I handle a bolt gun as well as my levers and semiautos the latter being AR15's in various chamberings. My lightest deer rifle is a 16" Rossi in 45LC. Got a brand new one after my stepson scratched up my old one. I seldom get second shots in a quick fashion in the thick stuff as it doesn't take long for a deer to make one jump and get out of sight. I do like messy blood trails, something the smaller bores sometimes don't offer.
I grew up hunting whitetails in ME, NH, and VT where, in those long ago days, the split between open terrain, like dairy cattle pastures, farm fields, clear cuts, and power line ROWs, probably accounted for no more than 20% of the land, with the balance being wooded cover where a firearm capable of making rapid follow up shots at running deer was a tangible benefit. Even today when I still hunt trophy grade bucks in tight creek bottom cover I am more likely to carry a short semi-auto, like a Ruger 44 International or a Winchester 100 in 308 with 17" barrel, then any bolt gun, even though the first shot that presents itself is likely to be the best shot.
Another one of those situations were different people who have different experience in different situations use different gear in an effort to achieve a desired outcome.
