Elk Deer

The elk, also known as wapiti, is one of the largest members of the deer family and is native to North America and parts of northeastern Asia. Mature bulls commonly weigh about 600–1,000 pounds, while cows usually weigh about 450–650 pounds, with size varying by subspecies and habitat. Elk are tan to copper-brown with darker necks, a pale rump patch, and large branching antlers carried by bulls. They are highly social grazers and browsers, often forming large herds and using bugling calls during the rut. Elk are native to the United States, so they were not introduced as an exotic species; however, they were extirpated from many eastern and midwestern states and later reintroduced through wildlife restoration programs beginning in the late 1800s and early 1900s.