I've posted this question over on a couple of the survival boards and had a lot of private answers from people who either have shot deer legally or come from poaching families.
The .22 Magnum is probably the favorite poaching round. It is reliable, relatively quiet and both the guns and rounds are inexpensive compared to a centerfire.
Almost all recommended shots be kept under 75 yards where precise placement could be made. One guy who regularly uses the .22 Magnum for deer said if heart or lung shot are made the deer basically acts just like bow shot deer he has killed. If they don't drop on the spot they don't run far.
Some only took head or neck shots.
The round of choice almost to a shooter was the Winchester 40 grain HP. It is an actual jacketed HP not a plated one. They don't blow up but expand and penetrate very well. No one used the new generation hyper velocity stuff.
When I lived out west I met several ranch hands who used nothing but .22 Magnum for daily use both in handgun and rifle. I saw one ranch hand drop a average size Texas doe...heart shot, ran 25 yards and dropped. Have seen deer hit with 06s and .270s run a lot further. But again it is shot placement and not taking chancy shots that will make this work.
I have several .22 Magnums but probably won't ever use one for deer hunting. If I did I'd limit the range to the same as a open sighted handgun which is about 75 yards...
Bob
