ElkampMaster
If I did decide to rifle elk hunt again it would just depend on the terrain that I was going to hunt. If I was hunting the unit that I usually bow hunt in I would definently take my 30-30 open sights for the quikness and range of it. If I decided to go to a different spot like New Mexico or Arizona where there is a bigger possibility of a shot more in the 200-250 range than I would probably take a 30-06 or 7mm.
I have read before that you use a 375. Those are the guys that scare me. The only reason that you would need a gun that big is to shoot long distance. I know some guys that use those real big guns and they have told me if they can see it they can shoot it. I have also heard the guys that have said "yea I saw an elk on the top of a ridge so I popped off a couple rounds but it didn't go down so we didn't go all the way up there. If you hit them with this big of a caliber you're going to be able to tell he's hit." These might be a few of those wounded elk that you've seen.
Just out of curiosity I was wondering what the farthest shot you would take is.