I just moved to Arizona so I'm not sure what I will use here I'm thinkin my 7 mag , But before now I lived in kansas city, mo and hunted 10 missouri deer seasons my first 2 seasons I used a marlin 336 30-30 but never killed a deer with it, I used it because thats all I had. But after thinking about my needs for a perfect midwest deer gun I settled on a Remington M700 Moutain rifle chambered in .308 winchester. I chose the mountain rifle because of its lighter design a deffinate pleasure to carry around the woods for hours, I chose it in .308 because of the almost 30-06 ballistics and characteristics asfar as performance goes. But mainly for the .308's lighter recoil especially out of a lighter gun even with the .308, it kicks like a 30-06 out of my springfield 03-a3. I topped it off with a simmons 44mag 3-10x44mm scope. A very fair scope for the money it works great so I never bothered to buy something better. I have had 5 successful 1 shot 1 kill deer seasons in 10 years and have killed a total of 6 deer with it. Mostly head and neck shots ( I don't care much for neck roast) From ranges as close as 15 yards to ranges out to 200+. I use Remington express 150 grain PSP core lokt bullets in it and have it zeroed for 200 yards which leaves me roughly just 2 inches high at 100 yards, at 100 yards it holds less than 1 inch groups off a sand bag rest and 2 inch groups at 200 yards off a sand bag rest, I never shot paper at 300 yards but I can't hit gallon milk jugs full of water consistantly. I feel it is the absolute best deer gun. Not to sound Biassed, but I really do. If you decide on a mountain rifle, Remington no longer makes it in a .308 for what reasons I don't know other then maybe low sales. The only calibers similar to the .308 it still comes in would be 7mm-08 and 30-06. I personally would favor more towards the 7mm-08 asfar as deer go it maybe a better caliber then the 308.