we all tend to learn mostly through personal experience, but most people are willing to have a more experienced mentor,
speed up the learning curve , and thus reduce the time and effort required to learn through trial & error.
the first thing Id suggest anyone considering an elk hunt do is get the states hunting licence requirements and read through them carefully,
once you've decided to apply for a licence and understand the states licencing procedures,
and you fully understand that in many states youll need a plan "b", "C" and "D"
simply because you may not have access or draw the area you prefer to hunt and may be required to both gain "POINTS" ,
an hunt less desirable areas during your first few years.
thus purchase of several areas topo maps and doing your research on each area is a smart route to take.
generally you'll want to hunt with either a friend or two and/or with an outfitter with a long record of happy former returning clientele.
selecting an outfitter will also require doing research and checking references carefully,
in any business theres scam artists, who are thrilled to take you money and not provide any or inferior services,
its your job to do the required research and assume , some references will be less than truthful.
try hard to get references from several previous years and fairly current references,
and ask the previous hunters for any friends,
or fellow hunters phone or e-mail contact numbers.
check with the local police and better business people and any outfitter organizations for complaints before booking a hunt.
every year you'll hear about guys that sent a healthy financial deposit, to some one,
only to find the check cashed and the people cashing it no longer return phone calls.
you'll need to get in better physical condition in almost all cases,
increased altitude will kick your butt at least temporarily ,
I live in Florida at close to sea level, I generally hunt Colorado or Wyoming,
the change in altitude takes several days for your body to adapt ,
you'll want to consult your family doctor before making the trip, and start spending at least a 1/3 hour,
on a tread mill or running stairs, as often as possible for months prior to the trip,
look up altitude sickness, on the internet, in my case every year without fail,
Ive gotten head aches and feel like crap for about 24 hours as my body adjusts to the altitude change
. It helps to drink lots of liquids like hot tea and gator aid, even when you don,t feel thirsty,
and take an aspirin a few times a day during the hunt and get to the hunt area at least two days early,
buy and use lip gloss it helps keep your lips from cracking.
get and use a decent hat with a brim that keeps sun out of your eyes,
get decent ankle support boots with an aggressive tread sole,
protect anything that will be damaged by moisture in double zip lock bags (wallet, MEDS, licences)
if your dealing with an out fitter ask questions about what they suggest and follow the advise ,
bringing a great deal of extra gear, or failing to bring the suggested gear,
is almost always going to piss off any outfitter. the guides are there to assist you, follow their advice,
but they are not going to act as a personal servant
they can,t take your shot for you, they can,t get your out of physical shape butt,
up on some ridge as fast as it might be required
, where youll get that shot of a lifetime, if your so out of shape that breathing at 7000-9000 ft of altitude is a chore,
and after two days of hunting your ready too pack it in, its not the guide or outfitters fault if you don,t score!
and yes your expected to get up early and hunt till dark if you want to be successful ,wither you have a guide or are hunting on a D.I,Y. hunt.
sleep at a few thousand feet lower altitude and take hot showers,
as it helps the body adjust before the hunt, spend the first few days before you hunt,
getting acclimated, Ive found sleeping the first night at lower altitudes like Denver before going higher helps.
yes you need to practice with your rifle shooting from field positions theres no bench rest in the field,
you should be able to use a rifle with a sling and bi-pod too consistently punch holes in a 3" orange dot,
from 100 yards from a sitting or prone position, and at 50 yards off hand.
most guys can shoot bragging size groups off a bench rest,
few of the guys I hunt with, could initially and consistently hit a coke can on a tree stump,
from 100 yards from a rapidly acquired field position,
youll need a day pack to carry personal items like a spare insulated vest, rain poncho, cell phone, skinning knife , personal med;s, licences, toilet articles etc.
if you hunt on a D.I.Y. public land hunt, a GPS, several topo maps game meat processing tools and a pack capable of hauling 60-70 lbs of meat is also advisable.
this similar thread has a few tips
increasing your odds of consistently being successful.