![]() ![]() The premier grass roots organization for protecting elk habitat is the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. While it’s easy to understand the desire to live closer to these wild areas, this development is having a significant negative impact on elk habitat and thus elk populations in these areas. Obviously these homes require roads for access, utilities, etc. Parcels of land as small as small as 5 acres are being sold to individuals to build vacation or year round homes. Many large ranches in the western US are being subdivided into “ranchettes”. While elk do become habituated to humans in areas where they are protected such as national parks, in general they require large expanses of undeveloped land that provides food, water, and shelter. But elk also enjoy browsing on the leaves of young aspen, oak and other plants found in their environment. Since they are primarily grazing animals, elk prefer to feed in large open meadows. Elk tend to make their beds in thick, wooded areas. ![]() But most of the elk in North America are found in the Rocky Mountains. Bull Elk HabitatĮlk are very adaptable animals and can be found from the high deserts of the southwestern United States to the tundra of Canada. Directions for measuring and an online calculator can be found on the club’s website. The Boone and Crockett Club has developed a standard for measuring antlers to determine a score. A bull with 6 tines on each side is called a 6X6 (“6 by 6”). Bull elk antlers are typically referenced by the number of tines, with each side referenced separately. Tines can reach 18 inches long or longer. At a growth rate of up to 1 inch per day, it is some of the fastest growing tissue in nature.Ī mature bull elk will usually have 6 points, or tines on each antler, but more than 6 tines is not considered rare. The antlers are shed each spring and reach full growth in late summer. It is not uncommon for a mature bull to have antlers more than 50 inches long. The huge antlers of bull elk make it one of the most sought after trophies for hunters from all parts of the globe. With the right attention, elk meat is some of the best tasting wild game. You should be prepared to field dress the animal, properly care for up to 200 pounds of meat, transport it to proper storage, and have it processed for consumption. This is obviously much larger than the average whitetail or mule deer, and should be taken into consideration when hunting. The average mature bull elk will be about 5 feet tall at the shoulder, 8 feet long, and weigh about 700 pounds. All references to bull elk on this webpage will be with regard to Rocky Mountain Elk. Rocky Mountain Elk – With the largest population and range, these elk are the most commonly hunted, and are indeed the focus of this website.Tule Elk – The smallest bodied elk subspecies is located in small pockets of California.Manitoba Elk – These elk are located in the southwestern corner of Manitoba, southeastern Alberta and the southern half of Saskatchewan.Roosevelt Elk – The bulls of this subspecies have the largest bodies, and they are primarily located in the Northwestern United States, Western Canada, and Alaska.The characteristics of these subspecies differ slightly. There are four distinct subspecies of elk that live in North America, and close relatives that live in Europe. If you are going to hunt, or even just observe and photograph bull elk, it will be good to have a more in depth knowledge of the animals and their behaviors. Their distinctive mating call, or bugle, during the rut is like no other animal. Certainly their massive size, both in body and antler, makes them one of the most prized hunting trophies. There are many characteristics of bull elk that create their mystique. ![]() Images of these awesome creatures can be seen representing everything from insurance companies to fraternal organizations. Bull elk are probably the most majestic and iconic animals of the deer family.
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