Well you should know that Theodore S. Van Dyke, reknown deer hunter and one time guide for President T. Roosevelt, and author of
The Still Hunter https://www.amazon.com/Still-Hunter-Theodore-Van-Dyke/dp/1612037240 thought the Winchester '73 in of all things, .44 WCF [.44-40] was a most excellent deer rifle out to 200 yards. Now today, I'd venture that folks would say the 200 grain, lead alloy or all lead bullet launched by that cartridge at 1100-1250 fps is too under-powered as a good deer cartridge even at 100 yards. Yet he took a lot of mule deer in California with it. (Today in my state it's not legal as a deer cartridge as it's too under-powered).
Now the .44 magnum is just fine out to 100 yards as a deer cartridge. Where I live I cannot hunt with a cartridge rifle [shotgun or muzzleloader only], but my neighbor, an older fellow who is just about 80, absolutely loves his vintage Ruger semi-automatic rifle in .44 mag for deer, as he has land outside the "no modern rifle zone". He gets at least one deer a year, sometimes two. While the Ruger semi-auto is no longer made, Ruger does make a .44 Mag lever-action, as do several other companies.
OH and I asked him once, why the semi-auto instead of a Winchester or Marlin lever-action. It wasn't because he needed a quick extra shot..., in fact he only needs to shoot the deer once as his rifle is accurate in his hands and the .44 knocks the deer down fast.. No, he found the joints in his hands where his fingers start have arthritis, and it hurts to work a lever action on the down stroke when there is a spent shell in the chamber resisting removal. Now the semi-auto puts different pressure on his hands to work that action, doesn't hurt him, and that's why his sons bought him that rifle years ago. Plus not having to track the deer far if at all, is a plus at his age.
Coincidentally, my black powder rifle launches a 225 grain all lead projectile at about 1400 fps, and his favorite load these days is Hornady .44 "leverevolution" ammo also in 225 grain and going about the same speed.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/7...magnum-225-grain-flex-tip-expanding-box-of-20. Now my patched round ball sheds velocity a lot faster than the Hornady ammo, and I've taken deer without problems at 100 yards, so I don't doubt that my neighbor has no trouble with his .44 magnum rifle, nor would I think that you would have trouble, when you find a good, accurate round.
LD