RE: Lever action or Bolt action?
If I hunted box stands over food plots or on powerlines or somewhere that I might have to shoot over 150 yards consistently, I'd probably stick with a bolt action. For the type of "in the thick" "waist deep in swamp" hunting that I do, you really can't beat a lever gun. They're typically much handier and balance really well for long days of toting it around. My new favorite will likely be my winchester 94 AE Trapper in 45lc. The only bad thing about this one is that it's typically only good for maybe 50-75 yards.