Hunting anything is about the experience. I have never taken an Elk ( have only hunted them twice ), but have taken a Pronghorn and a Mulie with my bow. Not trophies, but great DIY hunts. I have hired an outfitter once and hunted Whitetail in WYoming. I did get P&Y buck with my bow on that trip, but while fun, it was not as satisfying as my Mulie and Pronghorn. My Elk hunts that I came up empty handed were much more memorable. The point is, you can do it cheaper by yourself and whether or not you get anything at all will be secondary.