Originally Posted by
Alsatian
I don't know that unit and don't have advice on that specific unit. At this time of year elk tend to be up high -- just below tree line. If you are hunting far below tree line, that could be the problem. I don't know, of course, what altitude you have been hunting at.
I would say hearing 2 bulls and seeing 1 bull is actually fairly encouraging. Some elk hunters don't hear or see bulls during a hunting season.
Alsatian,
I'll politely disagree. I've rut hunted bull elk. I've heard literally dozens of bulls bugling every morning and evening. The one I killed on a public land, fair chase hunt bugled continually. After following his bugle for about 2 & a half hours over I have no clue of how many ridges, I was finally able to kill him. He was a monster elk.
If he's heard only 2 bulls, either he's in an area with few elk, or he's doing something very wrong.