All of the above and :

1. have a plan for what you will do when you get one. A 500-700 animal is a lot different than a 150 pound whitetail. If you are in the back country you'll need a plan to pack it out. And you'll need to bone it before you bring into AL.

2. You don't need a magnum. .30-06 and .270 are plenty. I've killed two with the 06 ( at 225 and 280 yards) and a friend successfully hunted elk for 30 plus years with his .270 . But you need a heavy for caliber bullet and practice shooting at longer ranges from improvised positions while wearing your hunting clothes. Get a range finder. Distances can be deceiving.

3. Get a GPS and practice with it. It is easy to get disoriented. A GPS can keep a small problem from becoming a big problem. You probably won't have a cell phone connection and it will be harder to run into people/civilization.

4. Good hiking boots. Not muck boots or rubber boots. Something that you can walk and climb in for long distances without getting blisters.

5. Enjoy the hunt, it is the prize, An elk is a bonus.