Personally, I don't worry too much about tag allocations. What worries me more is pricing. I can't remember the last time I missed a Colorado hunt, but I would rather hunt every other year if it would mean that states would not continue their trend of weeding out hunters by pricing some out of the market. Montana is one state that is already there. They can't even sell all their nonresident allocations any more. Colorado, who is arguably the most nonresident friendly state, gives us an automatic price increase every year, while residents sit pat. Colorado is now making advetisements to try and lure the 30,000 nonresident elk hunters back that they have lost. I can pretty much afford to go in spite of the price but as stated, I would rather they cut me back to every other year if it would mean that more regular guys could still go. Several of my friends and others I know have been priced out.
And as far finding out where to hunt? Works the same way as it does in local circles: develop relationships and make friends of like minded people over time and they will help you when the time comes. What bothers me is guys who have never been on a website come one with their first post and tell you they drew a primo tag and couldn't we tell them where to hunt. Then they disappear to never be heard from again.