They hunt deer when an abundance of them are around. Too many cause problems to farms and property,therefore hunting season exists. The Vietnam war can be viewed as too many men are available as the population explodes. These wars are a sort of population controller. Just a theory I had on the film.
shareNo you're over thinking the hell out of it
shareBefore the war they were just deer hunters/steel mill workers. That's it. Micheal especially. In the beginning of the film we learn about each characters personality and get an idea of who they are. For mike it was one shot hunting, and since the movie is seen from mostly his perspective he's the deer hunter. For nick it is gambling (he's always making bets early on in the film), therefore he's the gambler. Stevie is portrayed early on as a person afraid of change and is thus the cowardly one. After the war nick and Stevie retain only these qualities because that's all that was left of them (they pretty much died in the war). Mike returns but can't adjust after the war and feels disconnected. That's due to his inability to return to who he was before the war, which was just a deer hunter, since he now knows the true value of life and how ending one is much more than just another "one shot" kill.
shareThe Deer Hunter is a metaphor for deer hunting? Are you effing serious?
shareThat's a bit on the nose, isn't it?
Bored now.