don’t believe I have ever used a .22 on a deer...unless I wanted to scare it away, that is...
/johnny
Try 80 gr jhp’s with a 223. Works well.
Pop shot several deer with a .22 while hunting squirrels. He always popped them between the eyes.
A New Mexico cowboy, he grew up eating everything wild. After their ranch house burned down in the middle of the Great Depression, the family lived in the root cellar for 3 years while they built a new house.
BTW, I love shooting small game with my Gamo Whisper. .17 pellets are even cheaper than .22 LR and its verry quiet.