You may not want to hear this, and many others might object, but among my local elk-hunting friends (many of whom have taken well over 50) the trend seems to be toward lighter cartridges. Two only shoots cows these days, and instead of their previous magnums (which ran from the 7mm Remington to .340 Weatherby) they use the .22-250.
One who started out with the .300 Winchester Magnum 40+ years ago eventually went to the 7mm RM, and then to the .257 Weatherby and, over the last few years, the .25-06. He killed a 6x5 last fall with no problem, at around 200 yards....
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.” John Steinbeck
