RE: Deer/Elk caliber, recoil?
 

The 30-06 is now, and will always be, the most versatile round for hunting North American game. You can choose bullets from 55g (yes I said 55) all the way up to 220g in factory ammuntion. This covers everything from prairie dogs to moose. You can NOT go wrong owning a 30-06. I think that anyone who is interested in rifles for hunting should own atleast one 30-06 anyway!

RE: Deer/Elk caliber, recoil?
 

I own a bunch of rifles and, quite honestly, the 30/06 is one of those guns that I almost never use - kind of like Unique powder - you can use it for just about anything, but for every specific purpose there is better mousetrap.I like a .300 Magnums for elk, and prefer flatter shooting guns like the .270 or 25-06for deer and antelope. And I use the .308 Winchester forthirty caliber target shooting. I should sell that 30-06; although it goes on a lot of hunts as a back-up/loaner rifle.

RE: Deer/Elk caliber, recoil?
 

If you really are serious about elk and can in FACT shoot a 12GA w/ no problems, I would go with a 7rem mag, 30-06, or 300win mag. Anything smaller your getting iffy for elk, not that you cant kill elk w/ smaller calibers, but your in the same boat w/ elk that your in w/ the 223 for deer.... That being...perfect shot-dead deer: marginal shot-??????

RE: Deer/Elk caliber, recoil?
 

Perfectly stated. Especially the part about ballistic tips, the goal is to kill a deer quickly and effeciently, not blow the side off it.