I will use myself as an example.

There is an area in my hunting club that routinely offers 300 yd shots, max, I banged away for several seasons with a 7 mag dealing with more gun size and weight when---??????

Then I thought why bother.I brought my 7mm08, compensated for the 5 inches trajectory @ 300 and did just fine. The deer certainly couldn't tell the difference.

The magnums with higher high BC bullets and a scope with mil dots or ranging bars like the TDS, Leupold, and others work if you play with them. They will make you a better rifleman.

I will say that lighter weight bullets in Magnums can be used faster for more impressive bullet expansion and rapid kills and better putdowns in deer size animals but the non magnum calibers kill them just as dead.In elk etc,the game is different and they deserve a premium expanding bullet
as discussed above.

On one food plot we have a 600 yd possible shot and the 7mm Mag Sendero with Swarovski TDS and laser range finder go there.There is about a 15 minute window with no wind at dawn and dusk good for long distance.For me 450 yds is my max on a good day with all variables ok. I have a buddy who has made a 600 yd shot but I don't consider that possible or ethical for gameshooting for me. The bullet out there is falling like a rock and an error of 20yds due to shooting angle, distance, or wind, makes BIG DIFFERENCES in its trajectory.This is shooting from a shooting house with a gun rest,etc.

If you practice with shooting sticks then I think 250-300 yd shots may be possible. If you don't practice with the shooting sticks then you shouldn't try to shoot them in long range game situations.The worst positions I have shot from are prone with a magnum.OUCH!!

I will agree that if a hunter won't go out and personally shoot close to a box of his Magnum rounds at various distances prior to season that he is better off with a standard non magnum caliber.Other hunters just can't handle magnums period.