I would have to pick my 30-06 with 165gr nosler BT's.

My current favorite deer rifle is my Rem M700 Mountain rifle in 7MM08.. I shoot the Barnes 120 TSX propelled by enough RL-15 to give me around 3000 FPS... Mild recoil and absolutely deadly.... The Barnes bullet kills as quickly as any bullet I have used ( including ballistic tips) and leaves less bloodshot meat...

arguing about calibers is like arguing between a bowtech or a mathews.
A piece of lead through the chest is a piece of lead through the chest.

:party0005: X2, sometimes i think if we all put as much thought into finding deer to shoot, as we do, what to shoot them w/ ,theyd be extinct. (still fun choosing though)

Its true.
Its like broadheads, for gods sake its a razor blade, you can build them in any freaking design you want but its still a razor blade.
Put a 1 inch cutting diameter razorblade through the chest and its a 1" hole, doesnt matter what the broadhed looks like on the outside, or wheter it was shot from a home made stick and string or a 1000 dollar mathews.

ZZZzzzacctly !!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
If your weapon shoots where you aim and your aim is true, then projectile weight, velocity of projectile, and deformation or non deformation of the projectile cause the wound or hole.

It is fun to hear though how different choice of bullet, design, and construction deal good results for all/some of us, or not.

I had some bullets that were titled as "Winchester" bullets i bought from Midway years ago and loaded up a few recipes for my .243. The most accurate load took my biggest deer to date. The bullet pretty much "blew up" causing me to over think that it didn't perform well. Truth is, though I never found any pieces of the bullet bigger than a shred, the bullet flew where I aimed, and took out the entire superhighway of air ways and blood avenues just above the heart and lungs. The deer dropped within 16 feet of the strike. I'd say that bullet performed just peachy!

I've done well with a .308, .243, 30-06 and a few others, but I've killed more game with my Winchester Model 70 in 7mm Rem mag. It likes 139-grain Hornady interloks.

308 Win. 150 gr. Core Lokt factory ammo

yes sir.
The one and only reason I like exit wounds is because if the deer does have enough in him for a last sprint it will leave a better blood trail.
But the truth of the matter is a bullet coming apart will actually leave more damge. I.E. more blood vessels will be cut.
Back in the day hollow points were the rave, nowdays its bonded bullets. Go figure

Ridge Runner,

Is it true that you use a pinch of salt in you handloads to preserve the meat until you can get there ?

That’s a little humor BTW- so you don’t get upset LOL J