Elk (wapiti)
Scientific name: Cervus canadensis
- How weight is recorded: Carcass weight
Field notes
Appearance
Males are significantly larger with a massive neck, dark mane, and branching antlers (typically 6 points per side); females are smaller and antlerless. Both sexes display tawny-brown body coats with darker neck and legs, and a pale rump patch.
Size and weight
Males: 250–450 kg, 200–250 cm body length. Females: 180–280 kg, 180–220 cm body length.
Habitat
Elk inhabit mixed conifer and aspen forests, meadows, and montane grasslands from sea level to alpine zones. They prefer areas with dense cover adjacent to open feeding grounds and reliable water sources.
Distribution
Elk occur across western North America from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific coast, with reintroduced populations in eastern forests. They favour mid-elevation mixed forests and mountain meadows with proximity to escape terrain.
Diet
Elk are grazers and browsers, feeding on grasses, forbs, and clover in summer; shifting to browse (willows, aspen bark, conifers) and remaining vegetation in winter.
Behaviour
Elk are primarily crepuscular, feeding intensively at dawn and dusk. They are highly social, moving in herds (larger in winter) and covering considerable distances seasonally between high-elevation summer and low-elevation winter ranges.
Hunting tips
Fresh tracks (hoof prints 8–10 cm) and large cylindrical droppings indicate presence; rubs on trees mark territorial behaviour. Approach from above or into wind through cover, concentrating on travel corridors between bedding areas (thick forest) and feeding areas (open meadows) during dawn and dusk. Move slowly and pause frequently to glass and listen for bugling or movement.
Carcass weight
This species is logged by carcass weight — the animal weighed dressed, the way hunting teams normally report it.
Where it is hunted
Listed as huntable in 6 countries in Huntify.
Names in other languages
Current language: en
These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.