Not sure I agree with you saying elk "generally" congregate in relatively large numbers. While that can be true in the breeding season and during winter, I have found that during the hunting season the herds often break up into smaller groups and often the bulls will be found alone. I've killed a number of elk that didn't have any other elk around them.
I think the secret to consistently taking elk is to find areas the elk feel secure in. This means finding areas that are rough enough to keep most the people away but not so rough the elk have a hard time getting in and out of it. In the areas I hunt that means heavy thick cover on steep hillsides with water and feed fairly close by. If you can walk around standing straight up without ducking, weaving or even crawling, you're in the wrong place. I've got a couple of areas that I can usually find elk in and I've got one hillside that has produced 4 bulls.
One of the best pieces of advice I was given for hunting elk was to always try to hunt uphill. That way, if you get one you will be packing meat downhill.