Here is my list of USED cartridges/rifles I've taken deer with:

22 Hornet {2 deer}
250 Savage /also Ackley Improved [different rifles{5+ deer}]
270 Win {4 or 5 deer}
30-30 {1 deer}
30-30 Ackley Improved {2 deer}
308 Win [2 deer]
7.62 x 39 [SKS w/handload] {1 deer}
.358 Win [3 deer]
44 Mag [pistol]{1 deer}
45-70 [w/paper patched soft lead bullet] {1 deer}
458 Win Mag {2 deer}
12 ga slug { 2 deer}
45 cal patched round ball {Kentucky Rifle [2 deer]
Thunderhead 100gr [bow]{2 deer}
Wolverine 3P mechanical [75 gr] {1 deer}
Innerloc 3 blade fixed broadheads [100gr] {2 deer}
.....................

I tend to think my favorite of all was the .358 Win. Muzzle 'blast' was more like a muzzle 'boom', too.
The 22 Hornet was an experiment. Found out by trial in bullet medium that the factory Winchester ammo with the 45 gr Soft Point was a GAME BULLET. Beautiful mushrooms, no bullet fragmenting at all. Shot two doe 5 minutes apart at 25 and 35 yards. One dropped dead on the spot, other ran about 40 yards and dropped- both lung shots [as intended]. Mushroomed bullets were found just under the skin on far side of lungs with ribs taken out on both sides! And no, I do not recommend the Hornet, but it is capable IF the right bullet is used. All other Hornet bullets I tried in water medium fragmented as most varmint bullets do.

Deer
.308 with 150gr Hornadys
12ga Remington Fosters
50cal Muzzleloader

Elk
7Remmag with 160gr Factory Corelokts

Moose
35 Whelen with 250gr Hornadys

300 RUM

The usual suspects: .270 Win, .270 Weatherby Mag, .308 Win, .30-06., 7mm Rem Mag, .300 Win Mag., .300RUM. I kept the .300 Win Mag.

Deer, sheep, antelope: 1)270 Winchester, 2) 9,3x74R

Elk and Up: 1)375 H&H, 2) 9.3x74R

#1's are bolt actions, # 2 is a DR w/QD scope

I also have 30-06, .300 Win Mag, .338 Win Mag, 8mm mauser, and .270 available, but I would take the .308 with 180 Nosler partitions for both deer and elk because its a very lightweight gun that shoots well and I generally won't shoot at anything that is more than 300 yards from me.

MAKE IT SIMPLE

7MM REM MAG

DEER: 120 or 140 TTSX



ELK
160 0r 175gr

shoot flat
hit hard
penetrate deep

For 90% of my elk hunting 338 WinMag, follwed by
300 WinMag but if in think woods or close terrrain I would use my 348 Winchester...lastly
would use the 7mm RemMag...

The only elk I shot was with a 30-06. That was when the '06 was my only rifle. I shoot deer with 338 lapua, 350 Rem Mag and 25-06 and those are my preferences, in that order. I would take a 338 lapua if I ever go out again for elk.

.270 WIN
.270 WIN
.270 WIN
wait.. one more .270 win

Have never really hunted many deer or elk but if the chance came on the spur of the moment it would probably be my 06 as I always have a few boxes of ammo for it at hand. I have really not relagated any particular cartridge to any animal except to Elephant and Buffalo. For deer I would use anything from 223 to 375H&H and for Elk I would use anything from my 257 to 375H&H and feel I had the advantage in any case.

Have killed a few deer and some piggies and my choice based on performance would be:

1) 9,3x62 or 9,3x74R DRT little to no meat damage with the right bullets
2) .338 WM same
3) .375 H&H same with the right bullet
4) .470 NE kills well, a bit awkward in the woods
5) .300 Mags often DRT but heavy meat damage
6) .308 Win seldom DRT some meat damage

My "goto" has been either the .338 WM or the 9,3s depending on expected range. Looking forward to seeing the .338-06 work.

280 Ackley for everything up to elk and including elk, why would u need anything else? 120gr v-maxs for varmints, 162gr A-maxs for longer range deer and 160gr accubonds for an all round deer and elk load.

elk/deer
.300 Winnie

Deer only
7-08

It would depend greatly on specifically where I was going.

My rifles and their cartridges are like golf clubs, and you don't drive with a putter or chipping wedge.

I consider my 45-70 to be a public land sledge hammer for deer at close range <200yds, but I also have a rifled 12ga pump gun with an aimpoint on it that is a FAR better choice <75yards.
(power, range and accuracy are nearly identical but these are sighted differently for radically different situations)

I have a win 94 in 30-30 that as yet is unblooded, and I'd like to corect that, it has factory iron on it... so "close in" is preferable.

my 30-06 is good for ~275yards (limied by scope) on anything that walks or crawls, but I also have a 7mmMag that is setup as an "across the cornfield/orchard/beanfield rifle" and is really optimized for a 250-400yard shot.

and I have a semi-auto 30-06 that I trust, but isn't legal for hunting in my home state....

