You will always be able to travel hard and fast. Its just that travel will not always be on foot, or on 4 hooves etc... there are many ways to cover ground. Good advantage spot at teh right time with a spotting scope can tell you a LOT... and whether to invest more time or move to another advantage spot for the evening...
I have followed bumped elk over 12 miles easily until they holed up again. According to a topo map and my GPS. I"m sure others have traield them further.
Don't be scared to keep going till you find em or season is over.
The only other way is a known hidey hole that produces in relationship to pressure every season... those are hard to find. I"m sure Carolyn and I found one in Eagles Nest once... it just would have had to be rifle season for it to pay off, but it had everthying needed to remain in one hole including water, and never be seen unless stumbled onto...
