Magnumitis...it is real. Some folk's preference of what they think is needed can be pretty funny, but to each their own. If they want to shoot a high recoil major blood shot producing rifle, good for them. I myself much prefer a light to medium recoil with a projectile that will penetrate, flatten or expand, but not come apart. I can see the advantage of an overkill setup when the terrain is nasty and you want to anchor them. They do also help in a poor hit situation.
I've also found that bears seem to expire quicker than deer. Their stamina isn't very good. 100% agree with Walk's statement about elk, their stamina and will to live is incredible. As long as the projectile has the ability to go through both lungs the lungs are going to bleed like crazy, fill up, and result in an animal that can't breathe anymore...whatever the animal. Do want a projectile that will flatten or mushroom, just poking a caliber size hole doesn't kill as efficiently.
I think sometimes a lost animal that the shooter thinks they hit good behind the shoulder was either quartering away or toward and resulted in only a one lung hit. We all know they can go a long ways in that case. I've shot several animals that I thought were perfectly broadside and when I recovered them the entry and exit show that it wasn't. The angle can be deceiving in some terrain.