I've deer hunted with 30-30, 30-06, 308, 7mag, 44 mag, 45-70, 12ga slug, 00Buck, #1 Buck, 50 Cal ML, and 22mag, and the 308 is my most favorite by far. Recoil is minimal, and it strikes deer like lightening.

Right now, my deer hunting rig is a 308 BLR with 1.5x6 simmons. I use 150 gr Win PowerPoints. The powerpoint is a very soft bullet, that expands great. Yet it holds together well enough to plow through heavy bone. Best of all, they are inexpensive. On average, deer run about 20 yds with great blood trails. I've never lost a deer, regardless of shot placement - shoulder, heart, lung, neck. I always get exit wounds of about 2" too.

I'm zeroed 1" high at 100 yds. And feel comfortable out to 250 yds.

The 308 is also great for black bear, elk, moose, caribou, sheep, prong horn, and cougar out to 300 yds. Your biggest problem with the 308 is having enough freezer space.

It's a great rifle, I have a bolt-action Remington .308, and I see no need for any other rifle in the near future for me, since all I hunt with a rifle are Whitetail, Boar, and might even try black bear this December, all of those, the .308 will do fine, my rifle is really accurate, and I have gotten pretty accurate with it, since I was going to the range almost every other week or even sooner.

Like others said, practice, practice, practice!

If ammo being expensive is an issue, then I have a great ammo suggestion for you, try shooting the Federal Powershoks, you can find them at Wal-Mart, make sure your Mom or Dad buy them for you, because a 13 year old isn't eligible to buy ammo, but you canjust give your dad the price of the ammo in cash before you walk up to the counter, and he'll pay with his credit card, or with the cash you gave him.
The Federal Powershoks are cheap at Wal-Mart in comparison to other ammo, you'll be able to tell the Powershoks from the rest of the ammo, because of the dark, blue box.

Good Luck!

my dad has used a 308 for as long as he has hunted (30-32 years). He has harvested around 140-150 deer, and I can tell you that he only changed calibers because he now regularly shoots long distances and needs a larger caliber(300 WSM).

I have killed3-4 bucks with his older 308 when I was your age and have had only one buck that I did not find(300+ yd shot). Last year I bought a new 308 before rifle season and killed 2 bucks with it, dropped both of them in their tracks!

.308 is my favorite caliber.It's great for deer hunting and a great choice for youth.