It is a great opportunity. Long season, big herd and good chance for success. With all the national forest out there you don't even need an outfitter to have a good time and a good chance of bagging an Elk. All you need is a spirit for adventure, a good GPS, and a basic knowledge of Elk hunting.
I would be there this year but my hunting party drew the first Elk season in Colorado this year. If we had known about the opportunity in Montana before we paid and put our names in the Colorado priority point/lottery draw we would have definitely been Montana bound. If we hadn't drawn the Colorado first season we would have had two choices: 1) ask for a refund; or 2) opt for a second seaon license in Colorado. My hunting party discussed it and, except for our family members who live in Colorado, we decided if we didn't draw the first season we were going to get the refund and go to Montana. The Colorado "boys" are going to hunt both Colorado and Montana.
If you go... plan to spend a whole week and take your fly pole and go early while the trout are biting.