There's no such thing as moving too slowly when you're still-hunting. You only want to move fast when you're on game-less ground.

Between the rut and migration, careful, observant hunters see more bulls if they hunt in timber. Elk often lie still, even when you're right on top of them, hoping you'll walk by. Once they know that you know they're there, they adeptly choose an escape path that offers little or no chance for a shot.

It's common for young bulls to be with cows during this difficult hunting period. Two-year-old, "raghorn" bulls often stay in bachelor groups, which can become casually attached to herds of cows. I've seldom found trophy bulls with cows in mid and late October, except when hunting pressure had put them together. That doesn't mean I discount the possibility; bulls can be anywhere they want to be, and if you look only where you think they should be, you'll miss some.

Covering Ground
One thing that makes hunting especially hard after the rut in the mountain ranges of the West is the tremendous elevation range you have to cover. Elk summer near timberline well into October, but they come off the peaks to avoid early-season hunters. They'll also flee the high country if a dry summer has depleted food supplies there or if winter comes early. In eastern Oregon I've hunted elk from 4,500 to 8,500 feet before November snows nudged the herds into canyons and farmlands at the hem of the mountains.

I've been told I hunt too fast, and sometimes, I'm sure, I would see more elk if I slowed down. But elk differ from whitetails in that their territory is vast. Comb a section of Midwest whitetail cover, and you'll pass within carbine range of at least one deer. But you can walk miles in elk country without cutting fresh tracks.

Successful hunters learn to recognize honey holes likely to hold bulls. Reaching those spots can mean a long hike. You don't hunt every step in elk country; you move quickly through the dead places so you can spend as much time as possible where the elk live.

A still-hunter seeking whitetails might be satisfied completing a mile of foot travel in a day. Where I hunt elk, I climb a mile above camp in the dark before I even start hunting. On average, I walk eight or nine miles a day after elk, much of that on steep ground.

Elk are herd animals, and they're not evenly distributed. October hunting seasons further spread the elk as snow or hunting pressure send some animals to winter range early. After three days with no sightings, you may discover a basin that's overrun with elk.

Open country, limited hunting pressure and late rutting activity can reward you for sitting on a knoll and glassing. Even when your primary tactic is still-hunting, you'll stop to glass often--up close and far away. Keep the sun to your back at first and last light as you study stringer meadows and edge cover with your binoculars.

CONSERVATION Populations of migratory game such as elk are mostly limited by the capacity of winter range to carry them. A lot of good summer elk range is underutilized by elk because there's not enough winter range to accommodate more animals. Hunting seasons are fashioned with this in mind, and wildlife departments hold the health of winter range as a high priority. Overuse can lead to mass starvation in a hard winter or after a dry summer.

Look for elk at water holes, too, especially remote stock tanks and beaver ponds. Elk like to be near water because their hides hold heat. They also prefer the north sides of ridges for bedding; there's more shade and moisture. Elk like to wade and splash in water, so they come to ponds even when seeps satisfy their thirst. In hot weather, midday visits are common, especially if there's security cover nearby. Wallows, most actively used in the rut, also draw elk during Indian summer.

As with any big-game hunting, knowledge of the terrain is an immense asset. Choose an area with care, getting as much information as you can from local hunters and people like loggers and ranchers who have come to know local elk movements. Tap the local game officer for tips.

Preseason scouting helps a great deal, but don't assume you'll see the same numbers of elk in the fall, nor find them in the same places. If the area has what elk like, and you hunt it diligently, you'll find a bull to shoot. The following year you'll know more about the area. Repeat trips make you more and more likely to succeed. I try to scout new elk range each season, either on the periphery of the place I'm hunting or at a different spot that looks promising on paper.