I've been thinking about this a bit lately, with everyone recommending things like the .338 Lapua and the .300 RUM and such. Apparently, we really shouldn't go out into the elk woods with anything less than a .50-cal!
Anyway, I have shot and killed 29 big game animals in my hunting career, pretty evenly split between deer and elk, with an antelope or two thrown in for good measure. I have never lost anything I've shot at.
The shortest shot I've had was 15 yards. The longest (a mule deer), 377 yards. The longest shot on elk was 325 yards.
When I go through my journals and logs, and I recall everything as closely as possible, I can honestly say that all of these shots could have easily and efficiently been made with a .270 Win. I know it. I believe it. I stick by that statement.
I've used cartridges as big as the .338 Win Mag and the .300 Wby Mag, but I really didn't need them. I am truly starting to think that Jack O'Connor is considered the greatest gun writer of all time for a very good reason: He was right. <img src=icon_smile_approve.gif border=0 align=middle>
Good Dogwork and Good Hunting