I'm a lifelong hunter from Iowa and went on guided pack-in hunt in the Bob in '21. I was incredibly blessed to kill the only elk spotted during an 8 day hunt in remote wilderness area. There were 8 hunters in camp, and we covered/glassed an immense amount of ground during the hunt. There are better areas with higher elk populations for sure, but you need to keep your expecations of killing something very low. Most guys in camp had elk/deer combo and bear tags, and again, my elk was the only animal killed and the only opportunity.
You could very easily go to a "good area" and spend 10-15 days without a sighting or opportunity. For a new guy in a new area, I would stay as long as realisticallly possible- 3 weeks if you can. Come up with plans A, B, C, D, etc..., because once the shooting starts the elk will scatter and head for private. Weather is also a huge factor. If you spot some elk, it may take a few days to get their pattern down, and other hunters, weather, etc..., can completely blow them out just when you think you have the puzzle put together.
Novice tip #1- book as much PTO as you can, up to 3 weeks or more is ideal.
I took my daughter on a cow hunt in the Big Horns last fall in a "good area". We hunted extremely hard in tough terrain for 9 days dark to dark. We were on good sign every day and spotted elk on 3 days out of 9. However, we never had any decent opportunities. Inside the same unit thiere is a chunk of private where residents said over 200 elk were hanging out, unavailable to any hunters but easily in view from roads and glassing points.
Novice tip #2- stay positive and be prepared to move. Don't throw all your eggs in one basket.
If you pass by guys hunting in the same unit, introduce yourself and be willing to share some intel. We met some guys from Michigan last fall that gave us a lead that led my daughter and I to a sighting of elk, but we were too novice to set up correctly. If we simply would've waited for the elk to come to us (down hill to water in evening) we may have had an opportunity. Instead, we used overly aggressive whitetail tactics and passed the elk on our way up the hill while they were going down hill (out of our sight).
Novice tip #3 and #4- be cordial, courteous, and respectful when you run into other hunters. Your manners may be rewarded with some good local intel. Watch videos, read books, etc..., and learn about elk movement patterns, behavior, and preferred food sources during the season your hunting.
Think about these tips and what I and others already mentioned re: harvest reports, talking to biologists, etc... This isn't rocket science or magic and you're already doing a lot of things right.
Good luck
