Depends. Is it warm? How late in the season? They' ll talk less an' less with warm weather an' as the rut peters out. Don' t mean they ain' t there. One thing you can do if you know they are close, but bein' very nocturnal (warm days), is you can push the timber on a north ridge. This is stalkin' at its mos' difficult. You gotta be dressed right, you gotta be patient, an' you gotta be 10 times more stealthy than you think you need to be. I recommend the 2 step, 4 step method. Start by stepping with your right foot if you are a right-handed shooter. This leaves you with your left foot forward in a shooting stance. Only step when you have thoroughly analyzed the surroundings, and then only 2 or 4 steps, very slowly. A slight change in perspective might show you some antlers stickin' up over a blow down, or a flicker of a ear in a bush. The object is to stand still more than you are moving. Watch small evergreens, cause elk love to look thru them to check you out. This is the most fun hunting but comes with risks. First, you ain' t gonna be good at it first off, an' you' ll likely blow the elk outta their bedding area for several days. They can run off and be miles away before you even know they' re gone. Second, you gotta be a good off hand shot. Many hunters ain' t. They need a knee or a tree or a bipod contraption. Practice bringin' yer rifle up from a port position very slowly, and wear wool. None of them nylon gaters you see so many elk hunters sportin' . No rain gear if its wet. Shade yer face with a wide-brimmed hat. The eyes and face are very recognizable to elk, even if yer body is cammoflagued. Now if you got the time and patience to stalk elk on the trails leadin' in and out of bedding areas, go for it. But don' t expect to be successful right off. My grandaddy taught me to kill whitetails in their beds. He didn' t consider anythin' else to be sporting or worthy of the animal. He also didn' t like to get up early to hunt, or walk in the woods after dark. If he saw me sittin' in a tree watchin' a trail, he' d likely disowned me. This is detail hunting. You gotta think like the animal and never underestimate his nose, eyes, or ears. If you ain' t in shape, forget it. If you ain' t in tune with the woods, forget it. Mos' people are too wound up from city livin' for this kind of hunting.