Whitetails IMO are an amazingly tuff animal for thier size.The only deer that I ever drop in its tracks was a deer I shot @ 30 yards slightly quatering away w/ a 12 gauge slug.I've hit deer broadside to me w/ a 30.30 & 30.06 right behind the shoulder & they ran,not far but they still ran.IMO the "ideal" shot is a deer quartering away so you could hit behind the shoulder & also hit the opposite shoulder.