| | | Elk Hunting | Elk is the second largest species of deer in the world
after the Moose, and also among the largest mammals in
North America. In North America they live in almost
all terrain types except for the tundra, deserts, and
the gulf coast region. It is estimated that the number
of elk in North America alone number over a million
animals. The bones of their ancestors appear in fossil
records, dating back as far as 12 million years. Of
the six species of elk thought to have lived in North
America at one time, only four types remain.
Elk are prized for a large number of products that can
be harvested from their bodies. Their antlers and
antler velvet is used in traditional medicine. Their
hides were used by Native American people to make
tee-pee's out of, as well as clothing and shoes. Even
today, elk hide shoes, belts, and gloves are not
uncommon. Elk meat is thought to taste like a
combination of beef and venison.
In some areas of the world, elk is considered a
nuisance. It competes with indigenous life forms for
food and territory, as well as taxes the vegetation.
In New Zealand, Chile, and Argentina are three places
where the introduced elk populations have caused
problems. Another issue with elk is the fact that they
carry diseases that can be easily transmitted to
domestic cattle.
Hunters who wish to hunt elk have the option of doing
so at special game farms, where elk are kept fenced
into a specified area, and cannot escape. For a fee,
hunters are almost guaranteed a chance to kill one of
the elks.
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