""" I’ve killed multiple bulls with the 338 WM and 300... there’s not one of them that couldn’t have been cleanly killed with a 6.5 CM."" How many have have killed their elk while it was standing in the pasture (or meadow) grazing unawares, while giving the hunter the time to set up and get everything ready for that exactly perfect shot, that knocks the animal right off of their feet, and then lays down in the field waiting for the hunter to walk up and tag them? Those blessed with circumstances like that do not have to think about energy, or foot pounds of impact while trying to thread a bullet between two trees, in the deep dark, at sunset, or twilight. Who cares if it's the only shot that might be presented after getting up at 4 am, for days and walking miles to stalk or watching for their prey. It's easy to pass that shot up knowing that it could be your only opportunity for 12 more months to fulfill your dream. Its no big deal to wait for another year, waiting another year for a tag draw that may not happen, for another opportunity. After all there is "always another day". I can truly say, that out of the almost 200 ellk that myself and my very small group of friends and relatives have killed, during my 60+ years in the field. That a number of them would not have been cleanly taken with small caliber rifle, or would have made it into the deep dark and never found. That has happened, even with larger calibers and can never be overcome. Accuracy and energy are the key, without both you will most likely fail, elk are big and tough and can absorb tremendous amounts of energy and travel downhill a long ways prior to dropping dead. Do them and yourself a favor use enough gun and become proficient with it.
