More to the point, for the ethical hunter there is no such thing as "overkill."

There is only a quick clean kill, a wounded animal or a miss. It is only the second possibility that concerns us.

Wounded game typically results, not from poor markmanship (which does account for the misses), but from not using "enough gun," i.e., a caliber appropriate for the species of game being hunted. Shot placement on the animal is important too, but if the caliber is insufficient the bullet simply won't have the mass, weight or velocity to incapacitate the animal immediately, even if a vital region is struck.

In some countries we now find restrictions on the minimum legal calibers allowed for taking various species. This, because in the past hunters shooting calibers inadequate for a quick kill wounded too many animals, thus permitting escape and needless suffering. Also, against dangerous game, underpowered cartridges sometimes resulted in casualties among hunters from a wounded animal that charged.