Itend to favor what 80+% ofthe other postersprefer (i.e. 30-06 equivalent and up),and I guessif that is the "standard" then there must bea LOT of "Elmer Keith" fans out there. Never heard of Elmer Keith (or JOC for that matter) before joining this website --- have just never followed the gun rags.

IMHO, the 30-06 thru the 338 Mag"class"of rifles (can't believe he said that word [][][]) pretty welldominates amongst those who actually hunt and take elk nowadays[per the polls].

Using big bores (375+ for NA)on elk is hardly necessary (but totally optional with no real downside for the competent).On the other hand, avery good reasonto usebig boresfor elkispreparationfor hunting the kind ofgame thatismore commonly associated with those big bore cartridgesin ordertolog some "live trigger experience" on one of America'sbigger and toughergame animals (certainly more to them than southern whitetails) in advance ofgoing on a high stakes hunt. Isupposethere are thosewould advocate waiting to the very last minute toacquirethat kind offamiliarity; however, personally I wouldn't recommend it.

These two polls have pretty well segmented the "pack" of various elk hunting cartridges; some cartridges runat the front of the pack regarding their power and usage, sometendto fall more toward the rear of the pack in terms of power and usage. These numbers come from those doing the elk hunting and harvestingand they are what they are.
[The "other" poll being http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=1459421&mpage=18]

Different viewpoints from different folks areto be expecteddepending where they are coming from and where they are going to --- in their hunting goals, in their physical condition, in their stage of life.