Don't get stuck on not hearing elk. Look for fresh sign. Elk are there. If you don't see any, keep moving.
We kill plenty of elk that never make a sound. Use terrain features and wind influences to hunt places that increase your chance of elk being there.
Awesome year for us..
Wife got Idaho Wolf with rifle, big whitetail back home with her bow.
Bro in law got 5x5 bull, and mule deer doe with bow in Colorado.
Same trip I got Cow elk, mule deer doe, and cinnamon colored black bear with bow.
I took big gobbler in Spring on film my wife filmed...
Heading Idaho Spring Bear/Wolf beginning May.
Colorado in September.
Back Idaho in late October for Mule deer.
Figure all the spring turkey, trapping, waterfowl, and whitetail deer at home we do ain't worth mentioning...
One year My female lab was in heat. I locked my male lab in basement cage while at work.
I came home and found he chewed 1 of my brand new Meindel hunting boots to pieces.
Shined:
Wrangler Outdoor Cargo pants for May Idaho hunt and September Elk/Deer/Bear hunt.
Jetboil that my wife can use on her own.
Exo packs.
Sucked:
Not more time to stay longer!