RE: New to Hunting...
in that budget, keep a close eye on the used market, you'll get more "bang" for your "buck"... and ya, practice is more important than the gun you buy... .260 and .270 would be my first choices depending on how familiar you are with guns and shooting... ruger, remington, winchester, etc. all make top notch guns, find the model you are most comfy with and then find a way to afford it... you can get a pretty decent new scope for 200 bucks... but for 600ish you should be able to find a used rifle/scope combo that'll work great for ya... welcome aboard, its a great adventure...