My buddy, GUHunter, lives just west of there. We've driven through 45 a few times. There are elk to be had. The best advice I can give:Hunt harder than you thought you would. There are elk there, but they aren't going to be sitting on the interstate. There is a lot of private ground that gets elk wintering there later in the season. In the early summer-October, the elk are high.
Best of luck and send lots of pics! Get out there a couple times and find the animals during a hike or two this summer. There are lots of trails and a person can access most of it within a day or two hike. Sadly that wilderness area isn't deep like it is over near unit 60, the Thorofare.