Ah. Well, you could handle a .30-06. The only thing I can say for the gun matter is, get out there and shoot different calibers. The .270 is flatter shooting than the .30-06, but is not as powerful as the .30-06. The .243 is a great deer caliber, and has less recoil than both the .270 and .30-06. It just depends on what you'd prefer. There are so many calibers out there, but these are the three most widely used calbiers for deer sized game. You could get a .308, with recoil similar to a .270 and a heavy bullet to battle through brush. A 30-30 is a solidbrush bullet, but isn't great for shots over 200 yards. Again, just get out there and experience it. Go to local gun shops and talk to some veteran hunters that hang there.