How Big Is an Elk? Elk Size, Weight and Antler Spread

Elk size at a glance

The figures below are for wild adult elk (Cervus canadensis) in North America. Size varies with subspecies, age, season and food supply, so treat them as typical ranges rather than exact limits.

Bulls are not only heavier but also thicker in the neck and chest, especially in fall, when the neck swells and grows a dark mane for the rut. Weight changes through the year. A bull is at his heaviest in late summer and can lose a large share of his fat reserves during the rut, when he eats little and spends his energy on bugling, chasing and fighting.

Rocky Mountain, Roosevelt and tule elk

North American elk are usually divided into four living subspecies, and they differ noticeably in size.

• Roosevelt elk (C. c. roosevelti) of the Pacific Northwest rainforests are the largest. Bulls typically weigh about 320–500 kg (700–1,100 lb), and the biggest bulls, on islands in Alaska where the subspecies was introduced, are estimated at up to about 600 kg (1,300 lb). Their antlers tend to be heavy but shorter than those of Rocky Mountain bulls.
• Rocky Mountain elk (C. c. nelsoni) are the most widespread and the ones seen in Yellowstone and Colorado. Bulls commonly weigh around 300–350 kg (660–770 lb), with exceptional bulls much heavier, and they carry the longest, most sweeping antlers.
• Manitoban elk (C. c. manitobensis) of the northern prairies are similar in size to Rocky Mountain elk.
• Tule elk (C. c. nannodes) of California are the smallest. Bulls weigh about 200–320 kg (450–700 lb) and cows about 170–190 kg (375–420 lb).

Asian wapiti also vary, from large Siberian forms similar to American elk to the small, pale Alashan wapiti of northern China.

How big are elk antlers?

Only bulls grow antlers, and a new set grows every year. Growth starts in spring, soon after the old antlers drop, and the bone can lengthen by up to about 2.5 cm (1 in) a day. By late summer the antlers are full size, the velvet skin is rubbed off and the bone is hard and polished.

A mature bull usually has about six points on each side, and hunters and wildlife watchers call such a bull a “six-by-six” or “royal” bull. On a big Rocky Mountain bull, each main beam can be longer than 1.2 m (4 ft), and the antlers rise well above the head and sweep back over the shoulders. The spread between the two beams is often around 1 m (3 ft) or more on large bulls. A large pair can weigh up to about 18 kg (40 lb).

Antler size depends on age, food and genes. Bulls usually grow their biggest antlers between about 7 and 12 years old. Yearling bulls typically grow unbranched “spikes”, and very old bulls may grow smaller or oddly shaped sets.

How elk compare with other deer

The moose is clearly the largest deer, with longer legs, a heavier body and broad, palm-shaped antlers. The European red deer, the elk’s closest relative in Europe, is noticeably smaller on average, although the biggest red deer stags of the Carpathians and the Caucasus approach the size of elk. For a full comparison of the two giants, see moose vs elk.

How big is a baby elk?

Elk calves are born in late May or June and weigh about 13–18 kg (30–40 lb). They are reddish-brown with white spots and can stand within an hour or so of birth. Calves grow fast: by about six months old, an elk calf is roughly the size of an adult white-tailed deer. Young bulls keep growing for several more years, and their antlers usually get larger with each new set until they reach their prime.

Myths about elk size

• Myth: Elk are the largest deer. In North America the moose is larger. Confusion comes from the name, because Europeans call the moose an elk.
• Myth: The Irish elk was an elk. The extinct “Irish elk” (Megaloceros giganteus) was a giant deer with antlers spanning up to about 3.6 m (12 ft). It was neither an elk nor only Irish.
• Fact: Elk can be dangerous because of their size. A charging bull of several hundred kilograms with sharp antlers can seriously injure a person, so it is wise to keep at least 25 yards (23 m) away.