I ended up with an AR. It is heavy, by many standards, but it hasn't slowed me down any. It's been accurate, fast, and handy. It's been exactly what I wanted it to be.

Both of you are correct and I am agreeing with you, however, I'm old and this is what I see. A standard rifle..used for pleasure and hunting. A AR rifle, a combat weapon used for overkill.