To put it in one of my favorite terms...YES the 7mm-8 will dogstomp any big buck if you put em where they need to be. With the right bullets it will probably do the same to anything else on this continent except maybe the biggest bears. I have a 7mm-08 and while it does kick a little it kicks noticeably less than my 270 and as many others have told ya...you cant go wrong with a 7mm-08 for deer...of any kind! Happy shooting.