I also have deer loads for my 223 Varmint rig and would use those if it was a "crop protection mission" in the orchard.
(less likely to overpenetrate and kill a beef accidentially)

If my brother said "lets head for the ranch and get an antelope" I'd grab the 7mmMag and a box of 120's and make the elevation correction from my scope card.... (it's normally left sighted for 140's)

Mostly I'd grab the big 7 because I sold my 25-06 to buy another and the second deal fell through... so until I get another 25-06....
and 223 isn't legal for 'lopes in Wyoming
(even though it IS legal for deer in PA)

So WHERE and WHAT determines WHICH to a great degree.


AD

30-06 or 45-70 for most Deer/Elk, though I do have a 22-250 for the smaller desert whitetail we have around these parts.

Hmmm...looking at my first two, I need something more modern, like a 375 H&H...

1. 35 Whelen
2. 338-06
3. 30-06
4. 270 Win
5. 6.5-06



As you can tell, I am "partial" to the 06 case!!

Barstooler

This season, in order of preference:
6mmRem, 7x57, 308Win, 270, 30-06.

This season, I have alternated between 35 whelen and 30-06. Also hunted some with 25-06 and 7.5x55.

Well I guess I'm pretty simple.

I used to use a 257 roberts on both; then in 1983 I upgraded to a .264 for both.

I can't count how many whitetails I've gotten, but I have shot 4 elk with it; and also 1 moose.


turfman

1) 338 Imperial
2) 35 G&H Imp.
3) 9.3x62
4) 45/70
5) 38/55

Ol Bull

What kinda performance do you get out of the G&H; and do you form proper 35 brass or H&H brass.

turfman

deer/elk
7x57
.338-06

deer
7x57
.257 Wby (situational)

Elk only
.338 WM
.338-06
9.3x62

These days I keep things real simple. 300Wby does it all just fine.

turfman, i use 340 weatherby brass and fireform it. With 310 Woodleigh's i get 2475fps. 280 Swift A-Frames will go 2670fps. And 250 Noslers i get 2900fps.

Elk:
9,3x62 Naturalis lr

Deer:
308 Win Naturalis lr

Deer: .30-06

Elk: .375 H&H

Bear: .45-70/ .375 H&H

Everyone of the centerfire rifles I own over 223 (6.5 Swede to 375HHs) would kill any deer or elk very dead. I would not take my 416Howell unless it was jump shooting in bad brush. I'd probably use for elk my 7mmRM primarily because it has a good finish for wet, mountain hunting. But then so do my 30-338 and 9.3x62. The secret is in shot placement. That is the reason the 6.5 Swede kills so nicely. People shoot it well because it doesn't beat them up. Kudude

I tend toward heavy for caliber bullets for everything and for white tail these calibers depending on location, cover, favored rifle, whim, ...

1. 260 Rem
2. 270 Win
3. .30-06 Spgfld
4. 35 Whelen

Deer
270 Winchester
300 Savage
45/70
300 Weatherby

Elk
300 Weatherby
300 Savage
270 Winchester
45/70

ZM

deer/elk
7mm Rem Mag
338 Win Mag
45-70
270 Win

deer only
7mm Rem Mag
25-06
270 Win
7x57 Mauser

for elk only
338 Win Mag
7mm Rem Mag
45/70 Govt

For deer my favorite is the .308 win. because it was all I had as a kid,and killed a truckload(40+)of deer with it. That being said I'm now partial to a couple .257s(Neds) in the family.And,now that thats been said......In order......of most kills 308win,270win,30/06 Sprg,7 m/m rem.,30/30,12 ga.,.22 hornet.22/250,17 rem,.22 mag,and last but least the .22 Lr.(I'm not advocating the shooting of deer with a 22 rimfires,but I/we were hungry,and thats all I had.
As for the bigger stuff I'd grab my .270,30/06,.348,or 350 Rem mag.I haven't blooded the 350 yet....,but that will soon change.
Shoot straight my friends,and have a great evening y'all.

D.P.Reynolds

If I am reading the OP correctly, my first choice is my .35 Whelen, second choice ios my .375 H&H and third choice is my .300 Weatherby.

For Deer only

222 Rem
6.5X54 MS
7mm08
280 Ack Imp
9.5X57MS

Elk & Deer
7mm08
280 Ack Imp
9.3X62
416 Rigby

For deer;
7mmSTW
.257 Weatherby
.300 Win
a couple dozen others basically tied.

For Elk;
7mm STW
.300 Win
.300 Weatherby
.270 Weatherby
Same couple dozen running neck and neck

9.3 x 62
30-06
444 marlin

6.5x55 for bambino

9.3x62 for bambi

270 shooting 150g Partitions for deer/elk

Elk
338wm
300wm
30-06

deer eastern
300sav
30-06
308
270

western
3006
270
300mag
2506

and any other that is close to these choices they all work.

Deer (in NW Wisconsin):
7mm-08
300 Sav
30 Remington
257 Roberts
6x47 Lapua

Elk:
300 Campfire
338 Edge
358 STA