Breeding starts at the first sign of cold weather. The gestation period is nine months. Single births are most common, but occasionally twin births do occur. The newborns are up and running soon after birth. The spots seen on the coats of the very young elk are shed by about three months of age.
Antlers are the bony growths on the foreheads of most male deer.
They grow from pedicles, permanent bony outgrowths of the frontal bone. Antler growth requires protein and calcium, with testosterone being the controlling factor and part of the cycle of growth. In early spring, as the days become longer and testosterone production is stimulated, new tissue is composed and the antlers start developing. The new growth is covered by skin which is called velvet. This all happens quite rapidly in a time frame of four to six months.