THE ELK AND MOOSE - Part 1

Articles In This Section:

· READING TRACKS

· TALES OF MASTER TRACKERS - Part 1

· TALES OF MASTER TRACKERS - Part 2

· HUMAN TRACKS

· BLAZING YOUR TRAIL

· TRAILING ANIMALS - Part 1

· TRAILING ANIMALS - Part 2

· ANIMAL FOOTPRINTS

· TRACES OF BIRDS

· OTHER MARKS OF ANIMALS AND BIRDS

· THE NATURAL HABITAT OF ANIMALS

· THE DEER

· THE ELK AND MOOSE - Part 1

· THE ELK AND MOOSE - Part 2

· THE FOX

· THE RABBIT

· THE POLECAT

· THE PORCUPINE

· THE BADGER

· THE SQUIRREL

· MAKING PLASTER MOLDS OF TRACKS

THE ELK OR WAPITI

Tracks: See those of the deer.

Hoof print: The heavy dotted lines indicate the size of the print, the light dotted lines the extent of the pads. Length—about

31/2, width—about 21/4"-21/2”. Females about ½”-3/4’ smaller. The dewclaws leave no impression when the animal is walking easily. An elk can jump up to 25 feet.

Droppings: Dung-like or disc-shaped masses in hunting season or when stags are in heat.

Acorn form up to 3/4" long, 3/8"-5/8" thick, females 1/4"-3/4” thick. Brown.

Traces of Eating and Scraping: Tree bark pulled off. Peeled spots higher than three feet and with deep tooth marks. Likes to wallow in mud puddles near the "scratching tree" where he rubs himself and where the mud and hairs stick. "Scraping trees," where he beats his antlers first to remove the velvet and later playfully or excitedly when he is in heat, stand along his usual run. The antlers are shed from February to March; the antler scraping time is midsummer. The higher the marks on the tree and the stronger the tree, the larger and more powerful the stag.

Antlers: