Just to throw something out there: here in Northwest Louisiana, the cover is very much like it is in East Texas. By that I mean thick, heavy, dense pine forest. This requires a rifle that is small and maneuverable as well as powerful enough to drop a deer or a pig fast, as it's a pain in the rear to track them down through the undergrowth. Shots are rarely more than 60-70 yards. I use an H&R Handi Rifle in .444 Marlin for most of my hunting in such conditions. Topped with a fixed 2.5 power Leupold, and with a pretty short overall length, it's the perfect brush boppin' gun. I don't have to worry about it being anything fancy that I'm dragging through the pine boughs, and it forces me to value each and every shot, since it's a single shot. The .444 is way more than enough for medium sized whitetails, and in fact, cast bullets will punch right on through, so bullet choice is important. I like the setup a lot for what it is, and it does exactly what I ask of it (which is the same thing you seem to be describing). I'm not comfortable with it past about 120 yards, honestly. For the sake of comparison, another of my rigs is a Remington 700 chambered in 308 Win. It's got a Leupold 2-7x33 on it. It's a much longer rifle, and it's got more weight than the H&R. Obviously the 308 is a terrific cartridge and it's got enough "ummph" to bag most North American game at pretty respectable distances. Now then, I have toted the 700 around the woods and does it work for deer at 60-70 yards? You betcha. Does it work for deer at ranges out to 200 yards or even farther? Also yes. Is it in general a more versatile weapon than a single shot shorty in 444 Marlin? Heck yeah. If you choose a long, heavy 30 caliber bullet, it has plenty of energy out of the muzzle and under 100 yards, just like the 444 does. So, even with the 308, bullet choice can be very important and make a big difference. Basically, I prefer the 444 Marlin for the kind of shooting you're talking about, but with some smart load development, there won't be any noticeable terminal issues with using a 308 instead. Despite being a bit longer, it's by no means impossible to tote a Remington 700 through even the nastiest cover. The added benefit is being able to have a little extra versatility in case you get the chance to take some longer shots on deer/hogs or to try popping some 'yotes at longer ranges. You won't go wrong with it. However, if you're certain that you won't be doing anything like that or if you already have a rifle to do that kind of shooting (in other words, you're looking for a completely dedicated short-range deer rifle) you cannot possibly go wrong with a straight walled big-bore cartridge of some kind or another. Short barrels won't significantly hurt ballistics and they pack the up-close energy to drop any deer in its tracks in heavy woods.
