One thing that can contribute to confusion, is it seems like in the south when they talk about the deer's weight, they are talking live weight. In the north, they talk dressed weight.

An interesting formula I came across: Live weight x .78 = dressed weight x .75 = hanging weight (no skin, head or lower legs) x .75 = weight of boneless meat.

A 250 lb deer in the north would weigh 320 on the hoof. A 250 lb deer in the south would weigh 195 dressed.