Moose and elk are two of North America’s most impressive deer species, often found in similar northern habitats. Despite their shared family, they possess distinct characteristics that lead to frequent confusion regarding their appearance and scale. This article clarifies the differences between these large mammals, providing insights into their physical attributes, visual cues beyond size, and contrasting lifestyles.
Understanding Their Stature
Moose are larger than elk. Adult male moose (bulls) stand 5 to 7 feet tall at the shoulder and weigh 840 to over 1,500 pounds, with some Alaskan subspecies exceeding 1,600 pounds. Their robust, bulky build often appears humpbacked due to powerful shoulder muscles. In contrast, bull elk average 4.5 to 5 feet tall at the shoulder and weigh 600 to 1,100 pounds. Elk have a more streamlined, athletic build compared to the moose’s imposing frame.
Female moose (cows) are also significantly larger than female elk. Cow moose weigh 441 to 1,300 pounds, while cow elk range from 377 to 644 pounds. Moose are the world’s tallest and heaviest extant deer species. This size difference is often the most immediate indicator.
Beyond Size Visual Cues
Beyond size, other physical characteristics differentiate moose from elk. Their antlers are a notable difference; male moose grow broad, palmate, or “open-hand shaped” antlers spanning up to six feet across. These antlers often have tines growing from the outer edge of the broad, flat beams.
Elk, in contrast, possess slender, branching antlers with a main beam from which tines extend upward and outward, resembling a typical deer antler. Elk antlers can reach five feet in width. Both species shed and regrow their antlers annually.
Facial structures and coat colors also vary. Moose have a long snout, a distinctive droopy upper lip, and a large, somewhat bulbous nose. Their coat color ranges from dark brown to dusky black, lacking the lighter rump coloring seen in elk.
Moose also feature a dewlap, a flap of skin under their chin, whose exact function is not fully known but may relate to thermoregulation or mating signals. Elk have a reddish or lighter brown coat in summer, transitioning to tan or grayish-brown in winter. They are characterized by a clearly defined, light-colored rump patch and a darker mane on their neck.
Distinctive Lifestyles
Moose and elk also differ in preferred habitats and social behaviors. Moose are primarily solitary, with strongest bonds forming between a mother and her calf. They inhabit circumpolar boreal and temperate mixed forests of the Northern Hemisphere, thriving in cooler, subarctic climates.
Moose are often found near wetlands, lakes, and streams, as aquatic vegetation, which provides essential sodium, forms a significant portion of their diet. They are browsers, preferring leaves, twigs, and bark from trees and shrubs due to their height.
Elk are more gregarious, often forming large herds, particularly in summer, with groups sometimes reaching 400 individuals. These herds are matriarchal, led by a dominant cow. Elk are adaptable, found in various habitats including open woodlands, mountainous regions, grasslands, and forest edges.
Their diet primarily consists of grasses and sedges, though they also browse leaves, twigs, and bark. During mating season, bull elk engage in bugling, loud vocalizations used to attract females and establish dominance. They migrate seasonally, often moving to higher elevations in summer and descending to lower areas in winter to find food.