Deer vs Elk: How To Identify Before Taking Your Shot

Identifying your target is fundamental to ethical and legal hunting practices. While the difference between your target species and other game or non-game is evident in some instances, the distinctions are less noticeable in other circumstances, such as the case of elk and deer. 

Mistakes can lead to legal issues intersecting at the various tags, seasons, and laws that govern the different hunting types.

So, even if you're confident you could spot the deer in the middle of an elk herd (if that ever happened), you might want to continue reading anyway. This blog looks at the differences between deer vs elk and how hunters can better distinguish these species so you bring home the right trophy at the end of your hunt. 

A Deer	An Elk

The Primary Distinctions Between Elk and Deer 

As a hunter, you must make the right choices in the field, especially when targeting suitable game species. While it can seem obvious in some cases, factors such as low light conditions, adrenaline, and distance can impact our capacity to differentiate species while hunting. 

While elk and deer are from the same Cervidae family, the differences are significant. It's important to remember that deer is a catch-all term for a range of subspecies, and there are additional distinctions between these groups. 

To learn about the differences between elk and deer, we'll cover a few key characteristics:
 

1. Size and Build

2. Antlers

3. Coloration and Markings

4. Habitat

5. Behavior

6. Vocalizations 

Size and Build

Size is one of the most distinguishing factors in the elk vs deer question.

Deer are generally smaller and more slender than elk. A mule deer weighs around 250-350 pounds and stands three feet at shoulder height. Conversely, a mature elk bull can weigh up to 1,000 pounds and stand around 5 feet at the shoulder and 9 feet long. 

Elks also have thicker necks and sizes, which may be one of the leading distinguishing factors of these creatures. 

Antlers

While both animals have antlers, elk have long, imposing branch-like antlers that curve inwards towards the body. However, deer antlers are spikier and curve towards the face. 

Coloration and Markings

Deer coats are usually reddish-brown or off-brown in the summer and turn grayish-brown in winter. Some species, such as whitetails, will have white markings on their throats, bellies, and the underside of their tails. 

Elk have a thicker brown coat that is darker in color. Hunters can identify them by their distinctive light-colored rump patch. 

Habitat

Deer are likely to be found in forested and mixed forested areas with conifers and deciduous trees that offer shelter for bedding, access to food sources throughout the seasons, and water. Deer are also prominently found in agricultural areas where they can access crops, grasses, and fruits through the various crop rotations. You'll often see them browsing on leaves, twigs, and grass.

Generally speaking, any area offering bedding coverage, a wide variety of food accessibility, and water will likely be a strong deer zone. 

However, elk prefer mountainous regions, dense forests, and grasslands where they have abundant water access. If shelter and food are available, you'll also find elk in shrublands with mixed vegetation. Elk will also inhabit meadows with access to mixed grasses to munch on. 

Behavior

Both species display intricate mating and socializing rituals that encourage their species' propagation and survival in various landscapes. 

Deer are often bonded into family units, especially does and fawns, as this provides security and safety for their young. They are protective, using their calling abilities to ensure they do not stray too far from the group. Deer are territorial and will display dominance through scent and sounds. 

Elk, however, are highly social creatures and will live in herds that can get up to the hundreds in number. These dynamics can change in winter as groups become tighter, up to a dozen.

They're highly adapted to the natural environment with a strong sense of smell and hearing, often making them a challenging hunt for first-timers. Elk are more migratory and will frequently move in search of food available or to avoid adverse weather conditions. 

Vocalizations

Elk bugling is a distinctive call employed by males to establish dominance and attract females. It resonates throughout the forest. It's an unusual call that sounds somewhat like distorted screaming, but it's more melodic than the standard deer calls. 

Deer calls are different. They deploy a range of calls not only during mating season but also to establish social hierarchies, provide warnings about upcoming danger, a friendly invitation to buddy up, and more. 

Hunting Deer and Elk With HuntWise

One of the most challenging components of an elk or deer hunt is determining where these creatures will be and in areas with good elk and deer numbers. 

Spot and stalk is a common method for deer and elk hunting. It involves moving throughout the hunting zone and looking for deer or elk feeding or taking cover. This process can start with a long-glassing session to pinpoint deer or elk movement patterns from a distance. 

To begin, jump on the HuntWise app to form your hunting plan by checking regulations, marking hunting spots, and leveraging the Windcast and HuntCast features to gain insights into the deer or elk behavior at that moment. 

Take a Moment

Then, before taking a shot, make a mental effort to ask yourself whether the creature in front of you is a deer or an elk. It may sound basic, but that quick moment of reflection can help inform your decision, empowering you to make a confident shot, depending on what you intend to hunt that day.

If it's not the right animal, don't shoot, then reevaluate your plan for the day. However, if it is the deer or elk you planned to hunt, take your shot and celebrate your harvest! 

Whether Hunting Deer vs Elk, Use HuntWise for Success

One of the great pleasures of hunting is the opportunity to target various species, providing sustenance for family and friends. Despite their similarities, using the information above and the insights from the HuntWise app, you'll have no problems distinguishing between a deer and an elk on your next hunt and making the right choices going forward. 

One of the best features of the app is HuntCast. By selecting the species you're after in the app, you get a movement probability score and insights into the best days and times of days to hunt. So, whether you're after an elk or a deer, HuntWise helps you plan the best days to get into the field — with up to 15 days of forecasting for Elite users — so you don't waste a moment tracking, identifying, and bringing home your prized game animal. You can also create hunt alerts so you never miss out on a successful hunt.

Ready to give it a try? Download HuntWise and explore it free for your first week. Don't head out for an elk or deer hunt without it this season!