For me, my recent success has been because I have become a much better hunter. Now I'll say I've only taken a hand full of game, but I use the word success meaning I am becoming much more consistent at seeing game before they see me. And in most cases here lately, I am getting shots most every time I go out. Unfortunatey, every time I go out might mean once every few years. This 'success' really has had nothing to do with the rifle I was carrying. So in my case, when working in for that one good shot, I've had the attitude to just carry what I wanted. For me, that means a Ruger #1. My first bull elk came a couple seasons back while creeping through some thick pines. I jumped him out of his bed at 40 yards and a snap shot from my #1 in .338 caught him tight behind the shoulder - he melted to the ground 30 yards downhill from there. Before that, a cross canyon javelina only needed one shot from a #1 in 25/06. Then there was a 3x3 mule deer that I caught walking through the woods about 115 yards away. When I swung my #1 in 7x57 into position, I looked up to see a deer frozen and staring right at me. I didn't squeeze off because I knew things weren't perfect and I had 'only' a single shot, I didn't squeeze because as I stared at the entire body of this deer, the only part of him I couldn't see was the very top of his head. The first thing I though of was, "what if a doe slipped in behind the buck and I'm holding on her." Rule #1 is know your target. I didn't 100%, so I didn't shoot - and, didn't get a shot on him as he moved off. A bolt action wouldn't have given me any advantage here.
Now that I think of it, the only time here lately I've had to take multiple shots at anything with a high powered rifle, I've had a bolt action in-hand. The one exception is the first critter I ever took with a #1. Many years ago I had a jack rabbit running parallel to me about 125 yards away across a ravine. I don't know if people think you have to stop shooting after one shot with a single shot, or maybe they think to reload will just take too long so why take the chance carrying the rifle at all...I got that rabbit with my 3rd shot. I don't know if I would have done any better with a bolt.
