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ELK FACTS
Bulls
- Mature
bulls average 800 to 1,100 pounds, stand 5' to 5'6'' at the shoulder
and are 7 to 8 years of age.
- They
are capable of breeding at two years of age.
- Top
velvet producing bulls have large circumference beams and mass above
the third tine.
- The
antlers' number of points is influenced by genetics and feed, as well
as by maturity.
- Antlers
fall off in March and regrow every year.
- When
harvested in May or June, 20 to 30 pounds of Grade A velvet should
be the yield from a mature bull.
- They
dress out at approximately 60% of live weight.

Cows
- Mature
cows average 550 to 600 pounds, stand 4' to 5' at the shoulder, and
are three to four years of age.
- Most
18-month-old females will cycle if they weigh at least 430 lbs.
- They
do not grow antlers.
- They
are very good mothers.

Calves
- They
are born in May or June and spend the first week of their lives in
tall grass, usually getting up only to nurse.
- They
are spotted when born and develop their brown coats in six months.
- Through
natural instinct, the cow watches the calf from a short distance,
drawing near when it is threatened.

Breeding
- The
rut, controlled by the day/night cycle, is from late August to late
October.
- For
best success, breeding bulls should be three years old or older.
- One
bull can service 20 to 40 cows.
- A bull
will gather a group of females and keep them away from other bulls.
- Bulls
compete for dominance through bugling, sparring, and chasing would-be
competitors away. (Injuries are rare.)
- Bulls
and cows go through a ritual before the actual "high mount"
of mating.
- A cow's
gestation is approximately 246 days, + or - 10 days.
- Artificial
insemination is common with a success rate of 50-80%.

Calving
- All
cows will "bag up" before giving birth.
- The
older the cow, the more "pregnant" she will appear.
- The
cow will start to "walk the fences" prior to calving, looking
for a quiet, private place to give birth.
- Ensure
through controlled feeding that cows are not fat, as this restricts
the size of the birth canal and increases the size of the calf.
- Although
calving problems are rare, farmers can help the cow by pulling the
calf, but only after waiting a lengthly period for a natural birth.
- The
cow will immediately accept the calf and clean it, and the calf will
stand to nurse.
CWD Facts (Chronic Wasting Disease)
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