I have met too many younger guys that don't think a 30-30 cannot kill a deer. They think you need a 300mag. Its rediculous.
I don't know. I hear a lot about these mythical "younger" guys on the net who think that they need magnums, but I very, very rarely meet them in real life.
I'm sure they're out there, but I think to a large degree they're mostly myth. People like to feel superior, and if they can tout their choices as evidence of the wrongness of another group, then that helps out.
Maybe it's just the area I'm in. Not sure, but everyone I've met has had plenty of respect for the old calibers. I know at least several dozen other hunters. Only only I know that uses a "magnum" is actually an older guy, and it's a .270 WSM which has magnum in the name, but isn't really "magnum" in power levels. There's a little of everything, but most commonly I see .30-06 and .270 (which are the two rounds I mostly use - I have 2 .30-30's and do occasionally take them out - they'll definitely kill deer but sometimes I hunt clearings where they just don't have the available range I'd want).
Indeed, I rather tend to see people going a little too LOW in power for my tastes. Seems for many there's a race to the bottom to see just how little gun they can use. I know of 1 guy using a .223 this season, and another using a .22-250. The WORST is one guy in particular who just has no concept that certain bullets aren't good choices for hunting. He's older(ish - just shy of 50) and admittedly is looking for reduced recoil due to having shoulder surgery a few years back, but he's hunting with a small Marlin carbine in 9mm Luger with hollow-points this year. Being a centerfire with non-FMJ ammo it's TECHNICALLY legal, but it's just foolish. A heavier .243 would work SOOO much better and would have light enough recoil that I'm sure he could handle it, but oh well.