Elk Activity In Fall

by Jennifer Smith August 31, 2018

The North American Elk, or wapiti, is the largest animal in the cervid family. They live predominately in the mountainous, western part of the United States, including Wyoming, and in some of Canada.

Elk Behavior and Diet

While elk are born at 35 pounds, they grow to be close to 1000 pounds and are on average to be 6 feet tall. The female elk are aggressive in the springtime; while the males are more moody during the fall season. This could be because they are shedding their antler velvet which can be a painful process. (This occurs in September, as with other deer species.)

In the fall, elk will continue to eat grasses and other shrubs. They will venture onto landscapes with much greenery and devour whatever they can in preparation for cooler months when these natural resources become scarce. To protect cool weather crops from elk damage, it's best to install an elk fence that is made to stand up against these large animals. Elk use their strong body mass and antlers to force their way into gardens. Make sure this doesn't happen.