ORIGINAL: Rammer
Really knocks 'em dead, is when they get picked up off their feet a few inches, and shoved back about 10 yards.
The cartridge I have ever seen do that to a deer is a 350. Notice where the decmial is.... its a period. Thats a 350 under the hood of a Chevy Silvarado truck.
There is no bullet coming from a shoulder fired sporting gun that will physically "knock" a deer up off its feet, and certainly not back ten yards. How a deer reacts to getting hit by a 3000fps+ bullet might well have him end up ten yards back.... but the bullet didn't carry him there like the hammer of thor....
As to deer dropping on the spot, I don't have total figures over the years, but I'd suspect that a 30/30 Ackley has been responsible for more no-tracking jobs than any other cartridge for me. Followed by a 30/06, 7-08 and as of late the .204. But that is all about bullet placement. If you shot a deer in the can with a .470 I suspect he'd go a right fair piece.... or you could drill him just right with a 6mm and his back legs will fold up and he will lay down like a kitten for you.