I grew up shooting pumps, 12g and .308. For bush hunting and hunting with dogs, you can't go wrong. If I'm still hunting or stand hunting where the deer aren't running, I go with my bolts. My whole family and half my group uses 7600 or 760's, always lots of deer hanging. In Ontario, where you can party hunt, it's not unusual to have 2 or more deer come out to you, and the pump lets you followup on more than one.