I would guess that if a pint is a pound roughly in liquid measure, then that is about how much deer meat it will hold. The liquid in the meat almost fills the jar and the liquid would be where most of the weight is.

I usually put a couple of inches of water in my canner then put the jars in. The jars will make the water rise some. I have never run dry, but I have not kept it going for an hour and a half. I think, once you get the pressure up, you do not lose much steam(water) just holding that temp. If that is the case, you would not use much water. If Steve Hall puts water up to the bottom of the ring on a pint jar, that is not really all that high. If I was using quart jars, I would not try to have it up to the ring on them, I think that would be too high. Do a cooking of pint jars with the water at the ring, you should not run out. After it is done and cooled, see how much the water level went down before you take the jars out. That should give you an idea. Let us know.

I am sure you know that you use Vasoline on the edges where the top and bottom come together. Not much, just a little to make a seal.