Bridger Mountains Cow Elk Large 6" x 6" Tile

Coat brown (pale yellowish in old bulls); head, neck, and legs darker than the rest of body; distinctive rump patch yellowish to almost orange; mane or ruff longer in bulls than in cow; antlers of mature bulls generally have five tines projecting from the main branch for a total of six points; bulls can weigh more than 1,000 lbs. before the rut but seldom exceed 900 lbs. during hunting season; cows weigh 500 to 600 lbs. in bitterbush hillsides in winter. Strong herding instinct; old cows usually lead summer herds of cows, calves, and yearling (spike) bulls; in western Montana, Elk usually summer at higher elevations and move down to grass and/or shrub winter ranges (with nearby trees for thermal cover); habitat use strongly influenced by human activities. Photo by: edmccuephotography.com