Whitetail deer, on the other hand, are much smaller, with bucks weighing upwards of 150 pounds, and does weighing upwards of 100 pounds. The colors are typically brown and red, with the tips lighter. An elk is usually greater in dimension as as compared with frequent deer nevertheless shorter than a moose, whereas deer vary in dimension from prolonged to transient. Elk (noun). Most of all, deers differ from elk and moose because the male deer is called a stag and female deer is called a doe. A bull elk can get as heavy as 725 pounds (give or take), and a cow can weight as much as 500 pounds. Both males and females have antlers. The size, shape and the texture of antlers vary widely among the species of this Family. The maximum size of an elk is around 300 kg while the highest size of a deer can be around 800 kg. Their meat is also eaten by human beings all over the world, especially by people who love hunting. Due to their size, elks tend to produce larger antlers which can weigh up to as much as 10 lbs each. Although less ambiguous than elk, wapiti never became popular, and in North America today elk is the firmly established proper name. Another thing unique to them is that they start to lose their antlers in the spring season but grow them again two months later for the breeding season. For example, deer tend to be browsers, while elk tend to graze. Because deer are smaller and breed more quickly than elk, you can fit more deer on an acre of habitat than you can elk, all things being equal. Caribou’s antler is larger than Elk’s antler. Antlers are huge with more prongs, and they shed antlers every year. On average, an elk weighs about 710-730, so a bull elk weighs half that of a bull moose. When it comes to body size and appearance there is a significant difference between them. The subspecies of the moose (Alces alces alces, alternatively named Eurasian elk because the wapiti is also called elk) that occurs only in Europe and Asia (not to be confused with the species called moose {Alces alces} which encompasses all subspecies of the moose). In Asia the elk, along with the red deer of Persia, is called by the Mongolian name maral. If you are able to get close enough, identifying teeth size and shape can be one of the most accurate and consistent forms of aging an elk. A Reader's Question. He holds a B.Sc. It rarely exceeds weight of 100 to 300 pounds. They are mainly nocturnal and solitary animals and prefer to feed during twilight and dawn. Despite its huge size, the wapiti is a type of deer; one of the largest species of deer, in fact. Unlike in elk, caribou has a prominent prong arising from the antler that extends over their nose. Size, weight, magnification, and objective lens size are all things to consider when buying the best binocular for hunting elk and mule deer. Elk also live longer, upwards of ten or twelve years. The primary food which they eat includes leaves, grass, herbs and smaller berries, they have smaller stomachs, therefore, can survive on smaller amounts of food easily. They are also known as Wapiti which is a native American language word meaning “light colored deer.” They have the main difference from other deer which is of size. All elk will have a light beige “rump patch” and typically contrasting darker … The main difference between elk and a deer is that the first one is known as Wapiti which is a native American language word meaning “light colored deer” and have the ability to reach a lot higher. An adult elk is larger than an adult caribou. Several indigenous butterfly and plant species are harmed, especially the aspen groves that the elk herd of perhaps 3,000 animals decimates in its search for food. Both male and female Caribou have antlers. They can move at speeds of up to 30 mi/h (50 km/h), and they are able to clear 10-foot (3 m) fences! Pregnant elk cows carry their calves for 20 days longer than red deer hinds, while bull elk carry their antlers for 35 days longer than red deer stags. Difference Between Elk and Caribou          – Size, Antlers and other Features, Migratory Behaviour. An adult caribou has a body size in between a large deer and a small elk. An elk is one of the types of deer which exist while deer is a general term used for the family of various species that are similar in some way. Deers shed and regrow their antlers each year. The 12 Best Cartridges for Elk Hunting. Exceeded in size only by the moose, large male elk from Alberta average 380 kg (840 pounds) in early winter. Although elks are endemic to North America and eastern Eurasia, they have been introduced to certain other countries like Argentina, Australia and New Zealand, where they are well adapted to live. Moose and elk look almost the same except for the shape of their antlers and color of their fur. ehave a gestation period of 255 days, while the duration for red deer is 235 days. Caribou           – Facts, Characteristics, and Behaviour     3. The meat is known as vension and is produced in smaller amounts as compared to beef and other products. Their general body color is dark grey or brownish grey with white patches underneath the tail, on forehead, neck, abdomen, and edging around the feet. Any large species of deer such as red deer, moose or wapiti. Caribous are solitary animals and do not make wide migrations. Rarely exceed 250 lbs. Teeth Size Whether you’ve chosen DIY vs. guided hunting for elk, it’s useful to try to get relatively close to the animal before taking your shot. I won’t go so far as to say that’s foolish, but there’s a major difference in size and toughness between a cow or spike and a mature bull. The red deer is the fourth-largest deer species behind moose, elk, and sambar deer.It is a ruminant, eating its food in two stages and having an even number of toes on each hoof, like camels, goats, and cattle.European red deer have a relatively long tail compared to their Asian and North American relatives. An elk has the ability to reach the length which is double the size of their body while a deer can be as long as 9 feet. Caribou or reindeer is another large deer found mainly across the arctic tundra and boreal forest areas of North America and Eurasia. It can reach 5 feet in height, 8 feet in length and 700 pounds of weight (sometimes up to 1100 pounds). Sure, you can get away with it, especially with today’s extra-heavy bullets, but I think it’s foolish. The elk, caribou and reindeer are almost the same size. Adult males have huge, branched wide antlers while younger males have small antlers. Males are more aggressive during the mating season and combat with other rival males to defend females. This gives you a good idea of the size difference between Elk and Red Stag! If both bulls are in equal in strength, they will mostly end up with serious injuries. Elk has antlers that are spindly and pointed, more akin to … Their coat has the colors of brown, yellowish grey or pale brown. Also, many of these hunters have the luxury of a long seaso… The most recognizable characteristic of these members is the presence of antlers; antlers are mostly seen in males and rarely in some females. The size and characteristics of elk are much different than those of a white-tailed deer which many hunters are familiar. I hunt an area where I see. This means that you’ll usually hunt deer in forests or along edge habitats, but elk are more likely to be in open woodlands and meadows. BOAT load of rubs. When British settlers came to Canada, they saw how much larger our wapiti are than the European red deer, and they thought it had to be related to the European moose – or as they called them – elk. Deerskin and Elkskin Gloves vs Cowhide Gloves Everything below is true for elk as well as deer with the exception that elk is more durable than deer because it is a thicker hide. The average weight of a deer is approximately 300 kg while the weight of an elk is 500 kg. Can live in diverse places from mountains to jungles. The antler from these magnificent animals are found throughout the Rocky Mountains and all are native to Montana, where I source my antler, within miles of our facility. The largest deer in the family is known as Moose which weigh up to 800 kg and is almost 9 feet. An elk grazes for its food from snow and other places, while a deer finds its food with the help of smell. Yashoda has been a freelance writer in the field of biology for about four years. They primarily feed on lichens and mosses and occasionally eat grasses, shrubs and other vegetation by grazing. Adult elk stand 4-5 feet at the shoulders. An adult can be 34 to 62 inches tall at withers, and may weigh about 355-400 lbs. Elk (noun). They mainly inhabit in forests, preferably in swamps, muskegs, and bogs. On the other hand, deer only make occasional bleats. Males are more aggressive and often fight with other bulls to defend females. They both are similar in the way that they eat the same things and have the same type of digestive system which is quick and based on nutrition. Deer stand around 3 ½ feet tall and can grow to as long as 7 feet in length. There are very few deer in the same area compared to the amount of elk. Elk Vs Deer. Elk (noun). There’s also a mindset difference. Elk are not horse-sized deer, they are a different animal, but both deer and elk (and moose) are in the deer family (Cervidae). There are about 19 genera and 51 species which have been identified so far in the family Cervidae. This is one of the biggest species in the family of deer and one of the largest group of mammals which are found in North America and East Asia. All four of these animals are species of deer but among the four, the moose is the largest. Antlers are unique to this family and are made of bones, unlike horns, which are made of keratin.