Overview
Smaller than the Roosevelt elk subspecies, and somewhat lighter in weight than the Manitoba elk although similar in size. The antlers are generally longer and slimmer than those of Roosevelt elk, but have greater spread. The coloration is lighter, with less contrast than in Roosevelt elk.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammal
- Order
- Artiodactyla
- Family
- Cervidae
- Genus
- Cervus
- Species
- Cervus canadensis
Habitat
Summer range is in high mountain meadows and forests. In fall and winter, elk migrate downward in advance of deep winter snows to sheltered lowlands where forage is available. Distribution- Canada: Rocky Mountain region of southeastern British Columbia and southwestern Alberta. Introduced on the Queen Charlotte Islands off the coast of British Columbia (1929) and in southeastern Ontario (early 1930s). United States: Washington and Oregon east of Interstate 5; and in Idaho, western Montana, Wyoming, southwestern South Dakota, northwestern Nebraska, northeastern Nevada, Utah, western Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico. Limited introductions have been made in the wild in southeastern Oregon, northeastern California, North Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas and Florida. In addition, private herds have been established on fenced ranches in many places, and this is an increasing trend.
Diet
Grasses, forbs, tree bark, and twigs.
Behavior
Elk are highly adaptive herd animals that thrive in forest habitats. Elk will feed in both the morning and then hide out in dark timber to digest their food, conserve energy and remain cool during the heat of the day. During the summer months, elk will go high into mountains to take advantage of cooler temperatures. In the winter, they will migrate to lower elevations for shelter from bad weather and for more available food sources. The breeding season begins in early fall, when bulls will separate from each other and start seeking out suitable cows to join their harem. A harem is a bull’s group of suitable cows that he will travel and eventually mate with. Harems can eventually include up to 20 cows during a mating season. To attract cows, bulls will dig out watery marsh-like holes, lay in them and urinate in them. These stinky, murky mud baths are called wallows. The reason bull elk use wallows is to coat themselves with their own sexually pungent odor. By coating themselves in this manner, sexually willing cows can find them from a great distance with their noses. Once a bull has cows in his harem he is very protective of them and will fend off other bulls.
Hunting
The Rocky Mountain elk is the most numerous variety with the widest distribution, and is the one sought after by most elk hunters. Most hunting is probably done on foot or from four-wheel-drive pickups; however, the classic way to hunt elk is on horseback from a packed-in tent camp and, if one can arrange it, this is the way to go. A high mountain hunt with a good outfitter in a good area during the bugling season can be the experience of a lifetime. During the rut, bulls can be bugled in by a good caller. They can also be stillhunted, or glassed and stalked, or shot at long range. Elk are often hunted in up-and-down country, where shots are either pointblank or 300-500 yards (275-450 m) across a canyon. Elk are large, vital animals; therefore, adequate calibers and strongly constructed bullets should be used and shots should be placed well.
Conservation Status
Elk as an entire species are listed as Least Concern by IUCN.