RE: Smallest Caliber For Deer Hunting
I wouldn't use anything smaller than a .243 Win, but I wouldn't hesitate to drop the hammer on a deer with a .243 either. My current deer rifle is a .30-06 (in addition to my .50cal muzzleloaders), but I'm considering getting a lighter cartridge for deer. IMO, at ranges less than 400 yards, the old -06 is borderline overkill for whitetail deer. There are a lot of people who might disagree with me, but then there are those who insist that a magnum is bare minimum to humanely kill a deer. To each their own... but I like having a little meat left if I clip the shoulder.
Mike