Someone may have covered this already but: Recoil is the effect of the speed and weight of the bullet vs the weight of the rifle.

Dead elk are a result of a enough damage to vital organs which equates to and penetration with a large enough and heavy enough object traveling fast enough.

While there has been a lot of breakthrough and enovationin bullets small caliburs often expand too quickly and don't have the weight to retain energy or create enough damage to vital organs to kill effecently.

For more than 100 years thousandsof elk and moose were killed with muzzleloaders and later with 30-30's and other slow moving projectiles.

Howeverelk got more wary and hunters less skilled or more impatientso range is now a big factor.

As many archers know effective range is mostly the ability to compensate for the trajectory. If you know and factor in the actual distance accurately slower larger calibur bullets are very effective at great distances, having both the weight and sectional density to do the job.

Consider that a .308win was the weapon of choice for many years for long range shooting. Many records were set on the 1000 meter ranges with this round.

Today you can purchase reduced recoil loads for 30-06 and several other caliburs that are essentially slowed down or down loaded ammo.

Next consider things like a tripod to add weight with support and a grounding point to take some of the recoil.

Finally consider practicing with "very downloaded ammo" don't teach the effects of recoil and create fear and flinch. No one ever feels the shot that takes out an elk so you can slip an effective load into a properly sighted rifle for the hunt and be forgiven or thankedlater!

Mike
www.mikescustomtaxidermy.com