MMullins. From one "newbie" to another on this or a sportsman that's not scared that you will shoot the only elk in the woods and my family will do without food for the year, get good green trail maps at you local sporting goods store and look for areas that have great distance between roads and spend as much time in the woods as you can learning the area. I muzzy elk hunt the east side (bumping) and have had luck but only having learned and after spending time deep, deep away from road hunters.
unluckyjohn comes from 5 years trying to get the area 346 any bull tag. More skill and less luck when it comes to success.