rounds for the biggest game in North America?

[Hotwheels81]

....Maybe I should admit one thing...

Thanksgiving weekend I was tracking a wounded Elk with 2 other people at first light, I lost his track as the trail came into a big swamp spruce thicket... As I sat there and the other 2 people spread out a bit we heard the big bull jump to his feet not 15' away and start snapping branches... I was unsure if he was coming or going as I brought my Encore up to my shoulder... First time I have ever second guessed bringing the 7-08 with me on a hunt...

 

[vviking]

I once lost my footing descending a Chugach Mt's. grass slope, slid headlong into the alder wall at timberline, gathered myself up to a foul stench in the nostrils, There, not 10 feet into the tangled wood was a FRESHLY vacated grizzly bed .... The scoped 30/06 felt totally inadaquate at that particular moment in time .....
And, no tp or fresh gotchies in the pack neither ...
PTL, he ran off downhill. Made a racket doing it too.

It's 9.3x62 Wagner or heavier ever since, whenever I do wander about in big boy's territory.

 

[Gunoholic]

I know of many guns that will take big game. I have a BLR in 450 Marlin and I would feel quite comfortable with it in the middle of nowhere. What other calibers are marginal, or good to be a bush gun?

Biggest or most dangerous? Not necessarily the same animal?
The cougar has killed people and most weigh less than 200 pounds.
Black bears have injured and killed people and don't weigh much more than the cougar on the average.
So have the brown, grizzly and polar bears which are quite large.
Elk and moose are big but not reputed to be especially dangerous.
I also have a BLR in 450 Marlin.
Good for big and big and dangerous North American animals and it doesn't have a pesky safety to trip you up at a critical moment; just pull back the hammer (with a round chambered) and shoot.
I use the Hornady factory load that pushes the 350 grain SP to over 2150 fps and 3500 ft-lbs ME.
I also have a Guide Gun with a load that pushes a 430 grain hard-cast lead bullet to 1950 fps that I'd use for both big and dangerous animals.
My Savage model 116 Alaskan Brush gun in 375 Ruger is no slouch either.