i've used a 7mm rem mag for 4 years now hunting whitetails. I have only had one deer that didn't drop on the spot and that deer made it about 80 yards. As for tracking that buck that made it 80 yards it had looked like someone had spray painted the trees and snow from about 4 feet down with red paint for the whole 80 yards. It was just a wall of blood. A blind man could have found that deer. In my opinon the 7 is a great gun and i haven't had any troubles with knockdowns or blood trails.