I can not speek for Elk, but, sometimes here deer will hold up for a day
or two on the first snow. They seem like they have left the country and
then all of a sudden they are every where. It appears as though they
are nervous or something on the first snow. And it doesn't seem to matter
if it is 2 inches or 2 feet. They just seem to hold tight in a thicket and
hardly move much. Perhaps this is something that may have happened
in your case. I wouldn't really know as I do not know anything about the
elk.