Whuddayougot against side by sides, Bernie/David!?
I love 'em - but then that's what I was broken in with, so....
Glyn, the answer to #6 is not all clear. Most guys I know don't trophy hunt; if the head is on the wall, it's also something that made a lot of dinners too. That said, I do know a couple guys who DO trophy hunt....but only after the regular season hunt is done, and they're on a supplementary permit for more. With the freezer mostly full, they are after the one more necessary to fill the freezer and they want an animal that's extraordinary - which also means they oftentimes come home empty-handed. I honestly don't know anybody who hunts for just the wall-hanger. I'm also glad I don't, because that kind of horsesh*t just isn't right with the world. Doubtless there are some that do, but they're not hunters - they're a$$holes.
And to #7, see the last 5 words above.
Deer hunting in the Gulag of New Jersey must, by law, done stationary - meaning, you are forbidden to pursue the animal. Most sit in tree stands, some have those lovely "Texas towers" as blinds. It must also be done with a shotgun, so ranges are closer, minimizing the possibility of mounting your next-door-neighbor's head on the wall. It is also stultifyingly boring.
Bird hunting, of any species, is another matter altogether. A beautiful day in the fields and woods, usually with an amazing dog and a couple friends, is a joy unto itself. Coming from Merry Old England, I am a hair surprised that you didn't get a chance to do some there. No matter - it is a day you must take, and once done, will long to do again. Can't put the right words to describe it adequately - try it and you'll understand.
-Roger