| In the lush coastal
forests of northwestern United States roams the magnificent Roosevelt Elk When we think of elk, whether we think about it or not, we usually
are referring to the Rocky Mountain Elk. They are the most widely distributed species of
elk in the United States and seem to get all of theglory in the record books. However,
there are two elk species that hang out in their own little corner of the world.
Tule elk are the smallest kind of elk, but the males still
can weigh up to 1,000 pounds, and stand up to 5 feet high (not counting the antlers).
There once were vast herds of these elk in California, but by the 1880s few remained. In
1932, Tule Elk State Reserve was established as a sanctuary for the elk. They have since
grown in numbers and have been reintroduced to other areas of California.
In the far reaches of the lush coastal forests of
northwestern United States is an elk species you don't hear a lot about. Roosevelt elk are
located in northern California, western Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. They
have also been re-introduced into Alaska on a few of the southeastern islands.
The big difference between Roosevelt elk and Rocky Mountain
elk is in their distribution and habits. Roosevelt elk prefer to live in the rain forests
of the Pacific coast. They thrive in the logged and burned over coastal mountain areas and
the western slope of the Cascades. When they find an area which satisfies their needs they
'homestead' it and spend their entire lives there.
Roosevelt elk are larger in size and darker than a Rocky
Mountain elk. The antlers are shorter, heavier, with a narrower spread and often 'webbed'
or crowned at the top. This is the reason you won't find a Roosevelt elk contending for
'biggest' elk in the world as far as antler score is concerned. A 300 point Roosevelt elk
is a record book trophy with the current world's record scoring 388 3/8 B&C.
Logging operations in western Oregon are creating more
openings in the dense forest cover and this is helping to provide more food and shelter
for Roosevelt elk herds. It is possible that even more elk could live in western Oregon if
the herds could be spread out. Hunting has helped to break up the larger herds and scatter
them out.
 Neil Duarte and his brother Mark were two of only
10 lucky tag holders for a September rut hunt in California. A Roosevelt tag in California
is not easy to come by with less than 200 total tags available a year. Neil was able to
bag a great trophy bull elk with a 7x7 frame and great mass typical of a trophy Roosevelt
elk. The bull scored an impressive 335 3/8 while his brother Mark killed a nice 6x6 bull
scoring 270. 
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What is Happening
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