Hunters have lots of arguments that don't make sense to non-hunters. Asking a hunter "What's the perfect deer cartridge?" is like asking a farmer "What's the perfect tractor?" The truth is, no rifle and no tractor is perfect for every person or every situation. And Ford versus Chevy arguments are just as fruitless. But answer the question "What's your favorite deer cartridge?" and no one can argue with you.
What's one hunter's fave isn't likely to be another hunter's preferred caliber, so both can agree to disagree. A lot goes into the answer. How far are your shots? How big are the deer in your area? How much recoil can you tolerate? How available is ammunition? Do you handload? How many rifles and calibers have you tried? Get a discussion going and many more questions will come up.
So the answer isn't that one hunter's favorite should be another hunter's favorite. If it were, we wouldn't have dozens to choose from, and no more would be developed. How did you arrive at your favorite cartridge? To read how I arrived at mine, check out this week's column at the Jamestown Gazette: My Favorite Deer Cartridge—the 7mm-08.