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The first elk I ever dropped with a rifle was from 460 yards across a small ravine. (scoped it the next year). I used a handhold on a small pine tree for stabilization, otherwise I would have gone prone.
Use your head, the little liney things in your scope and all that math junk that you thought you'd never use, some common sense and some patience.
Held over her back 1foot, (standing still) nailed her square in the killzone.
Ruger M77 7mm-08, zeroed at 200 yards. (I zero at 250 now) excellent elk rifle and reasonably accurate out to 1000 yards with the right bullet.
3/4 MOA (3/4" circle/5 shots) at 100yds. 1 MOA (3" group) at 300yds 1.5 MOA (7.5" group) at 500yds (though most of the variation I'm sure is me...)
When I hit the elk, I was using a 165 gr. Winchester white box soft points.
She ran about 70 yards, stopped, laid down and we let her bleed out for about 20 minutes before approaching. I did rack another in and follow her, if she would have kept going, I would have hit her again.
I found most of the bullet just under the skin on the far side of her chest (after breaking the far rib) when we cleaned her out.
As far as I'm concerned, that was a perfect hit, the bullet expended all of its energy inside the animal with maximum penetration and no overkill.
My father in law hunts elk with a .280 and has dropped many with it. It's a very capable round. The variable is you.
You need to know your weapon better than anyone. If you can put the right bullet where you want it, you can drop an elk with any decent hunting rifle.
I use a 25-06 for deer and Coyotes, and the 7mm-08 for larger game.
We never hunt for trophies, though I don't judge, we clean our own animals, butcher them ourselves and eat what we kill. Elk bottles great!!
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