Looks like you're hunting them with a rifle and are having a tough time getting close enough for a shot before they move off to their beds. That's a great sign that they're doing a little calling early in the morning. These elk can be called! Before I did that if at all possible I'd do what I could do to ambush these elk since you've kinda got their routine down. Hunting the bedding area is risky, as your wind will more than likely get to them before you ever see them. This can run elk out of an area. Sounds like these bulls are still hanging around though.

If this is out of the question, then I'd go to plan-B, that is to get in the area they're bedding in but not in the bedding spot!! Stay 200yds away or so and setup to call them over in your direction. --- I've been asked this question many times at this time of year, here's a copy of a calling senario that has proven very effective for others.

"At this time of year elk are on the move and regrouping for the most part since most of the bigger bulls are pulling away from the smaller breeding type herds they were in. This is a good time for the seperated & lost cow & calf sound both. There's a good chance other cows or bulls won't say much but will come over your way to check you out or to pick you up.

One of the best ways I like to hunt then is using "blind setups". If you know where elk are, (fresh sign) or coming or going to then setup aprox. in their vicinity and do this "blind calling" I use this method early in the season, (sept) and it will work well at this time as well. In Nov. --- Setup in a place where elk can't see you at a long distance but instead must come to check you out. (within rifle range) I give several different cow calls and inject a calf call or two as well. I make other elk think there's a small group out there that are still seperated from the main herds. So not only do I give social calls and some semi excited ones but also some seperated sounds as well, at this time it's also good to give some of the longer lost sounds as well but only a couple. Don't overdue it, a spike squeal thrown in randomly with some excitement is also a good sound to use, this whole scenario only need be 30-45 sec. and then off and on, on a lower key scale just to let other elk know you're still there and your position. Key to this setup is be patient and stay put, be willing to hang there for an HOUR. Remember, you're doing this in a known area that elk are around. Elk can hear a mighty long ways too. The more open the country the further!! If in an hour nothing shows up, move on and do it again, have faith it will work!! Good Luck!! Let us know what happens!!

In addition to this type of "blind calling" sometimes if in 20 min. or so nothing shows up, I use my gut feeling, I get a little more aggressive. What I do is throw in a raggy bull sound in the form of low gutteral growls and some dry huffing along with a slightly distressd cow call, this shows other elk that a small bull has found them and is annoying one of the cows. I really play it up and paint a picture for elk within earshot. At this time and in the regular calling senario I always do some stomping and breaking small limbs or thrash the brush lightly to make it sound like elk are feeding and moving around, you gotta make it real!!!! More times than not, other elk will come your way to see what's going on. And that's all you can ask for is a chance. ElkNut1