For the OP's intended use, I would look for an 8x42. With all else being equal, an 8x42 beats a 10x42 in just about every way in the whitetail woods. The 8x42 will be brighter in low-light, show less image shake, have a wider field of view, better depth of field, and just have an overall easier, more relaxed view.
An 8x bino with smaller objective lenses like an 8x25 or 8x32 might be a good option if you don't use your binos all that much and want something really lightweight/compact, but understand that you're giving up low light performance and ease of view. The big 8x56 SLC puts to shame EVERYTHING I directly compare it with, every time, regardless of viewing conditions, in terms of sheer brightness and an easy, natural view. That said, it is a beast of a binocular to lug around the woods, so my 7x42s and 8x42s get used a lot more.
In the $300 range, the maven C1 gets rave reviews. There are a few guys on here that use them and really like them. Worth noting that Mavens customer service is as good as it gets, in my experience. EDIT: just checked and the C1 8x42 is $400 now. They go on sale a few times a year for 15-20% off.
Whatever you end up with in that price range is probably going to be made in China or the Philippines. I have seen quality control issues and sample variation in $2000+ European made optics... It runs rampant in a lot of the Chinese made ones. If going that route, it wouldn't be a bad idea to buy 2 or 3 of the same bino on Amazon, and keep the best sample.