Pike slayer,
Elk need 4 things and these 4 things are key to finding elk
1.Food(Grass,shrubbs ect..)Elk are browsers
2.Water
3.Security(They need cover,timber,canyons,canopys of trees,access to others)this one is the most important,if they don' t feel secure they leave.
4.Escape routes(Elk are not dumb they know they are hunted by predators,they always have escape routes.)
If the area is missing one of these 4 things,you probaly won' t find elk there often.

These are the things I look for any way.
Good luck BBJ