Let me preface with saying I've never actually fired the .22 Hornet, but I've read about it for years. I am familiar with it on paper. That disclaimer made:

.22 Hornet is, IMO, abou 1/2 of the way from .22Mag to .223, dependong on how it is loaded. I'd call it roughly comperable to the .221 Fireball, or .223 from a 10-12" pistol barrel. Not shabby, but remember it's limitations.

Deer are out, and ditto black bear and hog. But for anything smaller, you are more than fine on. Smaller deer you might be OK on, but I'm hesitant to say yes- I know deer are smaller in the South, just not sure by how much. (The smallest one I've gotten was 80pounds or so press dress- I took it because it had a leg about two inches shorter than the others.) It was made for small predator and medium varmints, like coyote and big jack rabbits. Hollow/soft points are good, the solid cores are better if you going after little game.

Is it an M6 with a squeezie-bar "winter" trigger, or a real trigger? I've never fired the M6, but I think that the winter trigger would be worse.