To the OP , A good pair of Comfortable supportive boots, good usable binos, and a way to carry drinking water are first requirements. Without these the rest does not matter. Next is to spent time once you get there and learn the elk's movements. If a pressured area, look for the heavy cover areas that the locals will not hunt. Next learn what they do when weather changes.... Here the colder and wetter(or snower) the lower , warm dry weather the higher. If the pressure gets too much they will go WAY high or Way low to get away from the hunters. The low is private land so once they go there they stay. I promised to guide a friend with a pacemaker this year..... I am way more worried about his heart then where the elk will be (thankfully he draw what is considered a Gravy tag!!!!!)..... health and fitness are a paramount... Elk are awesome to hunt, but they are not anything like sitting in a stand, they require more from the hunter then most other western game.....