Elk FactsBecome an ExpertLearn more about the history, biology, terminology, range and habitat of one of North America’s most majestic wild animals. Show Elk BasicsNorth American Elk, or Cervus elaphus, are split by some biologists into six subspecies:
TerminologyBull: Male elk Cow: Female elk Calf: Baby elk Spike: Yearling bull elk Size and WeightNewborn calf:
Cow:
Bull:
Color
Birth Cycle
Diet
Ivories
Antlers
Social Organization
Body Postures
Elk Talk: Vocalizations
Bull elk bugle to attract cows and advertise their dominance to other bulls Cows bark to warn others of danger Cows mew to keep track of one another The Rut
Elk Range and HabitatRange
Habitat
How many pounds is a bull elk?When fully grown, a Rocky Mountain elk cow will weigh about 500 pounds and stand 4 ½ feet at the shoulder. A mature bull will weigh about 700 pounds and stand 5 feet tall at the shoulder. Tule and Roosevelt elk bulls and cows weigh an average of 400 lbs. and 900 lbs., and 300 lbs.
How much meat do you get from a full grown bull elk?According to a University of Wyoming study, an average bull elk yields 218 pounds of meat while an average cow elk yields 169 pounds of meat.
What is the biggest bull elk ever recorded?Craig Duke with this amazing 539″ World Record Typical Bull Elk, taken with Broadmouth Canyon Ranch at out Idaho Location.
What is the biggest elk ever found?Today we call it the Irish elk, or Megaloceros giganteus. The biggest males weighed 1,500 pounds, about the same as an Alaskan moose, and they sported the largest antlers the world has ever known—12 feet across, weighing almost 90 pounds. They were shed and regrown annually.
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