I pack a 4" M24 Smith most of the time I'm at the family ranch. There's been crows, racoons, rats, snapping turtle, and at least one skunk. Surprisingly, no snakes, but I leave them alone unless they're near a dwelling.
Never a deer as I don't carry it while deer hunting and think that's pushing it a bit. I don't load it over 7.5 of unique with the 250 Keith style bullet. Though I once found in a 6.5" version that 16-16.5 of 2400 behind the Lyman-Keith style bullet in incredibly accurate. It seems to generate the optimal pressure for that bullet when cast from heat-treated wheelweights.
