Elk
Standing nearly five feet at the shoulder, and weighing between
700 and 1,000 pounds, the elk (Cervus elaphus) is the universal
symbol of the American West. The second largest antlered animal
in North America, the elk is easily distinguished by its
cream-colored winter coat and contrasting chestnut mane. In
fact, the origin of the Shawnee Indian word "Wapiti," which
means "white deer," is derived from the elk's coloration.
With their enormous antlers, elk are easily distinguished from
other American ungulates. Yearling bulls may grow buttons,
spikes or exhibit up to five tines, but they rarely possess a
brow tine. During their second year, young adult bulls, often
called raghorns, usually produce multi-tined antlers which
include a brow tine. Bulls shed their antlers in March and
immediately begin growing replacements. The new growth is
covered by a blood-filled velvet coating that eventually hardens
into bone. As the antlers reach their maximum size in late
August, the velvet dries and is eventually removed by rubbing or
scraping the antlers on trees or shrubs. This rubbing hones the
bull's antlers to a shine, preparing him for the sparring he
will do with other males as mating season begins.
Late September finds the bulls with gleaming antlers, swollen
necks and short-tempers. Elk are polygamous, and once the mating
season arrives, bulls assemble females, or cows, into harems. A
harem contains as many cows as a bull can successfully defend
from competing bulls.
Bull elk use a high-pitched, flute-like call, or bugle, to
attract cows and to announce their willingness to defend their
cows and breeding territory against competing males. The fall
mating season is the only time males and females are commonly
found together. Cows usually produce a single calf, typically
born in May or June. At birth, calves weigh 30 to 40 pounds and
possess a tawny-colored coat covered with white speckles. Within
a month, the calves begin eating grass, although they continue
nursing throughout summer. By fall, the calves are weaned and
are independent from their mothers. Like other ruminants, elk
consume forbs, fruits and other easily-digestible plants.
However, they also eat large amounts of grass and other
rough-fiber vegetation, especially during winter. In some areas,
elk are known to make long, seasonal migrations between summer
and winter ranges, but in Oklahoma they are essentially
non-migratory. One of the most popular and sought-after species
of wildlife in western North America, the elk is highly
adaptable and has been transplanted into many central and
eastern states. In Oklahoma, the largest free-ranging elk herds
can be found on the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, as well
as at Pushmataha, Cookson Hills, Spavinaw and Cherokee wildlife
management areas. Small herds also inhabit private land in
Kiowa, Comanche and Caddo counties. Because their natural
predators have largely disappeared, unmanaged elk may
overpopulate their available range, causing habitat degradation.
In 1966, the Wildlife Department and the United States Fish and
Wildlife Service reached a cooperative agreement that provided
for an annual controlled hunt to manage elk populations at the
Wichita Mountains NWR. Since then, the agreement has proven
instrumental in controlling herd numbers while allowing a few
fortunate hunters, selected through an annual drawing conducted
by the Wildlife Department, the opportunity to pursue the
American elk in its native habitat. Unlimited wildlife viewing
opportunities also are available to outdoor enthusiasts at the
refuge. As anyone who has heard the eerie bugle of bull elk at
daybreak will attest, we're all fortunate to share the land with
the animal known to the Shawnee as, Wapiti.