I would like to think that all hunters hunt first and foremost for the meat. Too much emphasis is put on the "trophy" aspect of hunting.
"Men hunt to pursuethe animal, not to possess it."
Having said that . . . take the first legal Elk you see! I can remember turning down spikes because it was openning morning and then never seeing an Elk again. Consider the stats: The national average shows that elk hunters are successful once every five years!
I know most of you are looking at a large expense to take an Elk, and you want your money's worth in the form of a nice rack. So put yourself in good shape, practice long range shoting, and put yourself in promising Elk country via extensive research or even an outfitter/guide.
I get to hunt Elk 6+ weeks a year, and still get skunked. So I take the first legal Wapiti the Elk Gods bring me.