You could do much worse than a .308.

I find the .308 to be very docile, predictable, accurate, andjust plain easy.
When shooting at paper, it isone of my favorites.

The .308 also lets youjoin the "sexy" short action crowd....
though the Savage riflemay pretty much offset that.

It will work on deer for sure.
Could even qualify as a "30-06 equivalent" should you lose your waystray out West.