My experience matches most. The bull I shot this year was at about 275 yards. After the first shot he just walked up to the top of the hill and looked back. Shot again and he just walked on over the hill. By the time I got up there he was dead as a doornail. 2 shots about 3" apart, half way up behind the shoulder. I was shooting a 30-06 w/ 180gr Hornady BTSP's. He probably went 50 yards from where I first shot. Shooting elk with a rifle is similar to shooting them with a bow, they are killed by the damage the bullet or arrow does much more than shock like when shooting a deer. I'm sure you could drop them in their tracks if you shoot them in the shoulder but that is a terrible waste of meat.
