In contrast to moose, elk can be found in areas like parks and foothills. These territory patterns don’t change much over the seasons, so you should be able to see and encounter moose all year round. They’re less commonly seen on the eastern side of the US, especially among areas like parks and rocky mountains. Moose prefer to live in and around rivers and lakes and places that are abundant in aquatic vegetation and willows. With a visible “bell shape” under the throat.Ī moose has a flap of skin called “dewlap” that hangs from the chin area. It also has a very large, long, wide, and bulbous nose, more akin to a horse. However, the antlers of young moose don’t actually appear flat, making it easier to mistake it for an elk.Ī moose is a mostly dark brown, which may appear black sometimes. It also has antlers that are broad and flat. A bull moose on average weighs about 1200 pounds, which is about twice the weight of an elk. The weight of a moose tends to be closer to the size of a horse. They weigh about 840-1500 pounds on average. Moose are actually pretty large when compared to an Elk. Much like deer, it’s common to see elk sprinting across the road when driving. The snout of an elk is narrow and it has no visible “bell” shaped skin under the neck area. Elk are mostly light brown or could appear more of a golden or a pale yellow color.

On average, an elk weighs about 710-730, so a bull elk weighs half that of a bull moose.Ī deer is very small when compared to an elk, whereas an elk is smaller when compared to a moose.Įlk has antlers that are spindly and pointed, more akin to the antlers of a deer. Elk vs Moose – AppearanceĮlks are medium-sized when compared to a moose. So, therefore, an elk falls into the category of Cervinae and a moose falls into the category of Capreolinae. When looking at elk vs moose, this is one of the ways an elk is technically differentiated from a moose too. This categorization of deer is known as the old world deer, although now many species live in other parts of the world.ĭeers that fall into this category include: So let’s see what both these categorizations are – and where elk and moose fall into these categories. Starting with the basics, most confuse elk with a moose due to their taxonomic differences.įirstly we should state that both elk and moose are part of the same group of mammals called the Cervidae Family.Īll the animals in this family, including an elk and moose, are essentially deer, but they’re known by different names.Īll the animals in this family are categorized into Cervinae and Capreolinae. Let’s now take a look at the taxonomic differences… Elk vs Moose – taxonomic differences Slow Aggression Very Low Very Low Low Low elk vs moose General Information Table Golden DkBrown / Black Dk Brown / Black Behavior Pack/Timid/ Height 1.3m 1.5m 1.4m 2.1m Avg Length 2.1m 2.4m 2.4m 3.2m Avg Weight (lb) 710 7 Species Cervinae Cervinae Capreolinae Capreolinae Color Brown / Here’s a table highlighting more information and differences regarding elk vs moose Elk Male Elk Female Moose Female Moose Male Avg Here’s a graphic representation of both elk vs moose, so you can see the visual differences, including average height (male and female) and average length…

Elks live in groups and avoid humans, moose are solitary animals, unafraid of humans. Moose have a more horse-shaped nose and skin under the neck, elks have slender snouts. A moose is large and black with flat, broad antlers. Elk vs Moose, what’s the difference? Elks are smaller and light brown in color, with narrow, pointed antlers.

Moose tracks vs elk tracks