You can do the CO hunt on the cheap if you realize that success is based on the experience. The biggest expense will be your tag and gas. Other than that it's just basically a camping trip in the national forest. If you are going to be bowhunting then that is early in the season, usually, and the elk will be high up, above the timberline. Most of the time you will just be doing long range scouting and then you try to get in position with the wind for the shot. You may have to wait a day to try. It only has to be as extreme as you want to make it. We never hiked more than a mile and I saw a 300"+ bull. Granted, if you want to pack in farther you'll have a better chance but it increases logistics. It can be done easier. We drove up pre-dawn to the timberline and then sat in the truck and spotted for elk. When we spotted one we tried to move into position. If you chose to pack in you could just hike in and have prearranged deal with someone with horses willing to pack out the elk if you are successful. Another alternative is to have a base camp which you can setup out of your truck and then spike camp a night or two up high.