mtair, I won't say you aren't entitled to your opinion, but your statement about requiring 1000ft.lbs. of energy at any given distance for whitetail is quite over-reaching...most states with energy requirement laws cut a bottom dollar at 500ft.lbs. muzzle energy, I will speak from experience that 500ft.lbs. is a much closer estimate to the "truth". I won't say that 500ft.lbs. is the minimum to guarantee a clean kill, as hunting and killing isn't all ballistic theory and physics, but a perfect shot even with 2000ft.lbs. is not guaranteed to kill a deer, even slowly...I just feel that claiming trump at 1000ft.lbs. is driving 40mph on interstate.

In the interest of thouroughly supporting my point, I'd like to exemplify some "typical" hunting rounds: a SKS (7.62x39mm) typically has less than 1000ft.lbs. at 200yrds, while I've taken whitetails at twice that range, a .44mag rifle falls below your mark at 100yrds, while again, I've taken deer at twice that range with a Marlin 1894, in a revolver, the .44mag often starts out with barely over 1000ft.lbs., 1200ft.lbs. M.E. is a fairly stout hunting load, being barely over 600ft.lbs at 125yrds, which many consider the maximum range for a glassed .44mag handgun, the debateable .357mag is often lucky to pump 500ft.lbs. at the muzzle, and at 50yrds (check these boards, 50yrds is typically agreed upon to be max range for this cartridge), it may fall as low as 350ft.lbs. even in the stoutest of loadings. I also reiterate that I have witnessed .45acp pistols (ME less than 550ft.lbs) and 9mm carbines (ME often less than 400 or 350ft.lbs.) take deer and hogs out to 30 and 50yrds respectively.