If you' re new to all this, for deer you can' t beat the .270 Win. It has been and continues to be perhaps the finest all-around deer cartridge ever devised. And, if you' re new to this, I' d stick with a .270 for all hunting, including elk. The .300 Win Mag has a bit of recoil involved, and it may not be the best cartridge for a beginner to start with.