IMO, you have to address both cartridge choice and action type. I’ve chased mule deer across Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado and Montana. Over the 35 years of spot and stalk hunting I prefer, shots have average a little more than 300yds. Year after year, I found myself reaching for a bolt action 300wby or 7STW although I’m more inclined to use a 270wsm this year. For shots that average 300yds, a bolt action is a necessity accuracy wise.
For whitetails on my farm upstate NY, shots are typically either 225 to 360yds (over a large food plot) or in archery range in the thick cover. When headed to the food plot, I hunt most often with the Tikka T3x 270wsm followed by a LaRue PredatAR 308. If I’m in the thick stuff, I’m usually packing a pump 35Whelen. In other words, I pick my weapon based on where or how I want to hunt. If you forced me to pick one for whitetails, it would probably be a bolt action 270Win or a pump in 35Whelen. For open country mule deer, I’d probably stick with the Mark V 300by. Just my .02.
