My opinion is you should use the biggest gun you can van dam, the animal deserves the respect to be killed quickly and cleanly. I feel the more energy of the 7/08 is a better choice for a young hunter. You never know if the animal will move right when you shoot anything can happen. I agree and animal can run with the biggest guns with poor.shot placement. But don't you feel a big gun gives you the advance. Yes practices so you can make the good shots. But in hunting anything can happen.