The problem with people who have killed or talked to people who brag about killing elk with small calibers is that very few will ever admit to the ones they wounded that got away.
I know this happens. I've had to help run down more than a few and some were never recovered. Most of the time the lack of enough damage to get some blood trail led the hunter to believe they had missed because elk show little reaction to the shot many times.
Sweetshooter the snow in moderate amounts is your friend. I have a little sled that I drag them out on when I can. It's very little effort on fairly level ground.
