How to identify it
Large deer with a pale rump patch and dark neck; adult bulls carry long branching antlers, while cows do not. [1]
Species it is confused with
Check these before deciding what you are looking at. If you are not certain what it is, do not shoot.
- Moose · Alces alces
Where it lives
Western forests, foothills and grasslands, plus some restored eastern populations. [1]
How it behaves
Strongly gregarious; old cows lead summer herds of cows, calves and yearling spike bulls. [2][3][4]
Where it is listed for legal take
These authorities list this species for legal take in their own regulations.
Where legal take is listed
- Alberta — hunting · 2026 Alberta Guide to Hunting Regulations
- British Columbia — hunting · 2026-2028 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Synopsis
- Manitoba — hunting · Manitoba Hunting Guide 2026
- Ontario — hunting · Ontario Hunting Regulations Summary — Elk
- Saskatchewan — hunting · Saskatchewan Hunters Guide 2026-27
- Alaska — hunting · 2026-2027 Alaska Hunting Regulations No. 67 (complete)
- Arizona — hunting · 2026 Pronghorn and Elk Hunt Draw Information
- Arkansas — hunting · 2026-27 Arkansas Hunting Guidebook (PDF)
- California — hunting · 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations (updated July 1, 2026)
- Colorado — hunting · 2 CCR 406-2 Chapter W-2 Big Game (05/06/2026; eff. 2026-07-01)
- Idaho — hunting · Idaho Big Game 2026 Seasons & Rules
- Kansas — hunting · KDWP Hunting Seasons (web season list)
- Kentucky — hunting · Kentucky Hunting & Trapping Guide, August 2026-March 2027
- Minnesota — hunting · Minnesota Hunting & Trapping Regulations (effective July 2026 - June 30, 2027)
- Missouri — hunting · A Summary of Missouri Hunting and Trapping Regulations 2026
- Montana — hunting · 2026 Deer, Elk, Antelope Hunting Regulations
- Nebraska — hunting · Big Game Guide 2024
- Nevada — hunting · CR 26-11 2026 Approved Big Game Quotas
- New Mexico — hunting · 2026-2027 New Mexico Hunting Rules & Information (v08.11.26)
- North Dakota — hunting · North Dakota Hunting Seasons (season dates table)
- Oklahoma — hunting · Elk - Big Game Season
- Oregon — hunting · 2026 Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations (official ODFW booklet, eRegulations host linked from myodfw.com)
- Pennsylvania — hunting · 2026-27 Seasons and Bag Limits
- South Dakota — hunting · 2026 South Dakota Hunting and Trapping Handbook
- Tennessee — hunting · Summary of Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Seasons Dates | TWRA
- Texas — hunting · Outdoor Annual: Nongame, Exotic, Endangered, Threatened & Protected Species
- Utah — hunting · 2026 Big Game Field Regulations Guidebook
- Virginia — hunting · 2026-2027 Virginia Hunting, Trapping, and Migratory Game Bird Seasons Guide
- Washington — hunting · WAC 220-400-020 Classification of wild animals
- Wisconsin — hunting · 2026 Wisconsin Hunting and Trapping Seasons PUB-CS-076-2026 (updated 06/08/2026)
- Wyoming — hunting · WGFC Ch. 7 Elk Hunting Seasons (dated Apr 22 2026)
Being listed is not an open season. Seasons, zones, licences, methods and limits decide whether this animal may be taken on a given day and place — check Hunt or the authority before you go. Listings read 2026-09-30.
Where it is found
Western and locally restored North America
Sources
Every claim above is attributed to one of these published sources.
- BIOLOGICALElk in Banff National Park
Parks Canada · reviewed 2026-09-20
Parks Canada
- BIOLOGICALElk — Montana Field Guide
Montana Natural Heritage Program / Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks · reviewed 2026-09-30
Montana Natural Heritage Program / Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
- BIOLOGICALCervus elaphus (elk)
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology · reviewed 2026-09-30
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
- BIOLOGICALRoosevelt Elk Species Profile
Alaska Department of Fish and Game · reviewed 2026-09-30
Alaska Department of Fish and Game