ElkElk(Cervus elaphus )(Cervus elaphus )Hunter SladeHunter Slade

TaxonomyTaxonomy

Elk BasicsElk Basics

Aka: Wapiti, Red deer Aka: Wapiti, Red deer

Male = BullMale = Bull Yearling bull = SpikeYearling bull = Spike

Female = CowFemale = Cow

Young = CalfYoung = Calf

Group name = GangGroup name = Gang

Average life span = 8-12 yearsAverage life span = 8-12 years

Four current subspecies in NAFour current subspecies in NA

Average size compared to 6 ft manAverage size compared to 6 ft man

RangeRange

Legal StatusLegal Status

All four subspecies legal to huntAll four subspecies legal to hunt

Depends on locationDepends on location Some areas depletedSome areas depleted

Even states with small populationsEven states with small populations

IdentificationIdentification

Light tan coatsLight tan coats Dark brown long haired maneDark brown long haired mane White rump White rump Legs darker in colorLegs darker in color

4 ½ to 5 ft tall at shoulder4 ½ to 5 ft tall at shoulder

6 ½ to 8 ft nose to rump6 ½ to 8 ft nose to rump

Can weight between 350 -1,100 lbsCan weight between 350 -1,100 lbs

IvoriesIvories

Identification - MalesIdentification - Males

Larger physical appearanceLarger physical appearance

Longer hair on maneLonger hair on mane

Thicker necks in generalThicker necks in general

Antlers/pedicels Antlers/pedicels

Identification - MalesIdentification - Males

AntlersAntlers Sweep backwards toward rumpSweep backwards toward rump Chocolate brown with polished tipsChocolate brown with polished tips 50 inches each on average50 inches each on average 12 lbs each on average12 lbs each on average

Up to 20 lbs eachUp to 20 lbs each Points on each side varyPoints on each side vary

Drop in springDrop in spring

Velvet until fallVelvet until fall

Identification - FemaleIdentification - Female

Smaller body sizeSmaller body size

Thinner hair on maneThinner hair on mane

Thinner neckThinner neck

Very rarely have antlersVery rarely have antlers

Identify the elkIdentify the elk

HistoryHistory

Once approximately 10 million in NAOnce approximately 10 million in NA

Reduced to less than 100,000 by early 1900sReduced to less than 100,000 by early 1900s Unregulated huntingUnregulated hunting Pressure from domestic grazingPressure from domestic grazing Habitat destruction from timber harvestHabitat destruction from timber harvest UrbanizationUrbanization Westward ExpansionWestward Expansion

Populations total over 1 million todayPopulations total over 1 million today Ability to live in multiple habitat typesAbility to live in multiple habitat types Opportunistic feedingOpportunistic feeding Positive reaction to managementPositive reaction to management

SubspeciesSubspecies

22 Subspecies globally22 Subspecies globally

Six separate subspecies in North AmericaSix separate subspecies in North America Rocky MountainRocky Mountain Roosevelt’sRoosevelt’s TuleTule ManitobanManitoban Eastern*Eastern* Merriam’s*Merriam’s*

Subspecies – Rocky Subspecies – Rocky MountainMountain

Cervus elaphus nelsoniCervus elaphus nelsoni

Located in Rocky Mountain WestLocated in Rocky Mountain West Now transplanted to other parts of countryNow transplanted to other parts of country

Largest antlers of all subspeciesLargest antlers of all subspecies

500-700 lbs500-700 lbs

Subspecies – Subspecies – Roosevelt’sRoosevelt’s

Cervus elaphus rooseveltiCervus elaphus roosevelti

Located in Coastal Pacific NorthwestLocated in Coastal Pacific Northwest

Largest body sizeLargest body size 600-1100 lbs600-1100 lbs Not largest antlersNot largest antlers

Darkest coatsDarkest coats

Subspecies - TuleSubspecies - Tule

Cervus elaphus nannodesCervus elaphus nannodes

Located in Central CaliforniaLocated in Central California

Smallest of all subspeciesSmallest of all subspecies 350-500 lbs350-500 lbs

Extra long rows of teethExtra long rows of teeth

Spend time in “Tules”Spend time in “Tules”

