Game Animals

Bull Elk or Wapiti

Bull Elk or Wapiti (Cervus elaphus nelsonii) Available February – August.

No stranger to our North American clients, the Bull Elk is one of the most impressive antlered deer trophies available to the hunter. Elk are New Zealand’s largest game animal, weighing in at over 300kg (660lb) with an average shoulder height of 1200-1500mm.

Wapiti are recognisable not only for their size but their pelt. In Winter they have a yellowish to brownish grey colour with a blackish underside and cream rump patch. In Summer their body coat is more tawny, reddish or light bay with dark legs.

During rut males emit a whistle-like bugle, distinctively different from the full roar of a Red Stag. Their antlers are grown and cast annually and reach a maximum size at around 7 years old. Life expectancy is similar to that of Red Deer with examples in the wild living to between 9 and 12 years.

The distinctive sound of the Bull Elk in mid-bugle is enough to thrill any hunter, while the ability of these huge animals to hide in thick scrub presents a superb challenge in our hunting terrain. Like Red Deer, which share their genetic makeup with elk and as such can interbreed, New Zealand elk trophies regularly feature amongst the most impressive examples anywhere in the world.