I have shot a lot of deer with both the 223 and the 30-06 and either can be effective, but there is more to it than that. My kids and grandkids all started out with a 222 and shot only under perfect conditions and they were successful..I have culled in Africa with the 223 and it worked under the conditions that I used it..I have seen the fast 22s fail on more than one ocassion when folks used them beyond their capabilities.
The 223 has limited effective range on big game, it can also fail to penetrate on ocassion, but one ocassion is enough to make it a non deer caliber IMO..It must be used very carefully as it is underpowered. It can be very destructive to flesh and excessive bloodshot meat can be prevelent. Although it works most of the time you cannot depend on it fully IMO...What impresses people is the explosive effect that kills instantly, but when that fails to happen then your deer runs a 100 or so yards and crawls into a thick brushy hidey hole and no blood trail and one deer wasted...
The 30-06 is under all condition a much better big game rifle, It will punch two big holes in anything and leave big time blood trails, sometimes it kills quickly, sometimes not, but you can always find your deer..It can be used at extreme range of say 400 yards and has been effective much further I suppose. You can take a shot from any angle and be assured of full penetration. With the right bullet you can control the amount of blood shot area or increase it. If you wound him pretty well he will lay down, and when you jump him you can stick one up his keyster and kill him on the spot, not so the 223.
The choice is an absolute no brainer IMO....There is more to killing a deer than those nice little instant kills that may or may not take place.
