Most of my big game hunting happens here in the Northeast, where rifle weight isn't much of an issue. I'm in a stand or blind. I have hunted Colorado three times, twice when I was in my early to mid 40s, and in 2018, at age 72, as a cardiac bypass survivor. Back when I was young, I carried four different rifles. The lightest was a Remington 700 in 300 Winchester Magnum at 8 lbs, and the others were heavier - around 10 lbs on my shoulder. I didn't find that to be much of a hindrance at the time, including twice hiking to above treeline with a 10 lb 300 Weatherby rifle.
In 2018 I carried a post-64 Winchester Model 70 30-06 which weighed 8-1/2 lbs along with a large backpack. I walked a lot slower than I did in the 1990s!
I'm not a fan of superlight rifles. I have shot a New Ultralight Arms 30-06 some, and it kicked too much for me at 7 lbs all up. If I had to pick a light mountain rifle from my safe today, I would pick a beater Savage Axis 308 which shoots 175 grain Barnes LRX bullets under MOA. With its current scope, a 4x Leupold, it weighs 7 lbs 1 ounce. Recoil is tolerable.
For here in the Northeast, I choose my Remington Model Seven in 7mm-08, which weighs about the same as the Axis, but it about 5" shorter with its 18-1/2" barrel.
Age and infirmity do change things.....
