A full-grown bull Rocky Mountain elk weighs about 700 lbs. It stands 5 feet tall at the shoulder and runs about 8 feet long. Cows are smaller, at about 500 lbs.
Below, you’ll find the full Rocky Mountain elk size chart, antler facts, and how this elk stacks up against a moose, deer, horse, and human.
Rocky Mountain Elk Size Chart
Elk
Weight
Shoulder Height
Body Length
Bull
700–800 lbs (some top 1,000 lbs)
About 5 ft
Up to 8 ft
Cow
500–600 lbs
About 4.5 ft
About 6.5 ft
Calf
About 35 lbs at birth
Under 3 ft
Under 4 ft
Bull Rocky Mountain Elk Size
A mature bull elk is thick in the neck and chest. A bull also grows a dark neck mane in fall. With its head raised, a bull can stand taller than 8 feet. Most bulls reach full size at about 6 to 8 years old.
Cow Rocky Mountain Elk Size
A cow elk is lighter and slimmer. She has no antlers. Cows are about 20 to 30 percent smaller than bulls.
Calf Size at Birth and Fall
A newborn elk calf weighs about 35 lbs. It is born spotted and nearly scentless. That helps it hide from predators. Calves grow fast. By fall, many weigh 250 to 300 lbs.
Only bull elk grow antlers. They shed them every spring and grow a new set each summer. Rocky Mountain elk have the largest antlers of all elk subspecies.
Antler Length and Weight
A mature bull’s antlers can reach 4 feet in length. They can weigh up to 40 lbs. That is a lot of bone to carry on the head.
Antler Growth by Age
Antlers grow bigger and fuller with age.
Yearlings grow single spikes, so hunters call them spikes.
Two- to three-year-olds add a few points.
Four- to six-year-olds often carry 5×5 or 6×6 racks.
Seven-year-olds and older are in prime form and carry the biggest racks.
How Fast Do Elk Antlers Grow?
Elk antlers can grow up to 1 inch a day. New antlers are covered in soft, blood-rich skin called velvet. The velvet feeds the growing bone. By late summer, the antlers harden and the velvet peels off. By September, the antlers are solid bone.
Elk grow fast in their first two years. Growth then slows. Bulls keep adding weight and antler size until about age 7 or 8.
Season, Rut and Weight Loss
Elk are heaviest in late summer, just before the rut. During the rut, bulls barely eat. They bugle, fight, and guard cows. Bulls often lose a large share of their body weight. Harsh winters cause more loss, especially for old animals.
Habitat and Food Quality
Rich forage grows bigger elk. Elk that live in lush mountain meadows tend to outweigh elk in dry, harsh country. Good summer grass builds fat and strong antlers.
Rocky Mountain Elk Size Compared to Other Animals
rocky-mountain-elk-vs-other-animal-size
Rocky Mountain Elk vs Moose
Picture a bull elk standing next to a bull moose. The elk is huge, but the moose is bigger. A bull elk weighs about 700 lbs, stands 5 feet at the shoulder, and runs about 8 feet long. A bull moose weighs 1,000 to 1,500 lbs, stands 6 to 7 feet tall, and runs 8 to 10 feet long. The moose wins. It is often twice as heavy as an elk.
Rocky Mountain Elk vs Whitetail Deer
A big whitetail buck looks small beside an elk. The buck weighs 150 to 300 lbs, stands about 3 to 3.5 feet tall, and runs 5 to 6 feet long. The bull elk weighs 700 lbs, stands 5 feet tall, and runs 8 feet long. The elk wins. It weighs two to three times more.
Rocky Mountain Elk vs Mule Deer
A mule deer buck is a bit bigger than a whitetail. It weighs 150 to 300 lbs, stands about 3 to 3.5 feet tall, and runs 5 to 6 feet long. Against the 700 lb elk, it still falls far short. The elk wins by a wide margin.
Rocky Mountain Elk vs Horse
This one is close. An average riding horse weighs about 1,000 lbs, stands about 5 feet at the withers, and runs 7 to 8 feet long. A bull elk weighs about 700 lbs and has the same height and length. The horse wins on weight. The elk matches it in height and length, and its antlers make it look even larger.
Rocky Mountain Elk vs Human
Next to a person, an elk is massive. The average American man is about 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs about 200 lbs. A bull elk is about 5 feet at the shoulder, so a tall adult looks over its back. But the elk weighs about three and a half times more. The elk wins on weight and power.
Hi, I’m Natalie Collins, the admin at MooseSizes.com. We simplify animal sizes, measurements, and wildlife comparisons with easy-to-follow guides, useful size charts, and accurate information to help you understand animal dimensions with confidence.
