MSP: The 06 has better range than the .35 Whelen. The area where I am going the shots are from 40 to 400 yards. Vegitation is about knee high, so you can forget about sneaking up on them. Plus the movement of Caribou is so fast you can't keep up if they are going away from you when you spot them. Often times you come over a rise and there they are 300 yards out, and moving. I won't hesitate shooting the Handi-06 out to 400 yards, do it all the time. Retained energy is very good with the 180 gr Nosler, or the 165 gr Hornady boattail. And NO I haven't sold my .35 Whelen. In fact I wrote a letter last week to H&R and told them that if they make another run of .35s I'll buy another one, since my Dad is constantly trying to talk me out of mine. Dad used it to kill a Moose a few years back and fell in love with it.
Handirifle: Caribou are easy to kill, compared to Moose. The problem with small rifles like the .243 or 6MM is the massive destruction caused by that little bullet. The small bullets produce hydrostatic shock, due to their high velocity. If you hit a Caribou in the shoulder with a .243, that whole shoulder is lost due to hemerage. With a 30-06, you only lose 1/3 to 1/2 the shoulder. 45-70 you only lose about 4" around the bullet hole. I've shot Caribou with almost everything from .234, to .338. The .338 did less damage than the .243.
