Elk are members of the deer family. In North America, moose are the largest members of the deer family, followed by elk, then caribou, then deer. A set of elk antlers can weigh up to 40 pounds. Elk have antlers, not horns. Antlers are shed and regrown every year.
Horns grow throughout the life of the animal.
Bighorn sheep, bison and mountain goats have horns. Antlers are made of bone. Elk replace all of their hair twice a yearonce in the spring and once in the fall. Herds offer more security because there are many eyes, ears and noses checking for danger. There were an estimated 10 million elk throughout North America before Europeans arrived.