I use lever guns for a lot of things and have for 40+ years. My recommendation is a used Marlin .30-30 - the older, the better. Most of my deer hunting has always been in LeFlore or McCurtain County and I have some nice bolt rifles for hunting open clearcuts, but in the grown-up cuts and, creek bottoms and what little native timber is left I use a lever gun most of the time- usually .30-30, but I do sometimes use my 1949 vintage Marlin 336 SC in .35 Remington. .30-30 & other lever cartridges are pretty easy to load for also.
Good Luck!
Cedar Creek
Good Luck!
Cedar Creek