Yeah, I think the hunting/killing thing is a matter of semantics. I have a lot of fun hunting but it's more fun when I kill something. And it's more rewarding, obviously. And I know at the point when I am drawing on a buck there is nothing I want more in the whole world than to kill it; it's a very powerful primitive urge.
I didn't get a deer during the early season. Disappointing? You bet. But I still had a fun time, and as always, I learned a lot. And I'll be out there in November.