I think a common mistake people make is picking several different guns for several different types of critters. If you take that '06, you may blow a few up, (hides aren't worth crap this year anyway) but you will find that your old deer/elk gun is much more familiar to you and you will gain confidence in it. After whacking a few dogs at 300 yards, or taking a few on the run, that buck standing out there looks HUGE.