You cant kill a deer to dead. 7mm is enough gun to hunt whitetails anywhere in the world But?? I like a 30cal. I am an outfitter from Saskatchewan where it is common for the deer to weigh in the 300# range and have a thick winter hide on them. Most of my clients will bring a 30 cal 300win,300wby,300ulta,30-06,308 ect, this is what i recommend for hunting here. Between our two camps we take approx 65 deer hunters and 25 elk hunters a year for the past nine years. Many hunters have brought 7mm and i have to say that out of all the cals i listed above it is the least effective on these big bodied deer, with the exception of the stw. We have tracked many woundeddeer shot with a 7mm REM.
I have a hard time swallowing this Todd, seeing I hail from the same location and have used a 7mm rem mag to harvest those very same big bodied whitetail not to mention numerous other game animals such as mule deer, elk and moose. I have yet to experience this of which you speak. I have never lost an animal with the 7mm rem mag and I certainly haven't had to track many far. The key with any cartridge is bullet, no your abilities and put it where it counts. Maybe the happenings on your ranch reside with the shooter vs the cartridge...??
Just my 2 cents worth
