Buy a Carlton or Primos video or both. Carlton and Will are both good teachers. I use a bugle to locate and a cow call for almost everything else. If you can blow a turkey call you can blow an elk cal. The turkey and elk mouth calls are almost identical and you use the same air to blow them. Hands free mouth call is the only way to go. When you are ready to draw back the last thing you need is a hand call to try and stop an elk. I would suggest hunting in pairs with one guy calling and another guy shooting. You want to try and get close before you set up. (150 to 250 yards} If you are going to hunt solo you need to learn to throw your sound behind you. I could go on forever but you should get a couple of videos. They are very cheap compared to what you will spend on the hunt.

The wind is very important but does not have to be right in your face to be your friend.

Make a plan on how you are going to get that big son of a gun out of there after you kill it. It's a ton of work and can get crazy if you are not prepared. It's not like cleaning a 150 lb whitetail. Get a good meat pack.

As for as a handgun for bears....Every year I do the same thing, I bring one and carry it the first day and leave it in the truck after that. I just get tired of carrying it around. Lots of walking up and down some tough terrain. That brings up another story, better get in shape this ain't deer hunting on the river bottom or on food plots. Good luck and let us know how you do.