What's your favorite elk hunting cartridge?

[phildobaggins]

None of the above  my .300 WSM has dropped 3 bulls in the last two years, all one shot one kill and they fell down about 9" from where they were standing LOL

Short action, lightweight, hits like a .300 WM. Easy to carry, it's everything you want in an elk gun.

[TeacherMan]

300 WSM with 180s or 300 PRC with 225s 🤷🏻‍♂️😂

[ghosthunter]

I hunt muzzy.

But I had a damage ticket many years ago and I took a 400 lb cow with my 30. 06 pump.
The butcher asked we what I had used on that elk. He could not believe the hole.

165 grain psp.  So I voted 30.06


 

[EnglishSetter]

I think the better question is what is your favorite elk hunting "BULLET". 

A smaller caliber with better bullet is better than a big rifle with a bad bullet.

Yup, one of those things people just can’t wrap their heads around. Build your rifle around a bullet.

While I have no experience with elk every animal is different.  I've seen 200# tuna that will spool and 80W and

Exactly! This year I killed bucks with a 175gr eld-x out of the 7PRC and a 95gr NBT from a .243. Shot placement nearly identical and the 7PRC buck went triple the distance before it piled up (100 yds to recovery vs 30 or less). Both worked, but there was no benefit in shooting the 7PRC.

Elk are different, but I would expect the 175 eld-x to work better on an elk than it did on the deer because the elk would likely cause more bullet upset/expansion faster. I would also expect the 95 NBT to kill the elk cleanly with the added benefit of spotting your impacts.

While I have no experience with elk, but every animal is different.  I've seen 200# tuna that will spool a primary and take a secondary rod and others landed in short order.  All you can do is put the odds in your favor for a quick/clean kill.