<P> Elk are more than twice as heavy as mule deer and have a more reddish hue to their hair coloring , as well as large , buff - colored rump patches and smaller tails . Moose are larger and darker than elk ; bulls have distinctively different antlers . Elk gather in herds , while moose are solitary . Elk cows average 225 to 241 kg ( 496 to 531 lb ) , stand 1.3 m ( 4.3 ft ) at the shoulder , and are 2.1 m ( 6.9 ft ) from nose to tail . Bulls are some 40 % larger than cows at maturity , weighing an average of 320 to 331 kg ( 705 to 730 lb ) , standing 1.5 m ( 4.9 ft ) at the shoulder and averaging 2.45 m ( 8.0 ft ) in length . The largest of the subspecies is the Roosevelt elk ( C. c. roosevelti ) , found west of the Cascade Range in the U.S. states of California , Oregon and Washington , and in the Canadian province of British Columbia . Roosevelt elk have been reintroduced into Alaska , where the largest males are estimated to weigh up to 600 kg ( 1,300 lb ) . More typically , male Roosevelt elk weigh around 300 to 544 kg ( 661 to 1,199 lb ) , while females weigh 260 to 285 kg ( 573 to 628 lb ) . The smallest - bodied subspecies is the tule elk ( C. c. nannodes ) , which weighs from 170 to 250 kg ( 370 to 550 lb ) in both sexes . </P>
<P> Elk are more than twice as heavy as mule deer and have a more reddish hue to their hair coloring , as well as large , buff - colored rump patches and smaller tails . Moose are larger and darker than elk ; bulls have distinctively different antlers . Elk gather in herds , while moose are solitary . Elk cows average 225 to 241 kg ( 496 to 531 lb ) , stand 1.3 m ( 4.3 ft ) at the shoulder , and are 2.1 m ( 6.9 ft ) from nose to tail . Bulls are some 40 % larger than cows at maturity , weighing an average of 320 to 331 kg ( 705 to 730 lb ) , standing 1.5 m ( 4.9 ft ) at the shoulder and averaging 2.45 m ( 8.0 ft ) in length . The largest of the subspecies is the Roosevelt elk ( C. c. roosevelti ) , found west of the Cascade Range in the U.S. states of California , Oregon and Washington , and in the Canadian province of British Columbia . Roosevelt elk have been reintroduced into Alaska , where the largest males are estimated to weigh up to 600 kg ( 1,300 lb ) . More typically , male Roosevelt elk weigh around 300 to 544 kg ( 661 to 1,199 lb ) , while females weigh 260 to 285 kg ( 573 to 628 lb ) . The smallest - bodied subspecies is the tule elk ( C. c. nannodes ) , which weighs from 170 to 250 kg ( 370 to 550 lb ) in both sexes . </P>
elk specie found along the coast of washington
elk specie found along the coast of washington
Roosevelt elk
Roosevelt elk