is the 357 a deer cartridge. I think i am going to hunt my white-tails with my shotgun but i could pick up a 357 really cheap. what would it's effective range be?

In rifle or pistol? Many will probably say its too light, and while it is a bit on the light side, coming out of a rifle its capable of 100-125 yds range depending on the shooter and the surrounding circumstances. Out of a revolver, 50 yds tops, with broadside only shot placement. If you are proficient and stick to quality shot selection you shouldn't have a problem.

A great many people have hunted deer with the Marlin 1894C rifles in .357.

cool

so a rifel chambered in 357 can kill a deer at 100 yards with practice at the range. am i wrong?

IMO a 357 mag is minimal in a handgun ,50 yd max .
In a rifle it is stiil light but it should work to 75 yds .
I use a 357 mag some times but where I hunt with it the shots are 30 - 45 yds and I use a 180 gr reload that is faster than factory ammo

I've used .357mags in rifles and revolvers (and once in a Desert Eagle) for whitetails, I personally set my limits with this round at 50yrds in a pistol and 75yrds in a rifle. I never got the opportunity to take a deer at anything over 55yrds with the rifle, and only 35yrds with the revolver.

With factory ammo, the .357mag rifle is limited considerably compared to what rifles are capable of. Factory ammo is loaded down in deference to pistols, most rifle receivers are capable of withstanding a bit more pressure than their stubby counterparts. Handloading ammunition can tap this extra power.

is there anyone who would not recomend a 100 yard shot with a 357 mag becuase of energy not shot placement?

I can hit a clay target at 100 yds with my 357 using my deer loads but at the muzzel it has less energy than my 44 mag has at 100 yds . So IMO a 100yd shot with a 357 mag is a bad idea !

I suppose you can as as noted here some have. .357 shooting 180/185gr can't recal which through a brush gun works well but as talked about in prior posts is a short range option at best. I don't think I would go past 50 yards with any real confidence.