This country is vast and I personally want to hunt and see as much of the country as I can......with that said, I do not have the time necessary to fully scout all the new areas I want to hunt in order for me to be successful and fill my freezer......thus, I will hire a guide/outfitter for this service. As humans, we hire people all the time to improve our quality of life......do you send dirty work clothes to the cleaners?, do you wash your own car/truck 100% of the time?, do you go to a restaurant and pay for service and a chef to cook your meal?, do you send your kids to private/church school (I don't, but many do), etc. etc.
In order to increase my odds to actually draw a western ELK hunt this year, I entered the outfitter pool in New Mexico by using the most affordable option available, which is the minimal guide service.....this is 2-days with a guide, which is the minimum acceptable to enter the outfitter pool (increasing my odds to draw a tag by 2x..... normal odds of 5% as an example is more like 10% in the outfitter pool for NR). I drew a tag and since I am new to hunting NM, the guide that will be with me for at least the first 2-days will be invaluable.
After seeing and hearing all of the good feedback on Non-Typical Outfitters in Wyoming, I recently put in a deposit for a mule deer hunt........outfitter is so successful, the first opening was 2020 (passed on 2019 wait list). Pricey, but hopefully money well spent.....and I will save $1,000 each year over the next few years to afford it.
If you are wanting to hunt w/ a guide/outfitter, do it while you are young and relatively good shape to maximize your experience.......Do your research, make a few sacrafices, plan ahead, and save along the way......it will be an enjoyable/rewarding experience.