I have to go with ELKampMaster on this one. But I will also say sometimes a mag is the only way to go here in the west. I took a friend from Virigina bowhunting elk here in Idaho last year. He kept saying he couldn't believe the size of the country. He said most people from back east wouldn't believe how big, and the amount of space there is here in the west. He shot at, and missed a bull elk with his bow. After the hunt he was asking me questions about rifle hunting elk. He owns guns is several different calibers from the standards to the ultra mags. I told him to use his .300 RUM, he said why because he was only 20 yards away when he missed his bull with his bow. I tried telling him that the general rifle bull elk hunt is a totaly different ball game. Lots more hunters, the elk have been chased around by bowhunters, and depending on the unit some early draw rifle hunts. Also some early cow hunts before the bull hunts. Anyway to make my point the elk are spooked and skittsh by the time general season rolls around. Now you might see a bull elk at 400- 600 yards away, and yes during bow season it is easy to get close. But depending on the situation, sometimes during the "gereral gun hunts" thats as close as you are going to get. And the only chance you are going to have during that hunt. A magnum might mean the difference between shooting and killing a bull and going home empty handed. Now should a hunter shoot a magnum well? And practice a lot so it doesn't matter if he is shooting a .243 or .338, meaning you can put any gun in his hands, and he can shoots it good? Well of course you should practice and shoot any gun accurately be it standard or magnum!