I wondered if I could get some thoughts to push me off in the right direction. I' m really starting from square one here. I' ve only hunted whitetail before and am taking my first big hunting trip this fall for Maine Moose. Now, the excitement is building and I' m already thinking ahead for other opportunities. Elk has always been in the back of my mind, but has always been something I figured was too far out of reach. Elk hunting out west was something ya just got to see on TV and read about. Well, I' d like to start thinking about making it a reality. Should I just start applying in lotteries all over the place and hope for the best? Or, should I fork over the bucks for a landowner tag? How much can I expect to pay for a guide outfitter since I won' t know the area (I know this will vary widely region to region and package to package).

Anyhow, any insight is appreciated either here or via email.