I myself use a 270 win when hunting white tail deer. It does the job. I have used a 30-06 a time or two on white tail, but found it a bit much for the deer that I was hunting. I shoot through the shoulders. The bullet that I used eas too heavy. It was a 165 grain NPBT. and blew the other shoulder almost completly out of the deer. But if you want a gun that you can hunt anything in North America with, than you got it in the 30-06. I have never been a 30 cal. fan but you have to give credit where credit is due. Very good all-around cal.