Subspecies - ManitobanSubspecies - Manitoban

Cervus elaphus manitobensisCervus elaphus manitobensis

Located in Northern Great PlainsLocated in Northern Great Plains

Dark coatsDark coats

600-770 lbs600-770 lbs

Subspecies – Eastern*Subspecies – Eastern*

Cervus elaphus canadensisCervus elaphus canadensis

Officially extinct in 1880Officially extinct in 1880

Were located east of MississippiWere located east of Mississippi

Subspecies – Subspecies – Merriam’s*Merriam’s*

Cervus elaphus merriamiCervus elaphus merriami

Extinct in 1908Extinct in 1908

Were located in the Southwest and MexicoWere located in the Southwest and Mexico

Annual CycleAnnual Cycle

SummerSummer Bachelor groupsBachelor groups FeedingFeeding

AutumnAutumn HaremsHarems RutRut

WinterWinter Winter rangeWinter range

SpringSpring Return to summer rangeReturn to summer range BirthingBirthing

Some herds are not migratorySome herds are not migratory

Daily ActivityDaily Activity

Active day and nightActive day and night

Peaks dawn and duskPeaks dawn and dusk

ReproductionReproduction

Rubbing antlersRubbing antlers

Mud wallowsMud wallows

BuglingBugling

FightingFighting

Cows in estrusCows in estrus

Elk Fighting and Bugling

CalvingCalving

240 to 262 day gestation period240 to 262 day gestation period

NewbornsNewborns

Cows are protectiveCows are protective

Nursery herdsNursery herds

Survival rates?Survival rates?

DispersalDispersal

Males more likely than femalesMales more likely than females

Females range adjacent to mother’s rangeFemales range adjacent to mother’s range

Males rarely make contact with mother againMales rarely make contact with mother again

Density dependent?Density dependent?

DistanceDistance Varies greatlyVaries greatly

HabitatHabitat

Food, water, cover and space!Food, water, cover and space!

Habitat depends on subspecies…Habitat depends on subspecies…

Woodland areasWoodland areas Early, mid- and late successionalEarly, mid- and late successional

Security coverSecurity cover

Large open areasLarge open areas Within 400 yards of woodlandWithin 400 yards of woodland

Winter habitat*Winter habitat*

HabitatHabitat

Pacific Northwest and CaliforniaPacific Northwest and California Coastal coniferous rainforestsCoastal coniferous rainforests Coastal prairieCoastal prairie Mixed conifer forestMixed conifer forest Riparian hardwood forests and shrublandsRiparian hardwood forests and shrublands Oak woodlandsOak woodlands Sagebrush steppeSagebrush steppe GrasslandsGrasslands

HabitatHabitat

Rocky MountainsRocky Mountains Mixed-conifer forestsMixed-conifer forests Quaking aspen forestsQuaking aspen forests GrasslandsGrasslands Alpine meadowsAlpine meadows Stream valley shrublandsStream valley shrublands Floodplain riparian hardwood forestFloodplain riparian hardwood forest

HabitatHabitat

Northern Great Plains and Prairie ProvincesNorthern Great Plains and Prairie Provinces Quaking aspen parklandsQuaking aspen parklands ShrublandsShrublands Mixed hardwood-conifer forestsMixed hardwood-conifer forests Conifer forestsConifer forests

HabitatHabitat

SouthwestSouthwest ShrublandsShrublands Pinyon-juniper woodlandsPinyon-juniper woodlands Ponerosa pine and Douglas-fir forestsPonerosa pine and Douglas-fir forests Stream valley shrublandsStream valley shrublands Floodplain riparian hardwood forestFloodplain riparian hardwood forest

Home RangeHome Range

Varies greatlyVaries greatly 1 – 95 sq. miles on average1 – 95 sq. miles on average Larger for malesLarger for males

Largest recordedLargest recorded 247 sq. mi. for males247 sq. mi. for males 149 sq. mi. for females149 sq. mi. for females

