I hunt an area that is thick in CO for elk, and actually have hunted several similar areas in CO, and my opinion is that you really just can't glass for these beasts here because you will just be looking at foliage and can't see through it. Of course the are a few parks now and then, but for the most part, there is no way. I bring only mini binos for stalking.

so my question is...other than just really listening and learning an area, how do YOU hunt these areas successfully, especially when they are not whisteling?

Cover a lot of country.

Yep, have to keep moving to find them. Find areas with fresh sign and then slow down. Set up and do some blind calling in likely areas. Also, pay attention to your nose. I've often smelled elk before seeing them in thick cover - keep the wind in your face.

Whip nailed it,  Search hard until you find high activity trails and fresh sign of activity.  Stay downwind of those areas and work parallel to them.  Cow talk every now and then and listen closely.  A herd of elk makes a lot of noise.  I hunt heavy brush at the coast and can get on elk most days.  The problem is getting a shot thru the thick stuff.  You can defiantely smell them a lot of the time prior to seeing them.

Once you find active areas still hunt them carefully and mark them on your map.  If fairly undisturbed the elk will be in the same general area until they get pushed out.

The mountain I hunt is thick and flat and gets hunted way to hard with lots of privite/cabins. I find some of my best spots are funnels near water or in high saddles between drainages.  I like to ambush in staging areas(little hidden meadows) back form big parks and feeding areas. Mostly I cover country until I find good sign then move in and still hunt. They are not very vocal most years here so I don't call much but cow calls seem to cover noise. If I find a herd that is not being bugged I like to keep out of their core bedding area and hunt the fringes of the herd.

The only elk I ever killed was on property I'd never visited in Colorado.  I walked until about noon, found a wallow, and waited.  That's my total experience with elk hunting, but it worked for me.

There are places you can glass.  Quite well actually.  get up high on one ridge and glass the next ridge, or two or three.  

Look into the oakbrush, which is at the top end of each of the sun facing ridges.  They feed through them off and on all day. Find where they move (trails) in the dark timber (north facing ridges and get up there before light to cut them off.  Look at your map, find the ridges.  One side will be pines and thick stuff up to near the top, then top out with oak brush.  The other will have Aspen (poplar) and grass areas.  Sneak along the ridge and pop up every 100 yards (WATCH THE WIND) and glass the poplars.

Find a spot in a large drainage that allows you to glass the sides of the drainage (opposite yours).  Lots of places to glass if you know what to look for.

Remember both the wind and the thermals.  Tie a wind feather or better yet (in my mind) tape a piece of filamentous dental floss to your bow limb.  Get into the habit of watching that nearly constantly.  You will get used to it and employ that at home then too.  Thermals will bust you more often than you might imagine.

Good luck
ChuckC

I also use topo maps. If you are on a steep sidehill and find a shelf slow down. A lot of times they bed on those shelves. Gary