I hope by "cutline" you don't mean an oil/gas pipeline ROW or an actual exploration cutline?
Pipelines and most other ROWs that cross private lands are not public access, not crown, and still allow the landowner to restrict access to all but company employees.
As for finding places to hunt, the farther you get from Calgary, the easier it will be to gain access on private lands. I would start with an hour at highway speed. Not saying that there is no access close to the big smoke, but it will be easier convincing landowners that you won't be a problem if you get away from everyone else.
Your other option is crown land - i.e. forestry land, though this option is usually much more crowded, and the same rule applies: the farther you get from Calgary, the fewer issues you are going to have.
When it comes to elk, there are lots of places all up and down the foothills and mountain zones. Get out before light and stay out until the sun has long set - watching and listening, and spend the rest of your day hiking back off the roads looking for sign. Don't be surprized to find elk sign right close to ranches and roads, but it is almost certainly nocturnal activity. Expect to be a minimum of 1.5km or more away from all roads and fields before you find any daytime beds (always exceptions to the rule).
Your scouting should have begun about 2 days after the season closed last year, but you still have lots of time. Spend your weekends and days off checking out new country, walking into new valleys, following unexplored creeks, and following any elk tracks you find until you start seeing beds, etc. Then you should be in a good position to find elk once the season opens.
If you don't bow hunt, mule deer and elk are a great reason to start.
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