Right or wrong, here in NC there is no minimum caliber listed in our game regulations...It's up to the hunter to choose...

Frankly, I like that approach...

Personally, I have killed at least 25 deer with a 22-250, this was back in the 70s and many were shot in the summer while eating our peanuts...It was very effective...Now, 30 some years later, we have the 60gr Nosler Partition for both the .223 and the 22-250...I have a niece that has used this bullet on 8 deer, never lost a one...The advantage to the Partition is full penetration, she has had that on both lung shots and high shoulder shot...I have cleaned 4-5 of the deer she shot so I've seen what that bullet will do...

Now, I would not go out and buy a 22-250 or .223 as my go to deer rifle...I use a .243...But you also need to remember that there are many guys that love to target shoot, reload and varmit hunt with these .22 centerfires...Many of these are excellent shots...

I'd rather see a fellow like that use the rifle he is used to rather than see some of the guys I've seen show up at the deer camp with a large bore rifle that they are scared of and don't shoot much...