Part 3

The American Elk or Wapiti is, with the exception of the moose, the largest member of the deer family in North America. Once widely distributed over much of North America it has now been eliminated from most of its former range until now the Yellowstone region has the largest number of wapiti to be found in the world. There are smaller numbers in scattered places in the Rocky Mountains from northern New Mexico to Montana, Idaho, Washington and Manitoba, with small introduced herds in other places.

The elk is the most polygamous of the deer family. In the fall each bull tries to collect the largest harem he can and many spectacular fights result from the clash of rivals that may try to rob each other of a part of the herd. It isn’t long, however, until the bulls forget their rivalry and, leaving the cows, they get together by themselves until the next fall.

In the past elk were in the habit of feeding up into the mountains during the summer and migrating to lower country for the winter. The westward-moving settlers gradually took over the winter range for agriculture and forced the elk to remain in the mountains throughout the year. Winter hardships have been severe and many of them have died of starvation. This lack of winter range has always been a serious problem in caring for both the northern and southern Yellowstone herds. They depend more upon grass as food than the other members of the deer family.

The cow elk has one, rarely two young at a time, which are born in May and June. At first they are weak and so are kept hidden for several days until able to keep up with their mother. The young are spotted for the first few months, but lose their markings by late summer.

General description: A very large deer with a shaggy mane and short tail. The males with widely branching antlers which are shed annually; females do not have antlers. In color the sexes are slightly different. The males have head and neck a dark chestnut brown, sides and back a yellowish to brownish gray. Females less strongly marked but both with a large straw-colored rump patch. Males much larger than females. Total length. Males 115 inches, height at shoulder 60 inches, weight 700 to 1000 pounds. Females 88 inches in length, 56 inches in height, and 500 to 600 pounds in weight.

Terms: Male—bull; female—cow; young—calf.

Where found: The elk migrate to the higher meadows during the summer but some are usually to be seen in the meadows along the Madison River, the small meadows between Mammoth and Old Faithful, between Norris and Canyon, and from the Lake to the East Entrance. The over all summer park population usually equals or exceeds 15,000 animals.

MOOSE Alces americana shirasi

The Moose is the largest of our North American deer. The Shiras Moose which is found in Yellowstone and surrounding areas is slightly smaller than the typical American moose, which is found in the northern states east of the Rockies and north to the Arctic. In Europe the moose found there is commonly called elk. This has of course resulted in some confusion between it and our animal known as the elk.

The large, ungainly and grotesque appearing moose is very unlike the graceful deer. The ugly face with its long nose, high and heavy shoulders and much smaller hindquarters, and the long legs all tend to make its appearance seem a caricature. But in spite of his size, appearance, and his mighty spread of antlers, the bull moose can, if he chooses, drift through the woodland as quiet as a mouse; then again he may give the sound effect of a herd of elephants on a stampede.

Marshy meadows and the margins of lakes or streams are the favorite summer haunts of the moose. His usual summer diet consists of the various aquatic plants and his long legs are of great assistance in wading for the plants as well as helping him get through the deep snows of winter. The moose is better fitted to withstand the rigors of winter than the deer and elk and is accustomed to remaining in higher country during the winter. During such times his food is made up of the foliage, twigs and bark of trees and shrubs. Moose are powerful swimmers and dive for aquatic plants if the water is too deep for wading.

The moose calf is born late in May or June, usually one the first year and frequently twins thereafter, but rarely triplets. They remain with their mother during the first year. She is very protective and does not hesitate to attack any animal or human that she thinks may harm the calves. In fact, any moose has a very uncertain temper and it is not wise to approach one too closely.

General description: A large, dark-colored animal with heavy humped shoulders, a large head with broad, pendulous muzzle, large ears; throat with a hanging growth of skin and hair called the “bell.” Males with broad, heavy, palmate antlers which are shed annually; average spread 52 to 58 inches; females do not have antlers. Total length of animal about 9 feet, height at shoulder 66 to 78 inches and weight 900 to 1400 pounds. Females about three quarters the size of males. Color blackish-brown with pale brown along the back and pale ears; legs washed with tawny gray.

Terms: Male—bull; female—cow; young—calf.

Where found: Most likely to be seen in Swan Lake Flat and Willow Park between Mammoth and Norris; in the Dunraven Pass area; along Lewis River above Lewis Canyon and between Fishing Bridge and the East Entrance. Active all day but they are best seen early in the morning or in late afternoon and evening. Moose are also numerous in the Falls River Basin, Pelican Creek, Slough Creek areas and along the Yellowstone River above the Lake. These animals are thought to number between 500 and 700 for the entire park area and seem to maintain a rather constant level.

MULE DEER Odocoileus hemionus

The Rocky Mountain Mule Deer, or Blacktail Deer, is a popular animal in the park. The Whitetail deer also was sometimes found in the lower elevations in earlier times but has not been seen in the park for some years. The mule deer gets its name from the family characteristic of the very large mule-like ears.

Mule deer are generally distributed over most of the park during the summer but do not tend to go above timberline as much as do the elk. In the winter they drift down to the lower, more protected ranges, but, not in migratory herds as the elk do.

Their food consists of grass, twigs, foliage of trees and shrubs, plants and fruits. They especially like leaves and buds and sometimes prove destructive to the shrubbery about the developed areas where the landscaping must be protected.

The fawns, one, frequently two and occasionally three in number, are born in late May to July. They are beautiful little spotted creatures that are kept hidden for a time until able to follow their mother. Quite frequently people, upon finding a fawn hidden in the bushes, take it away thinking that something has happened to its mother. This should not be done for it almost invariably does much more harm than good. Once in a while something does happen to the mother but in most cases she is not far away and will return to the fawn when the proper time comes.

General description: A rather large deer with large ears; antler tines pronged; tip of tail black. Female without antlers. Males shed their antlers sometime between December and April annually. Summer color tawny to yellowish brown with large patch of white on rump, throat white. In the winter they are dark gray instead of brownish. Males, total length 68 inches, height at shoulder 42 inches and weight 150 to 200 pounds for the average buck. Females smaller.

Terms: Male—buck; female—doe; young—fawn.

Where found: In the summertime they are well scattered over the park and may possibly be seen along the trails at the edges of open meadows along the roadside, or near developed areas, day or night. The population varies from year to year and of recent years from a maximum of 1200 to a minimum of about 600.

BIGHORN Ovis canadensis

An interesting inhabitant of the roughest, rockiest mountain country as well as the high arctic alpine meadows is the Bighorn or Rocky Mountain Sheep. The sure-footedness with which they will dash, in full flight, up or down seemingly impossible slopes is truly amazing. Negotiating with ease places that the most skillful mountaineer, with all his climbing equipment, can scale only by slow and laborious means. Even the picturesque ram with his great recurved horns can leap from point to point with grace and agility.

It might well be mentioned here that the fable of the ram habitually jumping and landing on his horns is not true. They are used, however, as fighting equipment and the shock they can withstand is terrific as the rams square off about thirty yards apart, then dash at each other until they collide head-on with all the speed and power they can muster. This continues until one or the other finally retires groggily from the scene. The ewe also has horns but they are short and only slightly curved.

Bighorns eat practically any of the plant life that grows within their domain, which is preferably near and above timber line in the summertime. There they remain during the summer. In the winter they select either open, windswept slopes that will be kept free from snow or else drift down to the lower, more protected places in the valleys.

The bighorn ewe has one or two lambs which are born in the spring. Their lambs soon learn to play like our domestic sheep, and before they are very old are given their mountain-climbing lessons by watchful mothers. When still quite small they can follow the band with almost as much skill as the older ones.