Personally, I can't make the trip to from New York to Colorado to scout a few times over the summer. And I want to Elk hunt, which I (and my partner) have never done before. We are staying in Wilderness Area and are being packed in on horses miles into mountains. All stuff we have never done before. And quite honestly, I have no ambition to pay for and own all the eqiupment that is needed. And I won't even get into the safety aspect of having an expereinced guide.

Is a guide needed? I think so.

Hey I just noticed you are from Maine, I even used guides in the Allagash region on hunting and canoe trips.