when I started elk hunting 40 plus years ago my mentors almost all the guys who were my mentors used 30/06 rifles, I purchased a Remington 760 slide action just like most of them had and while it proved to be a totally adequate rifle loaded with the 180-220 grain loads , but elk tended to run a short distance after they were hit, by most of the guys,they suggested it failed to drop elk on the spot,because of my shot placement. being 20-23 years old at the time I just knew that there had to be something better,and my shot placement was great, I worked a lot of overtime ,read everything I could on elk hunting and purchased a 340 wby, the first few elk I shot over the next few years mostly dropped in their tracks, as did most deer, but a few ran a short distance before falling. I was convinced Id found the absolute best rifle.
now after about 15 years of hunting elk one of the guys fathers (ALLEN)shows up one year with a light weight Winchester in 257 roberts...I kept my opinion to myself but I was convinced it would not be much use on elk hunts.
well , it was an eye opening experience, we usually hunt in 2-3 man groups , out of our elk hunt camp, each group still hunting a different drainage each day and just by luck,I get teamed with ALLEN, one guy walks low canyon, one guy walks mid slope and one guy trys to cover any likely escape routes or saddles in the upper canyon , we swap off every few hours, well this day ALLENS covering mid slope and I was lower and pushed elk out that I only briefly saw, I hear a light crack of a shot, and in about two minutes see a nice legal 4 point per side, bull down, the light snow on the ground shows clearly that the bull only ran about 30 yard before falling.
I put that down as a lucky fluke, until he did the same thing twice more in the next 6 years.
it slowly became obvious that it was shot placement and getting in close that had more to do with success than caliber selected.
now I still carry my 340 wby or a 375 H&H on most elk hunts, but its only because I have 100% confidence in those rifles, but Ive seen 270 win and 25/06, and 6.5mm Swedish rifles kill elk, so Im not about to say that power levels required.
I always get a big grin when guys say this or that caliber drops a deer every time, it simply shows a lack of experience, now, don,t get me wrong, a 270 win , or a 300 wby or even a 45/70 with good shot placement will do the job almost every time,but even 10 ga 2 oz slugs at 30 yards don,t ALWAYS drop deer in their tracks on projectile impact.....Ive seen my 300wby drop deer instantly for decades and Ive seen it blow a huge hole in a deer chest cavity, and have the deer still run 30 feet before dropping.
my 257 wby works like a darn death ray most of the time on mule deer, but its not going to do more than deliver a mortal wound, under some conditions the deer still start to haul butt for the next county, most don,t make in 30-40 ft but they sure try, I gave up worrying about it long ago, if you place the shot correctly the deer drops very quickly, its just not always going to go face first in the dirt instantly
