LAST EDITED ON Mar-01-17 AT 06:49PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Mar-01-17 AT 06:46?PM (MST)
I was lucky enough to draw a multiseason elk permit last year in Utah. Here's my experience:
I live 3 hours from the unit and had never hunted it before. Between scouting and hunting, my boys and I made 10 different trips and spent 29 total days together on the mountain. We covered too many miles on foot, horseback, and ATV to count - getting to know the unit (roads, trails, water sources, rutting grounds, etc.). We spent countless hours behind good glass finding, observing, following, and hunting the bulls I was interested in. We met a few new friends, who generously shared information and/or time to point us in the right direction. It was a challenging hunt physically and mentally. In the end, I was able to harvest a bull - 5 miles from the nearest road - that met and surpassed my expectations when I drew the tag.
I had a pretty high standard and it took time and discipline (passing on many good/great bulls) before we finally located and harvested the one we were after. So, my standards and experience may be different than yours or others. I decided not to hire a guide service and wanted to hunt the way I prefer - DIY, the old fashioned way. Overall, I think it is accurate to say that it was the most enjoyable and rewarding hunt of my life - and that's after spending 40+ years hunting big game every year.
In my view, drawing the tag doesn't guarantee a trophy animal. There's nothing magical about it. And even with a great tag like that, it requires a lot of time, dedication, hard work, good people (including a few generous Monster Muleys members) willing to help, and some good fortune to get the job done. My advice is that if you're willing to invest the time, effort, and money - however much that might be in your circumstances - into your hunt, you'll probably have the time of your life ... if you're fortunate enough to draw the tag.
Good luck.
Rimrock