I can tell you what the guides i knew told me. One, it impress' the clients to have a big gun. Cilents actually shoot better seeing there guide with what "they" think is the needed rifle for the job!!

Two, because many times they are dealing clients who don't have a lot of confidence it there own guns!! (I see this a lot on here with the answers i read) There's a BIG difference in going after a bear in tall grass (which i've done more than once) than shooting a bear out in the open and chooseing your shot. I don't and wouldn't "choose" to shoot a bear in tall grass at close range, but once shot at, you have no choises!! You have to go in!! Some would prefer the biggest gun they can get for that!! BUT, i've seen several guides useing Rem carbines in 350 Rem mag.. I've also knew a guy that used a 30-06 with 220 grain bullets. (not my choise of bullet)

I carried a 7 Mag with 175 NP's myself, i've seen what it does, so i choose to go with my experence, not what others do, or what i read in a book. I choose to use a cal. with less recoil, and because of that, i shoot it better in the first place!!! Lighter recoil = more practice!!

Drilling Mam