All the tips you read about hunting whitetails out of stands apply to elk, also (scent control, wind, ingress, egress, safety, movement, time, noise, etc.). Just gear your site selection toward recently used water sources. Use mornings and midday to find the most active water sources; if you find a better place, then move the stand there. Never hunt against the wind; if the wind isn't right for that setup, then don't try to hunt it: hunt a different stand that will work for that wind. Get into your stand at 3pm and don't get out until legal shooting time ends.
Don't give up; they will be there at least once in a season's worth of sitting; then you'll have a close shot at a relaxed animal that has no clue you are there.
