I'm looking for some info/tips on elk hunting in Idaho. We will be going in mid October hunting the middle fork zone. None of us live near the area and can't take the time off to do a scouting trip so its basically been all E-scouting. That being said, I feel like we have found a good spot well into the backcountry with good water in the area and a burn from 2017. We chose the area because it has some spots with wide open grassy sections, deep dark and nasty ravines, water, burn areas, and most important, I feel, no trails running right through the middle of it. Does anyone have any info on what we should be looking for to know when we are getting into some elk? Will there be a lot of sign all over the place or should we be looking for single bulls? How should we hunt the burn area, get deep into it, or hunt the edges? Will they be up high or down low, highest peak around(8 mile radius) is 8,000 feet. Should we focus on the deep dark nasty spots or more out in the open? Is the rut still going on at that time or is it over by then? If the rut is over, should we even bother trying to call for them? I know its a lot of questions, but I've read so many conflicting ideas/tips/tactics that I figured I should see if I could get some first hand knowledge from some of the experts on here to try and sort it out.
