If one gun is the budget then I 2nd the 870 or Mossberg 500 combo gun. If the budget can take it then I would vote ML for deer in all seasons and a shotgun for sm game and birds. I feel pretty confident on my old TC renegade to 100 yds maybe a few more. For years my longest deer shot was about 120 yds with a Hawken style ML. shooting a patched rb.