Having a chance to look over literally thousands of deer and hear thousands of deer stories was a great opportunity for me to learn what kills deer outside of my own field experience. From rifles, shotguns, muzzleloaders, cars, trucks, pistols, bolts and arrows. I seen and heard it all. Every fall we would line up slugs, bullets and broad heads on a wall perlin. Few of which actually killed the animal, but were still in it.
Moral of the story, shoot them in lungs/heart or don't shoot.