I once followed a bull in an inch of snow to a thicket, about 40 yards around. I spent an hour or so circling the thicket cow calling and "grazing" in hopes to lure him out to the edge so I could see him. When I had nearly completed the circle with the snow melting I figured I must have missed seeing his tracks leaving the thicket in the heavy bear grass. As I took my pack off to find some toilet paper he exploded from a few yards away, hidden in the hemlocks.
I realized right then that an elk intent on not being found will usually not be found, and it takes little to hide one.
