[nikto]

from 5-10 ft away? Imagine a cross between eyes and ears, aim there. From the side, aim 2" above a line betwen eyeball and ear hole. The result will be an instantaneous dropping of the animal, altho frontal shots sometimes don't penetrate. A bit of bone inside the skull "spalls off", like a windshield hit by a flying rock. that bone penetrating the brain is enough to drop the critter. Then the butcher steps up and cuts the beefs throat, and a chain is wrapped around the rear "ankle" and the critter is hoisted up to bleed out.

 

[nikto]

A deer is only 10% as big a critter, so the .22lr rifle works to perhaps 50 yds, with the same sort of brain hits. But the impact angle must be very nearly a perfect 90 degrees. or the critter will run off and probably be lost to you. You might find it the next day, with coyote piss all over it and much of it eaten. If you want to risk rabies, go for it.