One pointer. Western Colorado all looks like great elk country and looks like there could be an elk behind every tree. It is not so. Don't waste a lot of time hunting where the elk are not. Move fast and cover lots of ground until you start finding good sign and then slow down. The elk are in groups in certain areas that they like and you have to find those areas. It is a terrible waste of time and you will come home disappointed if you spend all your time in great looking elk country with no elk there.
100% agreed. Couldn't be more spot on. Don't hunt them like you do whitetails or you won't be happy with the results.
When he says good sign. He means FRESH sign. So fresh you can often smell the stink of elk in the air, I'm not joking here. Elk are herd animals. You find one, you've found 50. Good fresh elk sign is not hard to spot. Lots of big animals make a really big mess and when its fresh its not hard to miss! Finding that spot is the real chore.
One other thing, when he says slow down, he means SLOW DOWN. Once you hit fresh elk sign, take your time, be smart/cautious. DO NOT BUMP THEM or you will most likely be spending time finding a new herd as that one will most likely travel several miles before stopping again!