As a "new-ish" hunter recoil is a concern, so I would recommend a .270 for deer hunting.

Remember that a AR is a gas gun and has very little recoil.

The .270 is a perfect deer cartridge that you can hunt with in the East, West, North & South without a concern.



If you become proficient with a .270, you could use it for elk within the limits of that caliber and YOUR abilities !