I live in Wisconsin and chose to go with a 7mm08. Basically it's on par with the .270, and the 30-06 which are more traditional calibers. It's lighter kicking with a flatter trajectory than them, not that it really matters where I hunt.

It's a gun I can shoot any game I will realistically hunt with in the lower 48 at 200 yards or less. I sight in for 100 yards because it makes sense. Even in big timber country 100 yards can be a long way to shoot through brush. Get up in a stand, and 150 yards is about as good as it gets.

I suppose if I hunted farmland where you could have longer shots, the 250-300 yard ones, then I would practice at those distances. I don't though. No need to.

Honestly, I could have gotten a .243, or 25-06, and would be just as effective at taking whitetail deer. They aren't all that tough. The whitetails taken by my Father and Uncle with their .243s are just as dead as the ones I've taken with my 7mm08, or the .270s and 30-06s that we used to use. Even the .44 my Father has, has taken many deer with ease.

Honestly, I have no desire to go with a more powerful gun. With the partitioned round I use, it's almost too much power.

However, if I was going to go out west, then I would have to make a decision. I may choose to get a more powerful gun should that happen. Even if it did not, I would get a better scope. I have a nice scope for Wisconsin. Not one with a lot of magnification, but great clarity and durable. I would prefer one with better magnification for out west.

I tailored my firearm to my needs. I didn't go crazy like some people do. I've had some people tell me that using anything smaller than a .300 RUM is reckless. Even here in Wisconsin... They believe the BS that is being fed to them.