I also put them in a ice bath when they come out of the smoker, about 10 minutes or so. Wipe dry and hang in fridge 24 to 48 hrs to dry. Vacuum seal before freezing.
It sounds like this is your first time hunting elk in this particular unit. Priority #1 is to find where there are elk. Cover as much ground as possible until you find elk or very fresh sign of elk. When looking for elk in a new area, I'm looking for dark timber, aspens and water.