I'd just use my .375 H & H for squirrels

after the Squirrel piece is found I make a 2oz mini pot pie

Only if you are going to hunt moose, brown bear, or elk. Too much for anything in NC.

I’m curious what constitutes too much gun? The 8mm Mag with a 185 gn core lokt is honestly not that devasting on deer. Just not the bone structure or body mass. Meat damage is no different than that of a 7mm mag, 300 Win mag, or even 30’06. Now if you shoulder shoot one it’s going to be ugly, but still similar to other rounds.
Same goes for the handful of coyotes I’ve taken with the 8mm Mag while in the deer woods. Damage was on par with lesser cartridges again because there just isn’t he bone or body mass.
I’ve taken a handful of deer with a 50 BMG and the 647 gn Barnes TSX and contrary to belief the deer does not get blown in half, body parts are not vaporized, nor do you just have to get close to kill them. Just similar damage as any magnum caliber.
The 8mm does shine very well on the larger animals where the smaller cartridges would begin to see a fall off. One of its other good attributes in the WV deer woods is that it has solid brush lugging capabilities which is more my draw to it as a deer cartridge.

The weight of the gun. I've carried and killed whitetails with a .375 H&H. It's a great, flat-shooting round but a ten pound rifle isn't very handy for getting around in the woods.

When your gun has way more energy than need to get adequate bullet expansion and make an exit hole even if you hit both shoulders

i was joking about using my .375