Steven Rinella, host of the television show MeatEater, is an avid hunter and outdoorsman. He often uses a variety of firearms for deer hunting, depending on the situation.
In general, Rinella prefers to use a bolt-action rifle chambered in .308 Winchester or 6.5 Creedmoor when deer hunting. These cartridges are capable of taking down even the largest deer at long range, making them ideal for open country hunting situations. However, Rinella also uses lever-action rifles and shotguns for deer hunting from time to time.
Lever-action rifles are particularly well suited for hunting in thick brush where shots are likely to be shorter range. Shotguns can also be effective for deer hunting, especially when using slug ammunition. In close quarters situations or when hunters are looking to take down multiple deer with one shot, a shotgun can be a very useful tool.