I' m new to handguns and was wondering how a gun like this would work for whitetails.
Since you are new to handguns the best thing for you to do is practice, practice, practice. You definately jumped in with both feet in your choice of a 44 Mag, but since you already have it you can get yourself some 44 Special ammo and practice with reduced recoil. A 44 Mag is a handful for a novice. You will just have to stick with it and your shooting will improve, provided you avoid developing a flinch.