The American Elk used to live in great numbers throughout North America, but their numbers declined rapidly when settlers arrived. Today, their population is approximately one million.

The American Elk is also known as “Wapiti,” a Native American word meaning “white rump,” referring to the distinct color of the Elk’s hind end. Elk live in herds of up to as many as 400 individuals. They have a home range of up to 600 square miles. Elk vary in color from light tan in summer to dark brown in winter. Their shaggy mane, underbelly, and legs tend to be much darker than their back and sides. Elk may weigh between 375 and 1,100 pounds. Male Elk, or “bulls,” typically weigh up to two times more than females, or “cows.”

Elk are very social animals. Bulls will advertise their status in the herd by making a high-pitch sound known as a “bugle.” Bulls will form harems of up to six cows before mating season begins in September. During mating season bulls will aggressively defend their harem from other males. In the springtime the Elk cows leave the harems and give birth to one, or, in rare cases, two calves.

Elk bulls grow and shed a new set of antlers every year. When the antlers are new, they are covered in velvet, which peels away when the antlers harden and turn to solid bone in the fall. Mature bulls can produce a set of antlers weighing up to 40 pounds.