Great advice hereReally like all of this advice and think you're spot on. Finding where the elk aren't is just as valuable as finding where they are when e-scouting. As mentioned by @FlyGuy if you follow the guidance from Randy Newberg and sign up for the Elk University, you'll put yourself in a pretty good spot. You can rule out 90%+ of a unit before even arriving. Good luck in your first hunt!