Start gathering the correct gear and think hard about black bear. You can hunt a world class high country area most people can’t draw for mulies or elk, but you’ll be there hunting and they aren’t. You’ll learn about elk and mulies, see a lot of them, and have a purpose to be there.
When I was in the early 20’s my hunting rig was often a four door sedan because it was more affordable to drive across the state than my jeep - many mountain trailheads can be reached with just about any kind of car.
Doe antelope tags are a great learning tool if you’re new to antelope, but you don’t want to hunt out of a car.
When your gear budget is low, it will simply be heavier or much more well used than what many of us have, your rifle won’t be quite as capable and your optics will leave a lot to be desired, but many locals out west also aren’t made of money. My first backpack hunt was a sad collection of gear I probably didn’t have $200 invested in and the rifle was $125 with a $50 scope, but we were hunting. Get good at spotting gear on Craigslist or fb - shop thrift stores for clothing. Before synthetic hunting pants were even a thing, some mountain hunters simply wore polyester sweat pants. Fleece is polyester. Breathable waterproof shells are so common, $20 can get you a worn out special that’s still better than what 90% of the yo-yos in the mountains have, but you have to know what your looking at.
When you’re broke, gas and food will hold you back as much as anything. Get a small truck, minivan or SUV and figure out how to sleep in it - even if it’s just reclining the front seat. Drive like hell, sleep when you have to. Learn how to eat on the cheap and stay out of fast food joints and motels. $200 in fast food would be much better spent on a better pack, tent or sleeping bag.
I’ve seen guys sleeping on free carpet pad and using free tyvec as a bivi. Even the homeless don’t do that - they always seem to have a little tent.
Hunting food doesn’t have to be expensive. As a young kid I often ate beans out of the can, made sandwiches out of an entire loaf of bread, whole jar of peanut butter, and some jelly. Add in ramen, instant oatmeal, summer sausage, bags of chips, crackers, canned cheese, spaghetti O’s, tuna fish, and a whole lot of heavy canned fruits. My favorite low cost treat is banana bread - I’ve packed in entire loaves just to snack on. I ate a lot of crappy food in college to justify buying good quality hunting gear and practice ammo.
Borrow gear if you have to. Let everyone know if they have hand me downs you’d really be interested in them. Experienced guys often replace gear when it’s slightly worn and hold onto the old one until it has a good home - I’ve given away at least one complete set of really gear over the years and at least as many things that weren’t up to my standards.
The best way to learn anything is to just show up and fake it until you make it. Gather your gear - there’s no reason you can’t be in the mountains the end of September to scout this year. Camp in your car if you don’t have a pack. Find a friend to split costs with - hopefully he has more gear than you - a friend in need is a friend indeed. There’s nothing holding you back except yourself.
