The 30-06 is my favorite round ever! That being said you should go with the .223! You don't need a 30-06 to shoot varmit (although it is fun). .223 will accomplish everything you need at a fraction of the cost and recoil. You can't use a 30-06 (legally) for deer in Indiana so go with the .223.[/quote]
You CAN NOT USE .223 to Deer hunt in Indiana either!
I would say, get both!! They have different uses/puposes. If you ever want to hit something out at 300 yards with a punch, you will need the .30-06, for closer in, smaller targets, the .223 will do fine.
Really, I can drop man sized targets 1t 800+ yards with .223 Rem...
+1 for the .223. Way cheaper to shoot. Besides, ever hit a rodent with a 30-06? I thought I did once, but I never found the proof.
Stick with the .223 for paper and rats. It's great fun to shoot and, as everyone else said, the ammo is MUCH cheaper and available all over the place. The .30-06 is IMHO one of the best high powered rounds out there for hunting - I took two deer in SC with mine back in December.
I've got both and recomment both highly. For what you are describing, I suspect the .223 would be the better call. You really can't go wrong with either...after all you will end up with both before it's over anyway! You know it's true!!!
What ammo do you recommend for 30-06 for deer? soft nose? hollow point?