Your first deer rifle?

[Luked]

my very first one I carried in the woods when I was about 13 or so was Winchester Model 94 30-30 lever gun my dad had.
My brother now has the rifle.

 

[Solm]

I've been shooting Rugers for some time and I always go back to the original M77 with the tang safety. You can find them used for a very good price.

As far as cartridge, anything from 6.5x55 up to 30-06 should do without forcing you to deal with more recoil than necessary; however if you've been shooting a slug gun as you say, recoil doesn't seem to be a problem.

If I were you, I'd find a used M77 in 270 or anything else in the above spread and take the money you saved to buy a high quality scope. That should last you a lifetime.