I have hunted just bow for elk but here are some things that could help. You won't have the rut happening so probably no vocalizations that will help you locate them. 1)Good optics and do a lot of glassing. It is counter intuitive to just sit and watch in such big country but you can spook elk by just going walking all over. Might be better to sit and watch. With 3 of you each one could watch different areas and check in with each other. Walkie talkies are a great help to stay in touch with each other while you are glassing. If someone sees something, you can get together and plan a stalk without having to get up and go find your partners and with a rifle your success will be much higher.
2) Be where you need to be early!! I am assuming the elk will have been hunted at least somewhat with archery and muzzleloader season having already happened. You may not want to do this but-- bring a small tent and if you have elk moving real early spend the night closer to the area so you can wake up and get on them first thing in the morning. Its called a spike camp.
3)Stay late. Pressured elk move early and late for the most part depending on the weather. This means you have to be able to navigate back to your camp in the dark. Handheld GPS will help and I would not go without one but always have your compass and your topo map of the area. GPS gives you straight lines back to your camp and that sometimes will have you over a cliff. Learn how to use the route tracking so you can trace your trail back to camp.
4) Hunt with Thanksgiving - Count yourself blessed that you get to go and hunt in the awesome mountains you will be in where elk live. You belong to a small group of people in the world that get to experience what you are fixing to experience. It is soooo beautiful as you know from skiing there. Take time to enjoy it and don't make the whole success of the trip about killing an elk. This attitude will help you get an elk more than anything else. It doesn't mean you hunt like a lazy bum. Being thankful actually produces an excitement that makes you appreciate the opportunity and you hunt better and harder.
I hope you get a monster!!!!
EC
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