Animal Field Guide

Elk or Wapiti

Cervus canadensis
(Cervidae)

Global Rank: G5
State Rank: S5

Agency Status
USFWS: No Status
USFS: none
BLM: none

Coat brown (pale yellowish in old bulls); head, neck, and legs darker than the rest of body; distinctive rump patch yellowish to almost orange; mane or ruff longer in bulls than in cow; antlers of mature bulls generally have five tines projecting from the main branch for a total of six points; bulls can weigh more than 1,000 lbs. before the rut but seldom exceed 900 lbs. during hunting season; cows weigh 500-600 lbs. in bitterbush hillsides in winter. Strong herding instinct; old cows usually lead summer herds of cows, calves, and yearling (spike) bulls; in western Montana, elk usually summer at higher elevations and move down to grass and/or shrub winter ranges (with nearby trees for thermal cover); habitat use strongly influenced by human activities.

Migratory in some areas (Sun River, North Yellowstone) moving between seasonal ranges, non-migratory in others.

Mainly coniferous forests interspersed with natural or man-made openings (mountain meadows, grasslands, burns, and logged areas) (FWP). Varies btwn pops. & areas. Basic habitat components: securi ty, shelter (may use to maintain thermal equil.) & forage prod. Moist sites preferred in sum. High open road densities reduce habitat effectiveness. Good win range critical.

Grasses, sedges, forbs, deciduous shrubs (especially williow and serviceberry) and young trees (especially chokecherry and maple), some conifers (FWP). Varies between ranges. Where shrubs & grasses are avail. grass is preferred. Browse may be used, partic. in winter & partic. on W ranges. Conifers & arboreal lichens may also be used. Grass most imp. in spring. Forbs imp. in summer.

A Line Creek study from 1988-1991 indicated that oil drilling activity in the area had no effect on size of home-range boundaries, use, use of core area, and centers of activity (Van Dyke and Klein 1996). V. adaptable (usually to local conditions) Elk-cattle-sheep may compete, particularly under poor rangeland conditions. MT coop. elk logging study (1970-85) supplied information on coordinated elk and timber management. Elk population levels and food source tend to be in a dynamic equilibrium. Mortality in elk calves in Yellowstone National Park is partially density dependent (Singer et al. 1997).

Breed in late September and early October; one spotted calf; shed antlers during March or April; bulls gather and hold harems, challenge one another by bugling; cows usually breed when 2 1/2 years old (FWP). Polyestrous if initial fertilization does not occur. Partur- ition mid-May to mid-June. Twinning is rare. Productivity varies - poor range condition may decrease calf production & early calf survival. Predation on calves occas. significant.