MTdrahthaar

I don't know where you are going in the Bob, or where you are going to start from, with that said, there are areas in the Bob that have an early rifle season open. I have heard that the elk are very educated and call shy due to this bugle'em and shoot'em season.
I don't hunt the Bob because of the rifle hunters in there.
You guys are going to be there long enough, he can certainly hold out for an encounter with a big 5 or 6.
This part of the country is VERY brushy, the problem is not getting close, the problem is seeing what it is, a spike, or a toad 375 bull. I have been inside 10 yards from bulls and had no look at vitals, it can get ridiculous.
One thing we have taken too, when we think a bull may be hung up or educated, we just start shaking the alders, cause a ruckus, they can't see you anymore than you can see them, many have come right in from that.
If you haven't been in the mountains much, winds are upslope, upbasin during the day, and turn and come down slope in the evening and nights. You get on benches in the basins and they can get pretty swirly, the bench creates kind of an eddy in the wind. Its the wind that will cause you more problems than anything, because you are in such close quarters of these elk. You hunt that many days here, you are going to be close to elk.
Bring your bear spray and pistol. Bear spray for sure. Just tons of g-bears to not have anything.