Elk name, scientific, for Bear Bio, mainly

[Texas Star]

My screen today has a party of elk crossing a stream. (Google Chrome). It says they're from the primary sort of elk in North America.

I'm guessing Cervus canadensis, without looking it up.
The only other elk I know of are the Roosevelt or Olympic, from WA state.

Is C. canadensis the right answer for their quiz? If not, which elk are most numerous?

 

[arjay]

I’m staying in hiding [emoji23]

 

[crazyphil]

My screen today has a party of elk crossing a stream. (Google Chrome). It says they're from the primary sort of elk in North America.

I'm guessing Cervus canadensis, without looking it up.
The only other elk I know of are the Roosevelt or Olympic, from WA state.

Is C. canadensis the right answer for their quiz? If not, which elk are most numerous?

I believe you are correct. Cervis canadensis

 

[BearBio]

From Wikipedia:

"Of the six subspecies of elk known to have inhabited North America in historical times, four remain, including the Roosevelt (C. canadensis roosevelti), Tule (C. canadensis nannodes), Manitoban (C. canadensis manitobensis) and Rocky Mountain (C. canadensis nelsoni).[17] The Eastern elk (C. canadensis canadensis) and Merriam's elk (C. canadensis merriami) subspecies have been extinct for at least a century."

Personally, I have taken two Tule elk ( a cow and an 8x7 bull) and two Rocky Mountain elk (a cow and a 6x7 bull). Lived off of the Tule bull throughout grad school ("Starving student"!). Hunted Roosevelts here in Washington (No luck!). I understand that the Manitoban requires a Tribal Permit. Rocky Mountain (C. Canadensis) are the most common and widely spread. Last I heard, American Society of Mammologists was considering going back to using C. elaphe. Now, studies in Cali indicate the variations may be "races" due to dietary reasons. Haven't heard anything in a few years. One of the Murie brothers did a book called "Elk of North America". Really interesting family: Adolf was the first PhD from the University of Alaska and Maude (his wife) was the first woman biologist to graduate from there. Their honeymoon was a 2 year waterfowl survey by canoe in the Arctic. She had to go to high school by dog sled or sleigh each fall and board. They built a "cabin" outside of Yellowstone. After she was widowed, any F & W biologist who stopped by was sure of a cup of hot tea (She grew her own) and warm cookies. Now the cabin is owned by DOI and used for upper level meetings.

 

[MRB1]

I'd bet that staying with Cervus canadensis, without further breakdown would be the safest approach. My OLD copy (1966) of Mammals of Texas stops at canadensis.

 

[Texas Star]

From Wikipedia:

"Of the six subspecies of elk known to have inhabited North America in historical times, four remain, including the Roosevelt (C. canadensis roosevelti), Tule (C. canadensis nannodes), Manitoban (C. canadensis manitobensis) and Rocky Mountain (C. canadensis nelsoni).[17] The Eastern elk (C. canadensis canadensis) and Merriam's elk (C. canadensis merriami) subspecies have been extinct for at least a century."

Personally, I have taken two Tule elk ( a cow and an 8x7 bull) and two Rocky Mountain elk (a cow and a 6x7 bull). Lived off of the Tule bull throughout grad school ("Starving student"!). Hunted Roosevelts here in Washington (No luck!). I understand that the Manitoban requires a Tribal Permit. Rocky Mountain (C. Canadensis) are the most common and widely spread. Last I heard, American Society of Mammologists was considering going back to using C. elaphe. Now, studies in Cali indicate the variations may be "races" due to dietary reasons. Haven't heard anything in a few years. One of the Murie brothers did a book called "Elk of North America". Really interesting family: Adolf was the first PhD from the University of Alaska and Maude (his wife) was the first woman biologist to graduate from there. Their honeymoon was a 2 year waterfowl survey by canoe in the Arctic. She had to go to high school by dog sled or sleigh each fall and board. They built a "cabin" outside of Yellowstone. After she was widowed, any F & W biologist who stopped by was sure of a cup of hot tea (She grew her own) and warm cookies. Now the cabin is owned by DOI and used for upper level meetings.

Thanks!

She grew tea in America?! Camellia sinensis? Real tea? Or was that an herbal tea?

I just finished a cup of Assam tea, from Taylor's of Harrogate. I keep four of their teas, three from famous regions, and a quality English Breakfast blend.

I vaguely recall someone raising tea in the Carolinas. But have never seen any.

 

[Texas Star]

I do drink two herbals, both from South Africa, via Twining's. (Est. in 1706.)

These are Rooibos and Honeybush with Mandarin. The bouquet from the latter is remarkble!

 

[Absalom]

I'm guessing Cervus canadensis, without looking it up.
The only other elk I know of are the Roosevelt or Olympic, from WA state.

The Roosevelt elk extends south through Oregon, by the way, and eastward the Rocky Mountain elk takes over somewhere beyond the Cascade crest.

