call less, sit less.

elk are NOT like deer. they dont have daily rituals for the most part. the exception this year is water. they will likely hit the same water every day at about the same time.

calling like in the tv shows is highly overrated especially if you are hunting land with any amount of pressure. the big bulls often run the other way when they hear people callling. they have heard every call made and though you may fool a small bull or cows, they generally dont come running. however, if you just want to shoot a cow, you may try a distress call. i have had cows come within arms reach when using a distress call.
scent is a problem, sitting in an area for a long time means that your scent permeates the area. unless you have perfect wind, which rarely happens in the woods.

my method that i have used for many years is to move quickly until i find an area with fresh sign, then slow down and still hunt it. if you hear elk, move toward them as quickly as possible while still being quiet.

this year your best bet is probably water holes. the feed is poor in many areas, so also try to find an area with better feed.