I have a friend who only uses a 22 Hornet for deer, and he's never lost one. The ethical police will tell you not to shoot with anything less than a 300-06 super ultramagnum magnum. But in reality deer are not that tough an animal to kill. They will also tell you not to neck or head shoot deer, which I do all the time, never wounded one that way either. Will a .204 kill a deer ? yep, deader than dead. Are they're better choices for deer ? yes they're are.