It is not might make a difference, it does..
I always wonder in these discussions, how many elk most of the posters have really killed.. Reading about elk hunting does not replace doing it.. Bob Hagel was a great elk hunter and a great writer.. He understood the benefit of more powerful rifles, if you can shoot them.. Most can't.. He was also one of the early writers who promoted good bullets.. He didn't have the selection we do, but he knew the benefit of a well constructed bullet...
I have killed a tidy sum.Won't post the number here,. I only shot a 300 mag once. Didn't figure I wanted to do that again.I hunted with7 mag for a few years,killed a few elk with that too. However,the 30-06 has worked for me for many years. I will be the 1st to admit that I can't handle heavy recoil.
I have killed elk with a .308, 44 mag carbine,30-30, 7 mag, 50 cal muzzle loader, 45-70 , 30-06, and probably a few I forgot. I can't say I have experienced any great difference in the killing ability of any of them. If a person keeps in mind the limitations of the gun/cartridge they are using and put the bullet where it needs to go and they all die fairly easily.
