Here is my take:
For me to travel from MD to out west and hunt with an outfitter, it is going to cost me seven thousand dollars - plus. I went two years ago to Montana - during the October Monsoon season they experienced that month. I took a .300 H&H: 180 gr Partition at 3,000 fps. I shot this combination out to 400 yards. Did not see an elk.
I would not take a .30-30 Winchester, 6.5 Creedmoor, .260 Remington, .25-06, .243 Winchester, 6 mm Remington, .22-250 even though I am sure all will kill a elk under the proper conditions.
Maybe I'd shoot one off the porch with a lesser caliber if I lived there. Too much is riding on the shot, when the time comes.
I previously killed a Blue Wildbest and a Zebra in RSA with 180 gr Partitions in a .30-06, so I was confident the H&H would do the trick for elk. Even at mid-range distances.