I will ask a few questions if ya do not mind ......
What is the type of area ya hunt ? Open Plains, scrub in river bottoms, dense woods, short range , long range ?
Do ya plan on using the weapon for double duty for something other than Whitetail ? Mulies, Antelope ? Feral Hogs ?
Do you reload or prefer OTC ammo ?
North Dakota has every type of land you mention in a walking distance. We usually deer hunt in the rugged western part of the state on the foot of the Badlands. You can hunt butte to butte over long ranges in one area in the morning and be driving deer out of river bottoms and shelterbelts in the afternoon.
The long distance work is accomplished well by the Ruger M77 270Win, Leopold scope. It is the short range flushing in shelterbelts and tree line that calls for a different tool. The deer can jump up 20 feet from you. One actually came up behind me this year and ran around me to the front.
You can shoot Mule deer on the same tag in this state. OTC ammo.