Skippy,
As a famous hunter and gunwriter said way back before we were born, "The .30-06 is never a mistake" (although the .280 and .308 will do just fine as well).
It kicks a bit, so if you are small of stature you might want to put one of those Limbsaver recoil pads on it. This, so you can put in 40-60 round practice sessions once or twice a month.
Get back to Cherry Ridge and join up. Get out there and watch one of their highpower rifle matches in the summer and start talking to the competitors. Find some (it won't be hard!) who are willing to teach you basic rifle position skills. Learn to hit a paper plate at 100 yards from standing, 200 yards from sitting with a loop sling, and 300 yards from prone with loop sling. Loop sling = Ching sling or the old GI M1907. When you can do that, you will have learned to do without shooting sticks or bipods, yet if you still chose to use them, you will be able to use them better than most. Get Jeff Cooper's "Art of the Rifle" and G. David Tubb's "The Rifle Shooter" and study.
Oh, and while you're at it get a .22 rimfire rifle of the same action type as what you want in a centerfire. Set it up with the same sights and loop sling and do most of your practicing with that. If you can't afford it talk your dad into getting one for himself (if he doesn't already have one) and borrow it whenever you can.
Then, when the long-awaited (and expensive) day comes that you find yourself out here in God's high country with a big bull in sight, you will be fully prepared and confident.
Remember, your skill counts more than anything else.