Where hunter pressure is heavy, elk will feed in the meadows at night and be bedded in deep timber, or on their way through the timber to bedding areas when shooting hours begin. For that reason, your best chance of even seeing an elk is to be in their hideaway when they're active. In some forests, adequate food is available in the timber so the elk don't leave at all, even during the night. These are among the toughest of all elk to hunt, because only hunters willing to leave roads and human-traffic trails are apt to spot these animals. It's a good idea to remain on your vigil long after shooting hours begin, because other hunters may push animals past your vantage point.
Bedded elk are at their peak of alertness.
They lie quietly in the forest and can hear every sound in the heavy timber or brush. According to the textbooks, elk are supposed to be in their beds within a half-hour of sunrise and remain there all day. I suspect that plenty of elk have never bothered to read those books, because the animals will often casually move about in the forest during the day if they feel secure. That's another reason you should stay in the woods all day. Resist the urge to head for camp during midday.