You can't go wrong with the .30-06 and a good 165gr bullet IMO. Although I prefer to use my .260Rem for deer, I've killed 2 mule deer with.a 30-06 shooting a 165gr cartridge (165gr Hornady SST and a 165gr Nosler AB), neither of which took a step after being shot. I only took those two rifles afield because I hadn't killed anything with them at the time.
