Today, elk inhabit portions of Elk and Cameron counties, and are being seen more and more in Clinton and Clearfield counties. Many Western states and several Canadian provinces support thriving elk populations, and in those places the elk is a popular big game animal. Biology Elk are much larger and heavier than white-tailed deer. Females, or cows, weigh 500-600 pounds.
Elk have a summer and a winter coat.
The summer pelage is short, thin and colored reddish brown. In winter, long, coarse guard hairs overlay wooly underfur. At this time, an elk's body is tawny brown or brownish gray, with the neck, chest and legs dark brown, and the underparts darker than the back. Buffy or whitish fur covers the rump and the 4-5 inch tail. Sexes are colored essentially alike.