I agree with that assesment that the hot 22's are not general purpose deer rifles. However for someone that has taken a lot of deer and is in no hurry to kill one they work fine. Shot placement is key. That said I don't take iffy shots with my bigger guns either.

Sam is also spot on....I have probably seen and had more instant kills with the 22-250 than any caliber BUT if they run they normally bleed out inside and leave little or no blood to follow. I have only hunted deer in the wide open SW with the 22-250, but like the .243 you might not find the deer without a blood trail unless you have excellent plus tracking skills as they can bush up in some naughty places and die...

The criteria might be to use the 60 gr. Hornady SP or HP, both work great, hunt in open or simi open country, but most of all place your shot off of the shoulder or any heavy bone area and slip one of those speedy little pill right behind the shoulder, and it will drop on the spot almost everytime..I would keep the range under 250 yards...I have never lost nor seen a deer lost with any hi vel .22 except the 220 Swift and the 40 gr. factory ammo some 50 years ago..it blew up on the shoulder blade..I was horse back a week later and found that deer some 2 miles from where he was shot..

That said, I have seen deer and other animmals wounded with large to very large calibers.

Shot placement and bullet construction is the key to success, end of story.