Roosevelt Elk

The Roosevelt Elk is one of the most magnificent creatures that Washington State has to offer! Roosevelt Elk (scientific name: Cervus elaphus roosevelti) are the largest species of Elk in North America, weighing anywhere from 600 to 1,100 pounds (272 to 500 kilograms). They have pale brown bodies and dark brown heads, with stubby tails and a large white rump. Roosevelt Elk are members of the Deer Family. They were once known as Olympic Elk. However, they were renamed Roosevelt Elk in 1909 when President Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt redesignated part of what was then known as the Olympic Forest Reserve (now known as the Olympic National Forest) as Mount Olympus National Monument (now known as Olympic National Park) in an effort to preserve some of their native habitat. Their range used to run from Northern California to Vancouver Island. However, as more Europeans settled in the Pacific Northwest in the 1890s and early 1900s, the population of Roosevelt Elk declined significantly as they began to be hunted more frequently. Today, your best chance of spotting Roosevelt Elk here in Western Washington is to visit Olympic National Park.

While Roosevelt Elk share many similarities with the Blacktail Deer that most of us are familiar with, there are some differences. The males, also known as bulls, grow new antlers each year. They sport them in the summer and fall months, shedding them in the winter. The antlers sweep up above their heads and upper backs with their spikes pointing forward. While their antlers grow each spring, they are covered with what the State of Alaska describes as “velvet”. The "velvet" is scraped off by jousting and rubbing once the antlers harden in the fall. Additionally, members of both sexes have upper canine teeth.

Roosevelt Elk are hungry animals. They have to eat large amounts of food to support their herding tendencies and large body size. From late spring to early fall, Elk mostly graze for food, eating grasses, ferns, and other leafy vegetation. By late fall, they become browsers, feeding on shrub and tree beaches as well as sprouts. Unfortunately, the amount of food that Roosevelt Elk have to consume can lead to the species becoming its own worst enemy as large herds can damage their food supply by stripping too much material from their staple food plant and trampling over them. Because of this, the size of Elk herds has to be kept from growing too large in relation to the available food supply. With that being said, however, if there aren't enough Roosevelt Elk available, their natural predators, primarily Cougars and Black Bears, may not have enough to eat. Furthermore, because Elk are very large animals, their predators most likely won't be able to consume every last part of them. This means that hundreds of small organisms, including decomposers and scavengers, can share in the meal, giving them much needed food.

Roosevelt Elk calves are born in late May or early June when there generally is enough food available for the mother to eat, and the weather is warm enough for the calves to survive. The calves are usually born under the cover of dense spruce forests, where they are protected from the elements and hidden from predators. Calves are born with protective coloration, which are light spotted areas on their backs that serve as a sort of camouflage. A few days after giving birth, the mother joins other females, which are also known as cows, that also have new calves. A single female will often “babysit” all of the calves while the remaining new mothers seek food. As the summer months begin, bands of Elk move above the tree line and feed on alpine slopes, where breezes keep biting insects away and young plants are especially nutritious. By July, the calves begin to feed on succulent forbs, although they continue to nurse.

Once August rolls around, bands of elk congregate and form herds. These herds consist of females, calves, yearlings, and, occasionally, a mature male. Small bands of males can be found nearby. In September, the bulls join the main herds, and annual mating activities (also known as the rut) get underway. Large herds are often the scenes of intense activity as males challenge each other vocally. They emit high pitched whistles, also known as "bugles", which the State of Alaska describes as "an eerie but thrilling sound." Shoving and pushing matches occasionally break out in order for larger males to lay claim to mating privileges. However, these don't always work out as planned, as smaller males can and do attempt to make the most of the situation by running past the sparring challengers to mate. By mid-October most breeding activities have come to an end. The herds begin moving into their wintering areas, where they may disperse into smaller bands. The winter months are spent in dense spruce forests, in lower valleys, and in small openings near the coastline searching for food.

References

1. https://www.nps.gov/olym/learn/nature/roosevelt-elk.htm
2. http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=elk.printerfriendly

© Ian D. Caldwell, May 2021