They're still pretty prominent in many hunting applications. It's a good choice for Eastern white tail, for sure, the Marlin 336s and Winchester 94 30-30s.
Edit: forgot the Savage 99s.
Im out west, and i still use mine. I have some real fancy high dollar shit, and can shoot long range here in my own neighborhood, but i strive to make my kills as close as possible. So my old win88 is still something i use. Depending on where im hunting, what im doing,i may leave my 5k setup at home and take out the old lever gun. Shooting steel at extended distances is fun, but when i shoot a big game animal, i want to be up close and personal if at all possible. Seriously contemplating taking the scope off my 88, and just using it open sights. Call em in close.
I'm older and don't hunt anymore, but I was always fond of iron sights over scopes. Of course, I've never hunted long distant shots, but still, there's something that makes ya feel good about old school shooting.
Man, its a shame lever guns are going extinct. They have their place, and there is something very asthetically pleasing about them to me. Ive killed bears as close as 10 yards, and as far as 350 yards with my old 1956 win88, and taken several deer with it too.