Bill,
When looking at topo's and see all those lines in various places you will see elevation and elevation changes.The closer the lines are together the steeper the terain.Look to see where they go up and down,you usaly can tell whats down cause there is usaly a crick at the bottom.
Mountains and plataues are pretty easy to figure out,you will see them on the map,places with lines realy far apart usaly mean a flat spot.
Break a area down to like 10 sq mile and look at airial photos,this way you can see if the flats are meadows or timbered flats,or if a mountain is bald or has timber,Timbered plataues are nice places where elk have escape routes into drainiges down hill.Look for water,food,cover securitie,escape and how easy it is to get there.
BBJ