.444 - Low recoil, Accurate, hard hitting, with jacketed soft points low meat damage for whitetails. Easy to handload. Or get a BLR in .270win. it looks and feels like a " classic" lever gun and can also shoot good at distance with a scope if you want to set up in a clearcut.

Browning BLR in .284 Win

I love my dads old Savage 99 in 308 . If you can find one pick it up you might like it to. Great action. When I was young, I shot a buck shooting from the hip. try that with a bolt. What ever you get will be your choice, buy what( you} like. Good luck.

I like every post I have read, now I will throw-in a monkey wrench.
How about a Winchester XTR Big Bore-94, 375-Winchester.[:-] I bought one for my father 6-years ago. The 375-Winchester sure does tip them deer over.