The head, neck, belly and legs are darker than both the back and sides. Elk generally have a long head with large ears and widely branching antlers as long as 1.1-1.5 m from tip to tip. A dark shaggy mane hangs from the neck to the chest. Most males are 10 percent larger than females and weigh twice as much. Favorites of the elk include dandelions, aster, hawkweed, violets, clover, and the occasional mushroom.
Elk are ruminant animals and therefore regurgitate their food and remasticate to aid in digestion.
This is also known as chewing cud. Breeding among elks takes place in early September. Males initiate the autumn courtship with a bugling call to attract their mates. Both males and females are sexually active at sixteen months, although young males do not usually mate due to competition from more mature elks. This low annual production is offset by a high investment in protective maternal care.