Wow.. deer hunting with a .45 acp. Will it kill a deer? Sure... The precision of the weapon and round is not what I would consider good enough to hunt with, not to mention the .45 acp won't have the range of other cartridges. It would be fine for personal protection though. You might want to consider a revolver chambered in .357 or larger with a barrel length about 5 inches or longer, or even a T/C pistol. I think those would better suit your needs for a hunting pistol for deer. You should be able to get into an iron sighted .357 or larger revolver for around $350-400 (I like Rugers personally, but S&W, Taurus, Colt all have fine offerings that could fit the bill for you), and work your way up from there. The only question left is how much do you want to pay to play? Good luck.