How do you...?

[L. Cooper]

There's a reason it's called "Hunting".

In my experience elk move around quite a bit. One week they will be all over a particular area and the next week you'd think they had been kidnapped by aliens. If an area is known for elk, hunt it until you find them.

I think it is vital that new hunters understand that a good hunt has lots of hunting in it.

"I don't hunt in order to kill things; I kill things in order to have hunted." (Who said that first?) There is nothing wrong with your kids finding that out. The attitude that there is some sort of guaranteed kill is really quite damaging to hunting as a sport.

"We walked up in the foothills but nothing". It's too bad you feel that way. Any walk in the foothills should be a very good time.

I would worry less about getting a shot and make the trip with you the real point of the exercise. See some neat country and talk to them. Watch the wildlife you do see and talk to them about it. Have a fire at noon and cook some sausages while you talk with them. Relax. Do it all for long enough in elk country, and you just might find one too.