Andy, if you never been, than an outfitter may be the way to go for a first timer, they have tags and licenses available and if you go on a self -guided hunt then you need to be drawn for a tag, the odds of being drawn are very good here in Montana as 10% of the non-residents make up our quota system. If you hire an outfitter you can get a cow tag pretty cheap and easily, and after a year or two you can do it on your own when you get the learning curve down behind you.
I put in for special hunts through out the state and hunt new terrain each year taking 2 to 3 weeks off and hunt solo through the bush in different hunting districts, as some others have said its not really a good ideal to do by yourself but its something personal and the lure of the game I guess that keeps me challenging it. I just choose to take this time off and persue my game, weather elk, mulies or antelope, I meet all kinds of intresting people along the way. The more you do it, the more organized you get to be at it. Just start with a list of priorities and then count down, the number one prioity would be coffee, if I didn't have my coffee, I'd feel sorry for that ole griz that wants any piece of me if I didn't have my coffee. Good luck, Bobby