The never ending blue jean saga.....luv'n it. I think I have only killed 2-3 elk while NOT wearing blue jeans. Late season and snowy I am all about wool, but during the normal Oct and Nov seasons I almost always wear wranglers, but I do mainly hunt the intermountain west: not the costal Roosies.
Anyhoo I don't have much that is constructive to add to this thread....but I would reinforce the notion that you can't be afraid of the dark. If you want to be consistently successful with public land/general season elk you have to be comfortable hiking in and out in the dark.
If you spot elk in another drainage in the morning, just be patient and watch where they go into the timber at. 9 times out of 10 they'll come out of the timber at that same spot if nothing spooks them during the day. Watch the wind and get into position for them to come feeding out in the late evening.
