Elk are large herbivores whose diet directly influences their health, behavior, and interaction with their environment. Their adaptable foraging strategies allow them to thrive in diverse landscapes.
Core Dietary Preferences
Elk primarily consume a variety of plant matter, acting as both grazers (eating grasses and herbaceous plants) and browsers (consuming leaves, twigs, and shoots from woody plants). Grasses make up a significant portion of an elk’s diet, averaging about 73% and sometimes reaching up to 84% in winter. Common grass species include wheatgrass, bromegrasses, bluegrass, and fescue.
Forbs, herbaceous flowering plants, are highly nutritious and can constitute a substantial part of their diet, especially during summer, making up 60% to 100% of their intake. Dandelion, geranium, asters, clover, and wild lupine are examples of preferred forbs. Additionally, elk browse on woody vegetation such as willow, aspen, serviceberry, and chokecherry. As ruminants, elk possess a four-chambered stomach that enables them to efficiently break down tough plant materials and extract maximum nutrients. On average, an elk needs to consume about three pounds of food daily for every 100 pounds of its body weight.
Seasonal Shifts in Eating Habits
Elk are opportunistic feeders, adjusting their diet throughout the year based on plant availability and nutritional content. In spring, elk seek out early-greening grasses and forbs like clover and dandelion. These plants are rich in protein and easily digestible, helping elk replenish energy and support growth, lactation, and antler development.
During summer, forbs become the dominant food source, sometimes comprising nearly all of an elk’s daily intake, especially for lactating females and growing juveniles. As autumn arrives, elk transition their diet, incorporating cured grasses, forbs, berries, fruits, and acorns to build fat reserves for winter. In winter, when green vegetation is scarce or snow-covered, elk rely more heavily on dried grasses, woody browse like willow and aspen bark, and sometimes pine needles and lichens.
Foods to Avoid or Not Offer
Providing food to elk or other wild animals can have serious negative consequences for their health and behavior. Human-provided foods, including processed items, hay, or corn, are not suitable for an elk’s specialized ruminant digestive system. Their gut microflora are adapted to specific types of forage depending on the season. Introducing new, highly digestible, or high-energy foods too rapidly can disrupt this delicate balance, leading to severe digestive problems like rumen acidosis, bloat, and even death.
Feeding elk can also lead to changes in their natural behavior, causing them to lose their inherent fear of humans. This habituation increases risks such as aggression, vehicle collisions, and property damage. Concentrating elk for feeding facilitates the rapid spread of diseases, including brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis. It can also attract them to consume toxic landscape plants like yew, which can be fatal. For these reasons, feeding wild elk is discouraged and often illegal.