Your kidding me right? you really think that a bow is a more effective weapon that a PROPERLY loaded .243? There isnt an elk alive that will travel far after being hit thru the lungs with a PROPERLY loaded .243. Remember its not what you hit them with its where you hit them, an elk shot thru the guts with a ultra mag is still an elk shot thru the guts. Now having said that the .243 is not an elk cartridge, to many things can and will go wrong with a shot to rely on a bare minimum cartridge. On a side note, my buddy from Arco has shot more elk than than you could stack up in a tractor trailer with a 22-250.

Oh for you guys who say a .270 isnt an elk gun.

Shot with a 7mm-08 at 60 yards, it dropped where it stood. Bullet went thru both shoulders.