So, I got this rifle tag to hunt elk during the rut. Now I've been elk hunting for the last 10 years but only for spikes as they are the only option during the general season here in E. Wash. And the hunt is always the end of Oct./ beginning of Nov. I've got no experience hunting elk in the rut other than the 100 videos I've seen on what it looks like.

You guys have any tips or suggestions? Is there anything you thing you should or shouldn't do? The area we're going has a lot of hunters in it but also a lot of elk so I expect to have to work kinda hard to get a decent bull. I already plan on hiking my butt off to get away from most of the other hunters but I've never hunted the area so I'm not sure what the area is like other than forested hills about 5k to 7k feet elevation.