Sounds like spies to me or at least copperheads, a gator from Miami and a gator from Tallahassee, we are surrounded.....
I had to say that in defense of my investment: I know I bought two buildings at FSU by the time the boy left Bowdenville.
Oh, back to deer guns and such:
What no 6.5 fans here?
Gatorbum, you might try the Sierra 87 gr in the 256 with 14 grains of H-4227 as a max load. That was my 10 inch TC load for a couple of years shooting steel critters. Back er down and come up. By the by, if you need brass, let me know, I think I have a couple hundred (no barrel anymore) and the price is right. PM me your name and address and I will put a care package in USPS for you. I have found that 4227 in a small capacity case with heavy bullets, generally gives the best results.
As to the best deer rifle, gotta be the one I walk out the door with in the morning. But I would say that the best all round rifle for the SE would be the 260. It is just a great all round cartridge.
But I do like the new revised modern 30-06 it is never going to die. New powders, new bullets and you have a magnum performer. A man could do a lot worse than a good old 06.
Ed