I love reading these types of threads but I have a hard time chiming in because I feel that it's pretty hard to draw the line for someone else. There is no doubt that a .257 will kill an elk; just put a well-constructed bullet in the right place and the animal will die. The problem lies in the nature of the hunter himself. How good a shot are you? What are your personal limits on shots that you'd take/pass up? One of my sons is very fussy, and refuses to shoot at animals unless they are within 200 yards and standing broadside. Second, the kid (well, he's 21 now) is a helluva shot, even offhand. With him, I know I'd feel comfortable seeing him shoot at an elk with just about anything greater than a .22 LR. He prefers to use his .270 and sometimes he uses one of our .308's, and they are more than enough for the task, given his abilities and preferences.

Everyone has to draw the line somewhere, and they should base that decision on a knowledge of the terrain they'll hunt and their abilities/habits - and also what makes them feel confident. You've had some input here from some very experienced hunters who have shot a lot more elk than I have (allen, Brad, Mark, etc.) and they have given you some different answers. The thing is, they're all correct!

For my personal use, I draw the line at .27 caliber. I'm an OK shot but nothing special. My limit is 300 yards, and then the rest has to be solid. I'll take a quartering (45 degree) shot but that's the sharpest angle I'll attempt. I'd shoot an elk with a 6mm, .25, or a 6.5 if the opportunity arose, but I wouldn't intentionally choose those calibers if I was heading out after an elk. I prefer to use the .30-06, as that seems to suit me just fine, and I have never had an elk go very far after being hit with one.