So I haven't read everything in this thread so I don't know all of the plans, but do you know what you are doing? Do you know where you are going to go? What side of the mountain you will be hiking up? Have you scouted the area on a map?
There are some good rules to follow when looking for these creatures that will greatly increase your chance of success. Such as:
Elevation preferrably above 6,500 ft
NE side of the mountain
Flat area near the top of the ridgeline
Some water flows in the area
Look for structures, tree leans, tree breaks, trees cut in half, trees pushed over, etc. and also footprints
Don't waste time walking on trails. Get OFF the trails and hike through the thicket and bushes. Keep going deeper and deeper, way off the trails.
Don't expect to get anything on camera. Approach this for your own experience.