I used to hunt Roosevelts, although while I helped several friends get theirs out of the woods, personally I botched my only shot at a branch-antlered bull.

 

[BearBio]

The Roosevelt elk extends south through Oregon, by the way, and eastward the Rocky Mountain elk takes over somewhere beyond the Cascade crest.

I used to hunt Roosevelts, although while I helped several friends get theirs out of the woods, personally I botched my only shot at a branch-antlered bull.

I'm sure "Ma" Murie grew herbal "tea".

My one "Rosie" was in the vicinity of Snoqualmie Pass and we had either sex (spike) tags with muzzleloaders. Saw one and some guys moved up from behind me to cut me off. They spoked him and I fired in the air to make sure he kept going!

 

[Absalom]

...
My one "Rosie" was in the vicinity of Snoqualmie Pass and we had either sex (spike) tags with muzzleloaders. Saw one and some guys moved up from behind me to cut me off. They spoked him and I fired in the air to make sure he kept going!

Down here in the Coast Range, in the kind of terrain where the Roosevelt hang out, before taking any shot you look around long and hard and ask yourself “Do I really want to drag it out of here?”

 

[BearBio]

Down here in the Coast Range, in the kind of terrain where the Roosevelt hang out, before taking any shot you look around long and hard and ask yourself “Do I really want to drag it out of here?”

I think about that on ANY elk. A friend of mine said it looked like an effen DINOSAUR!

Old story is" Your buddy asks for an elk roast to help pack it out. After skinning it, you offer 1/4 (front) to pack it to the car. After it's quartered, you offer him 1/2 of the elk. First trip to the car, all you want is some roasts. Last trip: He can have the elk if you leave him the horns. Halfway up the hill, all you want are the "tusks"!."

 

[Texas Star]

I think about that on ANY elk. A friend of mine said it looked like an effen DINOSAUR!

Old story is" Your buddy asks for an elk roast to help pack it out. After skinning it, you offer 1/4 (front) to pack it to the car. After it's quartered, you offer him 1/2 of the elk. First trip to the car, all you want is some roasts. Last trip: He can have the elk if you leave him the horns. Halfway up the hill, all you want are the "tusks"!."

If you have the money, and want to kill an animal that size, you can go to Africa and shoot a Greater Kudu or Sable antelope, maybe even an eland, and have the pro hunter and the African staff get it back to camp!

This will also give an excuse to buy a .375 H&H Magnum rifle.

 

[Absalom]

...

Old story is" Your buddy asks for an elk roast to help pack it out. After skinning it, you offer 1/4 (front) to pack it to the car. After it's quartered, you offer him 1/2 of the elk. First trip to the car, all you want is some roasts. Last trip: He can have the elk if you leave him the horns. Halfway up the hill, all you want are the "tusks"!."

Not a story, real thing! "Revenge of the Roosevelt Bull" (Almost)

This was about 30 years ago. Friend of mine wanted to get his 5-pointer out to the truck in one piece, likely so he could show it off. Talked us into dragging the thing through half a mile of mud-snow covered terrain. On a slippery downslope, the whole shebang went out of control. The bull, dead for several hours, almost managed to impale one guy's private parts. I had the presence of mind to snap this photo only seconds after the pile-up came to a halt at the bottom of the hill.

 

[BearBio]

Not a story, real thing! "Revenge of the Roosevelt Bull" (Almost)

This was about 30 years ago. Friend of mine wanted to get his 5-pointer out to the truck in one piece, likely so he could show it off. Talked us into dragging the thing through half a mile of mud-snow covered terrain. On a slippery downslope, the whole shebang went out of control. The bull, dead for several hours, almost managed to impale one guy's private parts. I had the presence of mind to snap this photo only seconds after the pile-up came to a halt at the bottom of the hill.

Had a friend (same guy who made the dinosaur comment) shoot his first "big" game animal--a sow wild boar at Ft. Hinter Liggett. About a 200 pounder. He insisted he wanted a photo without a lot of blood. We dragged it about a quarter mile towards the top of a VERY rough hill full of hardened pockmarks from cattle. After that quarter mile, I gave up! I hiked up to my Landcruiser, got my camera and left my rifle and pack. Walked/slipped back down the hill laying out two coils of climbing rope behind me. I took his picture and tossed him my Randal and told him to gut it! I went over to a live oak and had a cigarette. When he was done, we dragged it another 200 yards or so to the rope and strung it through the Achilles tendon. Hiked up to my Landcruiser and backed it up, pulled forward (tied it off) and backed it up again. Checked out (pig was bald from where we dragged it). It was warm and we had a 5 hour drive, so we stopped in Paso Robles, wrapped it in a game bag, stuffed it with ice, and wet the game bag down. Drove down along Pacific Coast Highway, stopping to wet the bag, insert more ice, etc. Got home and I didn't hunt with him for at least two years, I was SOOOO PO'd!

 

[Peak53]

We just call 'em Wapiti - or meat.