I didn't read this entire thread so excuse me if I missed it but I think the op is going at this whole thing bass ackwards. My criteria for shots on deer is how far a shot I can make with 100% certainty that it will be lethal.
I may not be the best writer on the inter webs, so I accept that people don't understand what I've written. My bad.
That said, what you wrote in bold is exactly what I was trying to say.
