Friend I have shot a big 6 pt bull in the middle of the left shoulder with a 300 RUM using a 180 gr. Nosler Accubond from 80 yards distance. Bull goes down! Dave slides back down the ridge and leaves his rifle there as he waits until we show up to help him get the bull out. We go back up the ridge....bull is on his feet looking around! We watch him for five minutes before he goes down for the count! Bullet did not suffer fragmentation at impact!
Freak circumstance. Obviously nothing immediately vital was destroyed by the shot. Lack of fragmentation was not to blame. I've killed piles of animals by bullets that did not fragment.
It certainly not a requirement for an elk bullet.
