RE: Elk hunting during the rut
Since I know where your hunting I can tell you it's very steep and depending on where you are can range from very brushy to a 500 yard clearcut. I don't hunt during the rut but I would just locate a bull that is bugling and sneak in using judicious cow calling to cover your approach. But be careful there will probably be a bunch of idiots out there bugling like crazy so identify your target and go for bulls that are down in the rugged stuff because it's less likely to be a hunter.
I wouldn't bugle much if any. Usually, satelitte bulls and spikes will come in silenty and it will sometimes run dominant bulls out. They usually do not want to hang around and let you bust off a piece when they can just take their cows and go away. On the flip side, sometimes if you can get in close to a dominant bull and bugle at him, he may become incensed and beforced (or choose)to confront you rather than let you sneak in and breed his cows so that CAN work but I prefer just sneaking around and cow calling. This is just my experience however.