This.
Problem is in every state and province I've hunted elk in, and no matter what part of those states or province I've hunted elk in, open country also had timber, and every elk jungle I've been in also had open country in the general vicinity.
Leupold 2.5-8 on all but one of my serious elk rifles.......
The only lesson besides this is to check your power ring and make sure you're on lowest power until higher is needed. I lost an old mossy horn once because he jumped up at 20 yards and I had my scope set on 6x. All I could see was hair, then he ducked into a ravine and was gone. Good hunting to you!
