I think you would be much better off with a little arger cal. rifle than a .22mag. That is not o say a .22mag can not kill a deer, but I would have to question the effectiveness of such a small cartridge on a consistent basis. If recoil is a problem, look into the .223 or .243.If these are still too much recoil for your daughter try the .22 Hornet. With the Hornet, it is a center fire at least and thus should have a lot more power than the little .22mag. You might even consider the .257 Roberts. If you do decide on the .22mag, I believe a neck shot at very close range would be the most lethal shot and then I would have to believe it should be done by an experianced shooter who also knows the bone structure of a deer and who can cut bullet holes with the weapon they are using. To me there are way to many disadvantages in "trying" to kill a deer with such a small caliber. You might also try the 7mm-08, it is a rather light recoil weapon and has a lot more killing power than the .22mag. Good luck on whatever you decide.