If you're going to fire off shots, may I offer a suggestion?

If you don't have a 12 gauge (bore) shotgun, pick one up. You can get a single shot, single barrel for about US $75 or so that will work just fine. A so-called "slug gun" would be best.

For about US $10 each, pick up a couple of packs of "birg bomb" shotgun shells. These are special shells that contain a large firecracker instead of shot. When the firecracker is up in the air, it detonates. Orginally designed to drive flocks of birds out of orchards, and you might have to go to a gun show to get them, although some hunting stores order them.

You can go outside and fire one off at about a 45 degree angle over your property. It will frighten the deer (and possibly the slobs, too!) with two loud BANGS! instead of one. And there will be no shot falling from the skies, either.

(And yes, yes, yes! If you shoot a gun for signal, PLEASE shoot into the ground (check for rocks first)! People have been killed by others shooting into the air.)