I've only had to cut 1 deers throat and I just used a knife I had in the truck. I was coming home from hunting and hit one with my truck knocking it down in the ditch. I turned around and pulled down in the ditch and she was still good and alive and actually kicked me. This would've been a whole lot easier if I hadn't hit the deer right in front of the main entrance of a state prison because if it would've been anywhere else I would've used the 7 mag and not got kicked but I figured I probably didn't need to shoot the rifle off right in front of the prison.