Robert Ruark wrote a great novel called "Use Enough Gun". It's a great read in and of itself and it has the bonus of conveying some of the timeless truths of hunting itself. Recommended.
This is more than the record of a lifetime's bag; it is the story of a man's education as a hunter. The lessons that Ruark learned from his grandfather still applied when he shot his first lion on safari in Africa, more than twenty years later. Then there were new lessons to be learned from Harry Selby, the Kenyan professional who became Ruark's close friend. Ruark hunted in India and Alaska, in Mozambique and Uganda, Kenya and Tanganyika. SP.
As for the .223, there's a reason that it is at or near the minimum for deer in every state. It's because it's barely adequate.
Oh, it might be OK for the short shots at small deer as our resident Texan suggests. But it's definitely lacking on big deer at long distance. It's under 1000 ft/lbs at 200 yards in the 55 gr loadings and at 300 it's ~760.
Sure isn't something I'd use on a 250 lb live weight Kansas whitetail running at 300 yards, fer shure dude.
And yes, I have taken one of those, thank you very much. Wasn't with a .223 though.
