I have several rifles that I use for elk and Moose these days..The .338 Win with 300 gr. Woodleighs, 375 H&H with 350 gr. Woodleighs, and the 9.3x62 with 320 gr. Woodleighs..All for use in the thick black timber of Idaho where I hunt elk and all shots are fairly close and almost always jump shots that are going away..
These calibers and bullets will stick their nose in the dirt before they go to the bottom of the divide, mostly they just buckle and go down at the shot..
In the sage brush hills I opt for lighter bullets but not much lighter as I will take whatever shot is offered within reason..
I use these calibers and bullets to kill the animal as he goes away from me as I can get complete penetration, but not to shoot through thick bush..I don't usually do that unless I can find a hole to shoot through at a standing animal. Shooting through the thick stuff is a low percentage shot and a recipe for wounding IMO, again within reason.
I shot a number of elk with the 25-35, 30-30 and 250 Savage in my youth, then the 30-06, 270 and such calibers..They perform best with broadside shots, the 30-06 with 180 and 200 gr. Noslers or 180 monolithics, may be the exception, but not by much, so I will call it a bare minimum for going away shots on elk....My personal opine only.
