......Over here it's a lifestyle too. I spent 2 great years as a Pro-Stalker.
The 4" disc test is one of competence not of regulation. It is driven by respect and is common across Europe.
Don't confuse firearm regulation and hunting Santaman. In many many respects hunting in the UK is much LESS regulated than either the U.S. or Canada......
I think we're approaching the word "lifestyle" from different directions. You're apparently thinking of it as an
individual's lifestyle whereas I'm thinking of many generations of most of the rural population. It's a
way of life to the extent that some counties school systems take a holiday around the opening weekend of hunting season. It's a
way of life to the extent that different businesses in the Western states offer large prizes (guns, 4wd hunting vehicles, etc) for record deer or other big game in a given locale. Prizes based on things like: 1) the first deer/elk/cougar/etc. taken, 2) the biggest one taken, 3) the one with the biggest rack (most points)
You may have experienced it as a way of life personally, but I haven't heard you mention it as an overriding part of your entire family, friends, village/town/city/county/etc. to the extent that you have difficulty believing there are actually people over the age of 5 who have never hunted.
So tell e more about this competence to hit a 4" disk at 100 yds (or was it meters?) Do you do it in a manner that approaches actual deer hunting? I.E. a deer running across rough terrain in front of the dogs? Or is it stationary from a rest? No we don't use dogs when bowhunting but you were talking about rifle hunting.
Agreed that firearms regulation and hunting regulation aren't synonymous and in many ways your hunting is indeed less regulated there. In others, not so much: you don't allow centerfire 22 calibers such as .223 for small deer IIRC nor do you allow shotgun, and you've banned hunting such as fox hunting for it's own sake rather than based on population control.
You referenced the 4" test as if it were a legal requirement so I took it as it was. If as you now state, it's not, I stand corrected.