Madmav you are in the state which makes it easier to travel to hunting units.

There's alot of open bull units in the southwestern portion of the state.

The way i see it for beginners is to go ahead and apply for preference points and hunt a second or third rifle season and find an area or hunting spot. It's all trial and error but hunt high and hunt away from the roads even it means walking a bit.

The other option is first season rifle for some units which you should draw first year out but, not knowing where your going tends to lead to an unsuccessful hunts.

I will email you a place to go and how to do it, it may work for you it may not. Good luck

By the way I love first time elk hunters nothing like that adventure for people to put in their memory book.