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How can you tell the difference between an Elk vs a Deer?

How to Tell an Elk from a Deer?


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Elk and deer are often mistaken the same because they are very similar to each other. Some people would often tell that an elk is a deer when in fact it is a different specie.

General Characteristics
A male deer often weighs 300 lbs while the female is more or less 200 lbs. The deer’s most noticeable feature is their white tail and it often rises when it senses danger in the surrounding. The color of the deer’s coat is reddish and would turn dull gray during the winter season. Average height is 3 ½ feet with a length of up to 7 feet. they feed on shoots, leaves, legumes, and grasses that is why they are called “grazers.” A deer often make grunts or bleats and also make use of scents to communicate.
An elk is larger than a deer which weighs up to 700 lbs or 500lbs for female elks. They are taller with a height of 5 feet and a length of 8 feet. Instead of a reddish coat, elks have a shaggy brown coat. To protect them from the cold winter, these coats will thicken as well as a thick hair will grow on their necks. When it comes to communication, elks make distinctive sounds that are different from a distress call or a call during the mating season. Known as “browsers,” elks feed on grasses in the forest or woodlands.

Their Similarities
Now, we will look into their similarities. Both creatures mate during the fall season and their offspring are born on spring time. During the mating season, both animals lose a large amount of weight because they mate with many females as they can. Both creatures have a four-chamber stomach. Aside from that, their antlers grow annually especially during spring and summer which is covered in velvet. Their offspring are born with a white spot and often loses it a year after, usually before they experience their 1st winter.
Generally, elk and deer almost look alike when you see them. One could hardly tell which is an elk and which is a deer.

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