You need more guidance than this forum can give or your likely to listen too.
Your already shopping for a knife for field dressing when you should be concerned with other things first, like learning the hunting rules and regs of the province your in so your in compliance with caliber and times and locations.
Learning safe gun handling in the field, crossing fences safely, climbing into a tree stand safely, learning how to use a safety harness, learn some basic first aid, learn some navigation skills, learn about deer movements, patterns, the rut etc etc.
You say I'm whining about ethics ???? Being am ethical hunter is an important part of hunting.
You should respect the game animal enough to dedicate an incredible amount if time to learn and practice efficient accurate shots, to take shots within your abilities.
It's an extremely long list that I fail to see how you'll be prepared in a short approx 10 weeks when the season begins.