Scouting elk is real tricky. Biggest thing is you don' t want to disturb the animals. They are extremely sensitive to pressure. When looking for a good area look for seclusion. Before you even begin to look for sign first determine how many hunters are gonna be on the hill. Go where you think there won' t be a lot of pressure. Then take some high powered glass and start looking long range for good habitat and animals. Look for wallows, water, open meadows full of mountain grasses with a lot of cover nearby. If you like go to the edges and look for sign and keep watching at long ranges. Eventually you' ll find a couple of good spots. You will want more than one. If you can spend enough time you' ll start to see their pattern. Which direction are they going in the mornings and evenings, what is their escape route. All things to keep in mind.