I know first hand that 35 Cal. centerfire hunting ammo works !!I have a lady friend that is an avid deer hunter. She uses her Remingtonin 350 Rem. Mag.Mohawk rifle that her dad gave her in the early 1970's.She takes 3-4 a year with that "little" thing. Ammo has been heck to find, but we scrounge when we can. My brother, up until diabetes sent him reeling downhill with TIA's and failing eyesight about 10 years ago, used an old Rem.tube fedpump in 35 Rem. that Granddad gave him in about 1958.Lord only knows how many deer and hogs that rifle has killed.Once upon a time, and for about 5 years,I used the 358 Win. in a Savage 99. This cartridge is a deer killer for sure, and ideal for "woods" hunting where shots seldom are past 100 yards. Ammo was always tough to findaround here. Igrew tired of hand loading for it, and then seeing the value rise on that Mod. 99, I cleaned it up and it now lives in the back row of my gun safe. The way I look at it ... you like the 35 Whelen, use it.Would be sort of fun to use a "weird" cartridge again rather than my mundane 308 Win.