Mark, maby I'm wrong but to me the difference between you and your friends and someone coming from out of state is that you live in the area. You know it well and have so many advantages over the guy that spends a months pay and two weeks vacation to go on an elk hunt. In my mind that's alot to risk and personally I would rather have a 30-06 or bigger.

The unarmed man is not only defenseless, he is also contemptible.
Niccolo Machiavelli