I have shot a fair few deer - into the hundreds, I started off with the .243 and shot plenty of them with it, from rutting red stags to muntjac and never found it wanting. I generally neck shoot and used a 105g Geco soft nose through it and always enjoyed shooting it as it was so smooth. But, like most of us, I believed somehow that a different calibre would kill deer better! I read lots about the .308 with its great knock down power as I do lots of woodland stalking and so I bought one. I also do a fair bit on the hill, especially on the hinds and again felt that I needed a flatter shooting harder hitting round so researched and spoke to stalkers and ended up settling on a 25-06. I was hoping this was going to be my go to rifle in the cabinet as everyone told me it was better than the .243. Both rounds are great, and lots of people love them, I can see why, but I have now gone full circle, I have gone back to the .243. The reasons; I am not a home loader and ammunition is easy to get, it is beautifully smooth to shoot (thus you can be very accurate as no shot flinching) and if you put the bullet in the right place it does its job as well as any I have shot. I have come to the conclusion that mine does everything I want it to do. In simple terms it may not have the knock down power of a .308 or the flat trajectory of the 25-06 but it suits me very well and it does do the basics very well, put deer down.
Happy stalking.
Happy stalking.