But when fall arrives, many of those green grasses and plants start to dry up. Elk depend more on forbs and woodier plants, like bushes and shrubs. Winter snow covers most grasses, forbs and shrubs. But these foods don't always provide enough nutrition, making it hard for many elk to survive until spring green-up begins again. Although winter-killed elk may seem sad, it is nature's way of ensuring there will be enough food for the healthy elk next year.
Elk are ruminants.
So are deer, cows, sheep and buffalo. It has to do with how they turn their food into energy. You chew your food, swallow, and down it goes, headed straight for your one and only stomach. But for an elk, it's not quite that simple. Not only does its food make several stops along the way, but it also needs to be chewed up a second time.