Best air gun for hunting?

I own the Texan .457 CF in both the carbine and full length. I've taken both hogs and deer with the carbine (just got the full length and haven't gotten anything with it yet) With the problems I have had getting a pass-through and blood trail with the carbine (about 500 ft/lb) I would not be at all comfortable using anything of lesser power (like the Bulldog). The first deer I took was a small doe at about 40 yards. Hit her moving right in the lungs. No pass-through, so not a drop of blood to track out of the small entry hole. Had she not gone out into an open cypress bottom, and stood there gasping, I might not have found her at all. Yes, people do take larger game with smaller weapons (as you can see above) but shot placement has to be so precise that it is, in my opinion, impractical in common real-world hunting scenarios. Most game doesn't come in at 30 yards or less and stand perfectly still in the open waiting for you to get a brain shot. Nor does it stand there after being shot, waiting for you to rack another round and shoot it again. So DRT is not a common airgun result. Go for the more powerful guns (Texan, Bushbuck, & etc.) to increase your chance of success with the more common heart/lung shots you will be more likely taking.
 
Your experience with the Texan .457 CF is really insightful. Well, it's clear you've put these rifles through their paces with both hogs and deer. I've been immersed in gun research lately, and your points about power and shot placement resonate deeply. Achieving a pass-through and a clear blood trail is crucial, especially in scenarios like yours where tracking becomes challenging without it.

From what I've gathered, using more powerful rifles like the Texan or Bushbuck can significantly increase your chances of success, particularly with heart/lung shots on larger game. It's all about reliability and ensuring ethical kills, which seems to align well with your practical hunting experiences.
 
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