[UniversalFrost]

The 870 is a great gun (I am a remington fan as well), but I picked up a Mossberg 500 with a 28" barrel and a 24" rifled barrel with sights (combo package) for around 250 a year or so ago at a walmart of all places. The 500 is a great gun and you can even get a blackpowder barrel for it later if you want to get into that as well. Not as expensive as the 870, and can use it as a "truck gun" and not feel bad about abusing it.

Also once you decide on the gun for you go out to where you plan on hunting and start scouting and planning everything. Get a good topo map and binoculars and start going out (try to go out at dawn, mid day, and dusk) and seeing where all the trails are and looking at the movement patterns. That way on opening day you know where to be to get that big buck.