I shoot several mule deer every year while working, deer of all sizes, that have been struck by vehicles and injured. I shot one this morning about 2:00, in fact. Often a dozen or more in the fall and winter, fewer in the spring and summer. Sometimes their injuries are obviously massive internal organ damage immobilizing them, while other times it is one or two broken legs that greatly impairs their running and jumping.

The areas I have to shoot deer are generally along the double lane roads circling the valley that are at the bases of the foothills of our mountains. Much of it is farm or ranch property, some belongs to a large mining concern with little development or structures, some is fairly well filled with residential housing and much of it can have heavy traffic. So, I have to take shots which minimize potential damage downrange, which impacts what part of the deer I can shoot and the angle of the shots I can take.

The first 10 years, I carried a 6 inch .357 Magnum usually loaded with Federal 125 grain JHP ammo. Every single round I shot into a deer completely penetrated and exited the part of the body I shot, be it chest and shoulders, neck or head. None of them needed 2 shots before expiring.

I have carried a Colt 1911 of one sort or another since returning to uniformed assignment for the last 8 years. Either a 5 inch or a 4-1/4 inch. The department has progressed through Federal's original Hydro Shock developments, first the one with the post in the cavity, then without the post but still with a truncated bullet profile, then the rounded ogive without the post, now the bonded HST. 230 grain, all of them, and Plus-P.

The bullets have still entered and exited the deer every time, chest and shoulder, neck or head shots. The deer seem to physically react less to the .45 than the .357, taking longer to die, it seems, sometimes moving a little further before they go down, and a few times I shot them a second time to hurry things along.

The longest shot was, strangely, on the biggest deer that was the least damaged. He was a very big 4 point mule buck. The motorcycle that hit him broke both of the deers front legs, about half-way between the hooves and the torso. He was hobbling along, about 30-35 yards from the road edge, trying to climb the hillside bank the road had been cut into. He took about half a step after one broadside, heart and lung shot, fell down and had stopped breathing before I could climb up to him.

If I had to shoot deer with a .45 ACP, I would use a 230 grain expanding bullet at Plus-P velocities, either factory or handload, and I would keep my shots to to 35 yards max and then be picky with my angles. I would take shots with the .357 Magnum out to 75 yards if the shot was clear and angle was correct.

The normal range at which you encounter the deer, as well as the size of the deer, would determine, for me, if I would use the .45. I couldn't ever see choosing it over the magnum revolver rounds if given the choice.