22lr and 12ga are definitely the traditional farm guns, I never saw much else growing up other than a .222 or 17rem with the serious fox shooters.
People thought I was a bit crazy when I bought a 6.5x55 as nobody saw the point in something that big.
Even the local red deer all fell too the 222/223, with probably the 22/250 being the biggest round you saw.
But everyone had a 22lr and a 12ga, that might be why I'm still so fond of them.