Every year it's possible to read at least one article in almost every hunting publication about what is considered the perfect caliber for deer or elk. Recent groups of new cartridges on the market have made that perfect list grow even larger. To decide the perfect choice for the rifle and caliber of your dreams you should consider a few things. Where will you be hunting? Open terrain where long shots are the norm? Heavy timber, where the longest shot you may take is less than a hundred yards? Or a combination of both? What game animal will you be hunting? If you live in the east and hunt whitetails most of the time and never consider heading west to hunt mule deer or elk then your choice may be different from the hunter who may have the opportunity to do both. The western hunter who is rigged for the wide-open spaces may want to consider something different when hunting the eastern forests.

I thought about what my perfect choice may be and came up with the following. First, the rifle would have to be relatively light, seven to eight pounds including scope, ammo and sling. The barrel should be about 22 inches. The stock, a good composite. I love the looks and feel of wood, but I am always afraid of doing damage. The composites are hard to damage but are very easy to repair. The sling should be of good quality, one that will support the weight of your rifle all day without fatigue. The scope should be the best you can afford. I find a 3x9 is about the right power for most hunting conditions, and a good scope cover is essential.

The next, and quite possibly the most important, and without doubt the item that draws the most controversy is what is the best caliber? As you read about the latest super magnums, the range finders and tactical scopes, and listen to conversations from hunters who want to be able to kill elk at 800 yards, you wonder whether we are hunters or just shooters?

I have probably used the 30.06 on more game than any other caliber. I shoot it well and for many years it was the only rifle I owned. The terrain I hunted was semi-open and shots were not more than 300 yards, for me it was a good choice. A number of years ago I had a 25.06 built on an old Springfield action I had. This was before Remington legitimized it and brought it out for over-the-counter purchase. I found the 25.06 to be a great dual purpose cartridge. A great deer caliber with 117 and 120 grain bullets and a wonderful long range coyote rifle with 87 or 100 grain bullets.      Another favorite all around caliber I use is a 7mm Ackley Improved. This is a cartridge built on the old 7mm Mauser case. It is great for deer, antelope and, under the right conditions, I would not hesitate to use it on elk.

A few years ago on an elk hunt I found that as hunting pressure increased all the elk were moving into a heavily timbered canyon. After hunting one season in that thick timber, I decided that a heavier caliber would be a perfect choice. I had done some reading about the 35 Whelen and decided this may be a good choice for heavy timber. I have not been sorry. This is not a caliber to be shooting across canyons with but within its capabilities it does the job beautifully. The quick knock down power generated by this cartridge along with outstanding penetration has made this rifle/cartridge combo my "perfect" heavy timber gun. It is also one of my most accurate rifles.

I have friends that have had great success with the .270 Winchester, .280 Remington, .338 and .300 Winchester Magnums and the .7mm Remington Magnum. The new short magnums all perform well and I believe for the next few years they will be the basis for even more new cartridge developed. We hunters have never had it so good with so many choices available.

Jack O'Connor said once, "Game is killed by exact shot placement not by a loud noise and a big kick." As hunters we should choose a caliber that we feel comfortable in shooting and adequate for the game we are hunting. It should be a caliber that will perform at reasonable shooting ranges and one we know we can hit at that range through constant year-round practice. If you abide by all this, then when the opportunity comes along you will make the shot and whatever you are carrying will be your perfect rifle/cartridge combination.

A few years ago I hunted with some friends and their dad. Dad was getting along in years and it was very difficult for him to get up the hill to the areas we hunted. He had a special spot on an old log we called the rocking chair where he would sit and watch a small clearing. The rest of us would hunt the surrounding timber and drive the deer toward that clearing. His "perfect" rifle was an old long barreled 30.30 with open sights. I can never remember him missing a shot. The hunter, rifle and caliber all performed within their capabilities; what more could you ask?