The thing of it is, not many people actually "hunt" anymore, but instead they sit and wait for a deer to come to them. The main difference being that when sitting, the shots presented are generally a lot better than when out stalking and walking. A 223 with the right bullet is plenty good for the sitting style of hunting that most people do now days. Shot placement is key with any type of hunting, be it rifle or archery or muzzle loader for that matter.