First bull elk I killed was a quartering shot with a 270 Win 140 gr accubond at about 200 yds, angled toward the front of the opposite shoulder. To my surprise, the nice 6x6 was dead on his feet, didn't take a step while the herd headed back up the mountain but wobbled for a few seconds so I put a second one into his lungs but it was probably not needed. The last one was a similar sized 6x6 about the same distance, shot was the mirror and I put a 225 gr. partition from my 35 Whelen in about the same spot, angled toward the front of the opposite shoulder. He took a few steps more but essentially the same result. Polar opposite bullets, at least in mind but both performed about the same. Reinforced in my mind that good placement is more important than caliber.
I understand the idea of not getting optimal shots and have taken my share of non-broadside shots in thick stuff with success, just seems if there is any other option, a shoulder would be the last shot to take.
