The real word is not like a Disney movie. Animals live in a violent world of being killed, eatten or dying from hunger or lack of water. Few if any live to a ripe old age and die peacefully in their sleep. You acted out a drama between predator and prey that is millions of years old, and despite what new age, uneducated, simplistic morons contend, will continue until the end of time.
Congratulations.. you are now on your way to becomeing a sportsman/outdoors person. As you are discovering hunting is not about killing. A little meat for the pot is like a sucker from the doctors office. A mere token of the experience. A successful hunt does not have to conclude with a bulgeing game bag. In fact many(most) of my hunts, I come home empty handed with the same shells I left with, but nearly all have been successful. The hunt makes you slow down, listen more, look more carefully and pay closer attention to your surroundings. There is alot more going on in the wood than someone just passing thru will ever notice. Most Hunters are not the bloodthirsty bufoons Some would have you beleive and as Bo said life in the wild ain't like disney. Nature is full of checks and balances. Like it or not we as humans are a part of that system. When we don't fulfil our part, nature takes over and no.. it's not painless, merciful and often not quick either.
In all seriousness, the Marlin is a great rifle, too. I own a Model 60, one of the best rifles ever made.
Brownings are nice, but in terms of quality AND accuarcy AND ruggedness, it's hard to beat the Marlin.
California sucks that's it.