So, how about KNP?
I remember in 1976, my dad and friends, looking for new areas to hunt to get away from the "Bull River Crowds".
I remember that night, driving thru the park, around Kootenay Crossing, counting well over 200 head of elk, standing right next to the highway, over a 10 mile stretch (miles back then).
Tons of Elk around back then.
Then, it died out over time.
Word was, it was due to the "bad habitat", and it was probably true, since the park probably hadn't seen a real fire in over 100 years, due in part to policy, "fire suppression".
Then as the onset of logging happened outside the park, is was abundantly clear the elk were leaving for better food sources.
At that time, Wolves were never even considered to be the issue, habitat was.

Now, sometime around 2002-2003, someone came up with the idea to transplant some park elk from some other park,
put tags and collars on them, and released them in KNP.
I have to say, who ever came up with that idea, and who ever "signed off" on that idea, should have been fired!
Lets see, tons of elk had left the park, so you think 10 or so are going to be different???
What an utter waste of money and resources, imo.
On top of that, you don't release park elk into an area where you almost surely know, they will end up right out of the park, and a GOS area. (my understanding, the elk left the park inside 24hrs!)
Save park elk for areas where you wish to "transplant elk" into areas where you want elk to one day roam, that at the present time, don't have a season for them.
And if I can add, to no longer consider transplants right next to major FN Reservations etc.
(they can spend the cash we gave them to get their own elk, imo)
Anyways, just got a little pissed there.

So, since then, KNP has had a "Huge Fire", but from my understanding and many I have talked to, the elk still haven't returned.
Like J-T said, hard to have elk come back, even to great habitat, if they don't even exist, especially in the winter range/low altitude areas to begin with.
So, good habitat, but no elk, in a traditionally good area to hold elk from past history.

Here is the Cows which led to the demise of a nice 6pt bull, right at opening, a day before I got there, which was taken about
6ft from where I place the camper.
(is that even legal to shoot something that close to your vehicle...lol)
Sorry for the crap photo.