As a CO resident, I've hunted that area a few years recently for one tag or another, and have mixed feelings about it. I think the "good ol days" of that area are in the past. If you can draw a deer tag there, or get in with a good guide that has horses and knows where they are, it's worth the points, but in terms of elk – as others have said, the area has been fairly over run with all sorts of activities which makes it hard. Gunnison and Crested Butte are booming, most of the Front Range is over the traffic on 70 so the new hot spots are BV, CB, Gunny, etc.
What you'll find, is that the amount of access points are very limited. The "spots" that you can park and walk in, every hunter knows about, as public land hunting goes even if you get there first, you'll be stepping on toes plenty. Hiking won't limit this, as we're the fittest state in the Nation and everyone loves exploring that wilderness (it is beautiful). This equates to - What seems like a good area to hunt, you'll quickly find a ton of hikers and backpackers, mountain bikers, dirt bikes if OHV, even into October. I love all those sports, but hunting I'm personally looking for units without the traffic as CO as a whole is busting at the hips. It's rough and tough terrain and they get pushed fast and far, boy can they move. As with a lot of areas, before the season they're all over town, but after opening weekend they know to head deep. My best advice, is be ready to hike 4mi in minimum to setup camp, and then we average 6mi at dawn and 6mi at dusk (between 10k-13k ft). Be very cognizant of your ability to hike anything out if you get it. If you can do that, you can find them. Good luck!
