you can go one of two ways
nice safe queens or Hunter types
I find nice guns dont get much use (they have to stay nice) or single shots, I love sinleshots (have a few) but dont hunt much with them, my fave carry is one of three, a Marlin 60, The Taurus 72, the Remington 552 (i have ruger 10/22 but dont like them hunting because the stock and sights)
In the end if your going to be spending more time in the field, get a gun your comfortable with and can hit what you aim at, it should carry well and has a good supply of ammo, all that time spent in the field is wasted if your loading a second shot as a wounded critter makes trax for the next township.
most centerfire calibers do well at 300yds, a distance most normal sportsmen would have a time of it hitting the vitals of a Deer size target in a split second decision to make the shot or not.
I know a few friends, relatives and neighbors that carry the .243, #2 choice is the 7mmx08 #3 is the 270 & 30-06
mild shooting rifles that work well on big midwestern white tails and mulie
, with lighter bullets do ok on coyotes.