ORIGINAL: okcmco
I believe it would be OK and ethical IF THE SHOOTER DOES HIS JOB! But I like to have a little safety margin. What if your only shot is a quartering away shot? What if you only have a moment to fire? If you only go through one lung, you will be more likely to find you deer if you are using a 30 06.
The shooter has to do his job with any caliber to be ethical. PERIOD
GUTSHOT IS A GUTSHOT IS A GUTSHOT.... if you can't hit the bullseye, DONT SHOOT. That is the case with ANY caliber. You cannot convince me that a lost deer that was shot in the hams or paunch was the result of using too-small a caliber. Anytime you lose a deer because it was poorly shot, dont blame the bullet. No other reason than user error.
I'll say it again....if you can't hit the bullseye, DONT TAKE THE SHOT. It doesnt matter what caliber you use. You get no more margin for error with a whizbang magnum than you do with a .243 or even a .223. I won't take a shot with my .308 that I wouldn't with my .243. Split second? no shot. not unless I'm already prepared for it on a solid rest. I also won't shoot at a quartering deer past +/- 30 degree angle. and even then it depends on the shoulders. Running deer? Absolutely not.
That's called shooter discipline. That is the true challenge to rifle hunting. Knowing yourself, you're weapon, your target, and the limitations of your'e environment.
The .243 is a great round for whitetail. 100 Gr. Remington Corelocts are fine medicine.
If you only go through one lung, you will be more likely to find you deer if you are using a 30 06.
Gotta call BS on this one bro. I've had more deer run farther on single lung hits with a .308 (the ballistic brother of the .30-06) than I ever have with a .243. There are far too many uncontrolable variables to say that a larger caliber will make a bit of difference in a specific hit.
Bottom line is that accuracy is THE deciding factor in what caliber to hunt with. My wife will shoot better, everytime, with the .243 than the .308 because of recoil. That said, there is no reason she should use the .308 instead of the .243 for whitetail. I shoot equally well with both, but the .308 hits harder at longer ranges(300+) so that's what I carry.