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Country Woman Magazine

Read Country Woman Article


All About Elk

What is an Elk??
You are looking at one of the most majestic animals in North America.  Another name for this animal is "Wapiti". Why? This is the name the Shawnee gave elk which means "White rump."

Elk belong to the deer family, also known as cervidae.  Other members of the deer family are moose, caribou, white-tailed deer and mule deer.  All these species have the common trait of an even number of toes.

 


This is an Elk!
Elk Facts
TERMINOLOGY
  • Elk males are called bulls
  • Elk females are called cows
  • Babies are called calves

 

 HOW BIG WILL AN ELK GET?
  • Bulls average weight 700 - 900 lbs.
  • Cows average 500-600 lbs
  • Calves average 35 lbs. at birth.

 
Fun Facts about Calves
  • Calves are usually born in May - July
  • Twins are rare
  • Calves are born with white spots and tan rump
  • In the first year of life a calf will gain over 300 lbs!
  • Calves make a sound called bleating
  • Cows isolate their calves from the herd for the first few days


Elk Calf
Facts about Cows
  • Cows will breed up to 15 years of age, some even up to 20 years
  • Among the cows their will be one dominant who will be called the "Lead cow"
  • Cows pregnancy will last between 245-255 days and some as late as 270 days
  • Cows can breed at 18 months of age
  • Cows are extremely protective of their young
  • Cows will call their calves with a chirping sound
  • During the first days a mother will feed her newborn every 2-3 hours


Lunch Time!
Facts about Bulls
  • Bulls that are a year old are called "spikers"
  • One bull can breed 20 cows easily, and sometimes even more
  • In the summer and spring bulls are solitary and live in bachelor herds
  • Bulls in the fall make a sound called "bugle". [ Click Here To Listen]
  • In the fall bulls enter the breeding season called "the rut"
  • Bulls in rut will wallow in their own urine
  • During the rut the bulls become very aggressive


Spiker
What about Those Antlers???
  • Only bulls grow antlers
  • Antlers are shed every year in spring. This is different than animals with horns which grow through the entire life of the animal
  • Antler growth is regulated by the length in daylight
  • Antlers begin growing from bony bumps on the skull called pedicles
  • In March, a new antler begins to grow pushing the old antler off
  • As the antler grows it is soft with a hair like covering called velvet.
  • Antlers can grow from 1 in. to 1½ inch in just a single day
  • In just 90 to 120 days these large bulls can grow an entire set of Antlers.
  • At the end of their growth the bulls will rub off the velvet exposing the hard antler, and thus the beginning of the breeding season is now near. Or as you know now, THE RUT.


Lots of Antlers!

 


Just Lost His Antlers

Nanchas Elk Ranch. Wisconsin Dells. Wisconsin.
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