I took my last deer, a doe, with my .243. It was a head shot at about 75 yards. She was about average for a California deer, small, around 120 lbs live weight. I do wonder what might have happened if I hit her in the heart/lung area. Naturally she dropped like a stone with a 'twixt the eyes shot.

The previous year I shot a doe in the heart lungs with my .30-06, 165 grain handloads. The bullet exited after causing massive and fatal trauma. The range was also under 100 yards. She dropped right away, but then struggled. She'd have died in a minute or two, but for her it would have been a long minute, so I gave her a coup de grace.

I wonder if, on a small deer such as we have in California, that a smaller, lighter bullet that doesn't exit the heart/lung area might have been better. I haven't shot enough deer to have my own opinion on this, but I think the next time I go on a doe hunt I may use the .243 again.