An SKS is OK and in most jurisdictions it's not considered an 'assault rifle' Yeah, yeah, I know what the 'classical' definition of what an 'assault rifle' is, but with todays laws, you have to look at what the system refers to as an 'assault rifle'.
IMHO, accuracy and reliability are the two most important things in a rifle. I'm also an advocate of having one or two excellent, top quality rifles instead of a whole collection of beat up surplus or mediocre weapons.
And yes, most surplus weapons without a bit of work are not the best of hunting weapons compared to what they could be.
I noticed that the original poster on this thread lives in Wisconson. That means it gets cold. You need a rifle that can operate in miserable conditions.
During the Alaska State Trooper assault rifle test in the early 1980's, done outside of Fairbanks in the middle of winter, the only three weapons which passed muster used an AK derived gas system (Galil, FNC, Valmet), and two were outright AK copies (Galil, Valmet).
Take note that the Canadian military still issues to their 'Rangers' (Eskimo scouts) the venerable Enfield No.4 MkI. Also note that one of the favorite weapons of many Innuit (Eskimo) arctic hunters is the 5.56mm Ruger Mini-14.
I remember reading once on the web of some gun 'experts' talking of the best whopper magnums for dropping caribou (reindeer). A couple of guys in the discussion were heading up to a reindeer farm in Greenland to zap a couple of reindeer. At least one of these guys went on at length about how semi-automatics, especially 'assault rifles' were 'worthless' for hunting, no self-respecting hunter would ever use one, and they should all be banned.
A day later on one of the only TV shows I bother to watch, 'Globetrekker', the host, Ian Wright, stopped by that very same Greenland reindeer farm and the Icelander who ran it, Stefán Hrafn Magnússon, went out and shot a reindeer to fill his larder.
http://www.randburg.com/gr/isortoq.html
Know what Mr. Magnússon, who lives the life on a continuous basis, used for his real life arctic substinance hunting? A stainless steel 5.56mm Ruger Mini-14 Ranch Rifle with a 20 round magazine and a simple fixed 4X32mm rifle scope.
Here is a neat rifle. It's called the M10 and it's a very accurate, modern, updated Lee Enfield action with a picatinney sight rail, iron peep sights, and the 7.62x39mm version uses standard AK mags and has a 16" barrel. The .308 versions use M-14 mags.
http://www.tristarsportingarms.com/m10rifles.htm