ORIGINAL: Dirt2
For me, I'd happily take a .243 after elk if I had to, preferably with premium bullets. I would simply exercise the same self-control required in bowhunting, to limit my shot range and angles. If I put 100 grains of bullet into an elk's lungs, it's dead. And then some.
We had a thread about it a long time ago, maybe you should post a thread in the Big Game section, you'd get lots of interesting responses.