Boy, I personally wouldn't be hesitant. Saw a muley, not an elk, shot with one out of a 300 Winny. I lost sight of it (steeply quartered shot from the rear at about 160 yards). I asked my buddy "Where'd it go?" He says "Straight down." Ran the length of the muley from in front of right rear leg through behind left leg and kept going. Hit spine and it was nothing but chicken bones.
