I like hunting on my own and hate the idea of a guide leading me around and telling me when to shoot and what to do, now that i have said that, i hunt on public land in Colorado.
I hunt from one mile to two of the easy access roads. I always hunt with a friend so when one of us kills we will have help getting the elk out. You may have to go miles off the road to kill a trophy book elk, but not that far to kill an elk. It depends on your view of what a trophy is. I only had a cow tag last year and passed up five nice bulls and filled my tag with a nice eating cow. I am 52 years old now and can't go like i did when i was 20. We hunt at 11,000 plus feet and the air gets very thin when you really exert yourself. I hunt all day and try to get to the opening before first light, because after the first day of shooting, the elk move into the timber at first light. The cow we pulled out whole but it was all down hill, but still more work than most like to to do. I had heart bypass surgery
when i was 46 , 5 grafts and i still hunt the high country and you can see why pulling an elk or packing it out is hard work for me. I will only quit when i die.

LUV TO HUNT,
Bob / Kingsport, TN