44 and 45 would be better choices. It's all big, rugged country, especially 45, but there's plenty of elk, plenty of public land and the pressure isn't too intense. 44 probably receives the most pressure. You will need to do some scouting though, as the elk aren't particularly easy to find when you're brand new to the area.

I have hunted 44 for the last 12 years and the trend that I'm seeing is more pressure less elk and deer and more poaching. The access in 44 is too good. The last 2 years you could drive a 2 wheel drive pickup on any road you wanted to. Also there is a group of locals that have terrorised the mountain with motor cycles creating their own trails. I followed one last fall for 3 miles through dark timber and let me tell ya these kids have alot of energy as they have taken chain saws and cleared all the dead fall. Made for an easy hike down the mountain but, it sure got noisy mid to late afternoon everyday.

Not trying to discourage you just telling you what I have experianced over the last several years.

Bull Buster, have you been hunting the wilderness or the national forest outside the wilderness?