I hope all you guys collecting preference points are still planning to hunt. There's lots of opportunity for elk in the over-the-counter units (like where I hunt), and with left over deer, elk, pronghorn, and concurrent deer/elk season bear tags. You can hunt bear in any unit where you have a deer or elk tag, and in all four seasons, not just the season you have the deer or elk tag.
You can't harvest an animal or develop experience if you don't hunt every year.