Elk pretty much live a life of silence, constantly listening and watching for anything that may be a threat. Anything even slightly unusual will get their attention. I can’t imagine walking with a stick to mimic elk footfall is very effective, but having never tried it what do I know. Lots of things make all types of noise in the woods. I wouldn’t worry about it too much, as long as you try and avoid the rythmic “plop-plop-plop” of an obvious 2 legger. The elk probably won’t spook until they see or smell you, unless they have been pushed around already. If anything, what Aces described above is a good way to move around near elk without arousing too much suspicion. Common saying is elk will hear you 3 times, see you twice, and smell you once.
