I'd use a 270 and kill them with ease if I was a female or a child. I'd load 140 gamekings at 2750 for deer and a 150 partition at 3000 fps for elk. My loads would probably be something like............

150 partition
61 grains RL26 3000 fps
Hell of an elk load

140 gameking
57 grains H4831SC 2750 fps
Superb deer load


Good bullets properly placed always work, but not everyone knows what good bullets are, or can reliably place them in the field