Influenced by many factorsInfluenced by many factors

DietDiet

Mostly opportunisticMostly opportunistic

Green and dried grassesGreen and dried grasses

ForbsForbs

Woody plantsWoody plants

BrowseBrowse

Other Grasses, Sedges, Other Grasses, Sedges, and Forbsand Forbs

wheatgrasses

fescues

buckwheat

elk sedge

dandelion

daisies

prairie junegrass

golden currant

chokecherry

beargrass

fireweed

American bistort

scarlet falsemeadow

clovers vetch

Mortality Mortality

PredationPredation WolvesWolves CoyotesCoyotes Black bearsBlack bears Grizzly bearsGrizzly bears Mountain lionsMountain lions

CalvesCalves

AdultsAdults

MortalityMortality

DiseaseDisease BrucellosisBrucellosis Bovine tuberculosisBovine tuberculosis Chronic wasting disease (CWD)Chronic wasting disease (CWD)

ParasitesParasites Meningeal wormMeningeal worm Psoroptic mitesPsoroptic mites Giant liver flukesGiant liver flukes

MortalityMortality

Human factorsHuman factors HuntingHunting Elk-vehicle collisionsElk-vehicle collisions

Combination of the twoCombination of the two

MortalityMortality

Malnutrition and weatherMalnutrition and weather Timing of estrus and birth dateTiming of estrus and birth date Birth weightBirth weight Resistance to diseases and parasitesResistance to diseases and parasites

Winter mortalityWinter mortality

Heavy snow beneficial?Heavy snow beneficial?

ValuesValues

EcologicalEcological GrazingGrazing PreyPrey

AestheticAesthetic

RecreationalRecreational HuntingHunting ViewingViewing

EconomicEconomic Major source of moneyMajor source of money

Management Management ConsiderationsConsiderations

OverharvestOverharvest

Human disturbanceHuman disturbance Especially roadsEspecially roads

Habitat successionHabitat succession

Invasive plantsInvasive plants

Climate change?Climate change?

Management Management ConsiderationsConsiderations

Limiting Factors?Limiting Factors? FoodFood Summer rangeSummer range Winter rangeWinter range Security coverSecurity cover WaterWater Interspersion of habitat componentsInterspersion of habitat components Minimum habitat sizeMinimum habitat size

To be determined by locationTo be determined by location

Logistic GrowthLogistic Growth

Can reach capacityCan reach capacity

Should be managed to stay below KShould be managed to stay below K

N

Time

Accelerating Phase

K

Inflection Point (½ K)

DeceleratingPhase

N

dN

/dt

Inflection Point (½ K)

K

Habitat ManagementHabitat Management

Assistance programsAssistance programs

Component Assistance programs

Food WHIP, EQIP, PFW, CRP

Winter Range WHIP, EQIP, PFW

Transitional Range WHIP, EQIP, PFW

Security Cover WHIP, EQIP, PFW

Habitat ManagementHabitat Management

Open Area ManagementOpen Area Management BurningBurning GrazingGrazing PlantingPlanting

Habitat ManagmentHabitat Managment

Woodland managementWoodland management BurningBurning Timber harvestTimber harvest

FutureFuture

Looking goodLooking good

Numbers are up in most placesNumbers are up in most places

Current event…Current event…

Current EventCurrent Event

https://www.feedsys.com/tabid/327/EntryId/99/Elk-problems-prowl-farms-in-Washington.aspx

ReferencesReferences

Rocky Mountain Elk FoundationRocky Mountain Elk Foundation

http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/animals/mammal/ceel/all.htmlall.html

Discover the OutdoorsDiscover the Outdoors http://www.dto.com/hunting/speciesProfile/152http://www.dto.com/hunting/speciesProfile/152 http://www.dto.com/hunting/speciesProfile/265http://www.dto.com/hunting/speciesProfile/265 http://www.dto.com/hunting/speciesProfile/225http://www.dto.com/hunting/speciesProfile/225 http://www.dto.com/hunting/speciesProfile/222http://www.dto.com/hunting/speciesProfile/222

NRCSNRCS http://www.wildlifehc.org/new/wp-content/uploads/http://www.wildlifehc.org/new/wp-content/uploads/

2010/10/American-Elk.pdf2010/10/American-Elk.pdf

ReferencesReferences

National Park ServiceNational Park Service http://www.nps.gov/grte/planyourvisit/upload/http://www.nps.gov/grte/planyourvisit/upload/

elk_11.pdfelk_11.pdf