In my opinion if a guy wants knock down you need to use a bigger hammer.
This old girl had been shot before.
I shot her as she was coming to a call. I shot her st about 50 yards.
I hunt is places that are public land but there is private land right there. If an animal runs you might not get it because land owners don't allow trespass for anything.
Knocking them down right now is the best way.
This elk was shot with a Paper Patched Lee 500 S&W bullet weighing 458 grains. The bullet is slightly hardened to about 6 or 7 BHN. The bullet was found in the flank. She was not knocked off her feet but she fell in less that 10 yards. I only use 80 grains of Pyrodex P.