Dang, man! Great deer and great story! Now I feel riled up and eager for hunting season! :) Still too hot to really get in the mood but we'll get a little cooler weather at some point, I suppose. :)
This makes me even more antsy to get to the range, though. I've got a fair number of the most promising XTP and FTX loads. I see in your data that H4198 is loading about 100% at just over 33 grains. I've loaded 33.5 under the 240 XTP and 34.5 under the 225 FTX, both looking plenty accurate so far. I made a powder dropper to help with compressed loads and I can probably sneak another half grain or more under the 240 without pushing the pressure too much.

I'm like you...I like the loading projects as much as anything and finding the perfect load just means a good batch of accurate hunting ammo to shoot and reason to start looking for another perfect load with a different bullet and powder combination. :)

I may yet talk myself into that 44 mag barrel and shoot them both for a while to decide which really suits me and then have Troy at Bullberry make me up a nice barrel in whichever chambering wins. :)