In late fall, most elk migrate down the mountain slopes to areas of lower elevation and less snowfall - often called winter range - which is crucial for elk to find enough food to survive the winter and for cows to have healthy pregnancies.ĭuring the winter, elk congregate in valley bottoms and forage on south-facing slopes where the sun melts snow more quickly and winds prevent deep snow from accumulating. During the hot summer months, they live fairly high in the mountains - usually between 6,000 and 10,000 feet - and elk favor aspen forests for both forage and shelter. Cows often spread them while walking.Įlk can be found throughout Utah in mountainous habitat. Bulls will often, but not always, leave their droppings in a pile.Elk droppings are bigger and longer than deer droppings.Elk tracks are about 4½ to 5 inches long cow elk tracks are more slender and pointed than a large bull’s track.Young bulls are sometimes called “spikes” because of their straight antlers.Mature bulls have large sets of antlers, usually with six points, called tines, on each side.Bulls average 700 pounds and are about 5 feet tall at the shoulder cows are slightly smaller at around 500 pounds and 4.5 feet. Elk identification Elk bugleīoth male and female Rocky Mountain elk have a light-brown body, dark brown head, neck and legs, and characteristic cream-colored rump. During the rest of the year, bulls live in bachelor groups or alone. In early September through mid-October, during the elk breeding period - called the rut - you’ll hear the distinctive bugle of the bull elk as they gather cows into groups of 10–20 females and defend these “harems” from other bulls. Only male elk (bulls) have antlers, which they shed and regrow every year. When the elk calves are young, the cows gather together with them in large nursery bands of a hundred elk or more. In 1971, the Rocky Mountain elk was designated Utah’s state mammal.įemale elk (cows) typically give birth to one calf - twins are extremely rare - in late spring or early summer. Elk are members of the cervidae family, which also includes moose, caribou and deer. Rocky Mountain elk ( Cervus elaphus nelsoni) are one of six recognized subspecies of elk found in North America, and the only type of elk in Utah. If they feel you are too close or disturbing them or the female elk they may attack you.Welcome to Elk Country Some things you should know about elk Numerous people have found themselves in the hospital after being pierced with one of those antlers. In the autumn, the majestic bull elk are not always thinking clearly and can be quite dangerous. They can trample you before you even have time to respond. In the spring, the female elk can be very aggressive as they may have young ones hidden nearby. They are not tame and should not be approached. Since elk usually travel together, often in large herds, they are one of the easier animals to spot in the national park.Įach year we have a number of people injured by elk. They make their way up to the cool tundra and can often be spotted alongside Trail Ridge Road. As the temperatures climb in the summer, so do the elk. Common places to find them are: Moraine Park, Beaver Meadow, Horseshoe Park, the Kawuneeche Valley, and the Estes Park golf course. In the winter, spring, and autumn, the elk are usually found in the lower meadows of Rocky Mountain National Park, often spilling into Estes Park and the surrounding area. It can be quite a show and draws visitors from far and wide to see them during this active period. ![]() As well as bugling to ward off opponents, a bull will occasionally spar with others to maintain control of his harem. During the rut, a bull will join a herd of female elk and try to keep them as his own. ![]() Today, the park has fenced off large areas of these meadows to protect them from the elk and allow them to regrow.Įvery year between mid-September and mid-October the elk enter their mating season known as “ the rut.” The name rut actually comes from the Latin word rutigum, translated “bellowing.” Anyone who has been to Rocky within these months knows that this is an appropriate name, as bull elk fill the air with the sound of their mysterious bugling and grunting. Because of the large number of elk that have inhabited the park in recent years, some areas of the park such as the lower meadows have been overgrazed, resulting in a loss of willows, aspens, and other plant life. Their diet consists of grasses, leaves, and bark. Early British explorers on sighting these imposing creatures assumed that they must be moose like those in Nordic countries and called them “elk.” Although today we know the difference between these two creatures, the name stuck.Įlk are members of the deer family, with males often weighing up to 1,000 pounds (454 kg). The word originated in Scandinavia and was used for what we today call moose.
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