Best All Around Caliber for Whitetail and Mule Deer?

[Laguna Freak]

Funny it came up here.
I'm doing load development on a 22 Creedmoor rifle I put together as a gift for my friend in South Texas .
They have a following of 75-88's going fast for whitetail down there.
I have no experience with performance on game but they are moving along fast and is fun to shoot.

Most Texas whitetail bucks harvested field dress In the120 to 150 lb range. Yes there are heavier bucks but they are by far the minority of specimens. And yes, many centerfire 22 cals are very effective on TX whitetails.

 

[Idaho Lefty]

The 120 Ballistic tip at 3k is a beast.

I shot 123 ELD-M's for a while and Yes there was practically, NO recoil !
BUT I opted for, the 10 Percent Higher BC's and the Extreme accuracy from, the 130 gr. M's at, the Longer Distances for, Steel Plate, shooting.
Agree, for Deer at, most "Normal Ranges", the 120 NBT's or 123 gr. M's will, "Get it, Done",. just Fine !