Deer (apologies!) - Grand Canyon USA (1 Viewer)

A

Astrokev

Well-known member

• Feb 19, 2014

• #1

Apologies this is obviously not a bird, but was photographed whilst on a birding trip, so does that count?

Deer resident in this area are, I believe, Mule and White-tailed. Unfortunately, the hind quarters are hidden, making ID difficult for those of us unfamiliar with US mammal species.

Please could someone confirm an ID?

Thanks
Kevin

 

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ClarkWGriswold

Carpe Carpum

Supporter

• Feb 19, 2014

• #2

Those ears make it look like a Mule Deer to me Kev. Been a few years since I've seen one though so best for others.

Rich

 

D

DarkFireFalcon

Well-known member

• Feb 20, 2014

• #3

Isn't that a young elk?

 

rbroadwell

Well-known member

• Feb 20, 2014

• #4

Good call, looks like a young Elk.

 

Tiraya

San Diego CA

• Feb 20, 2014

• #5

Agree with Elk.

 

ClarkWGriswold

Carpe Carpum

Supporter

• Feb 20, 2014

• #6

DarkFireFalcon said:

Isn't that a young elk?

Click to expand...

Oops- good call.:t:

 

chris butterworth

aka The Person Named Above

• Feb 20, 2014

• #7

Can't be an Elk. They're those big Eurasian jobbies with palmate antlers, like North American Moose.

 

Z

Zheljko

Well-known member

• Feb 20, 2014

• #8

Astrokev said:

Deer resident in this area are, I believe, Mule and White-tailed. Unfortunately, the hind quarters are hidden, making ID difficult for those of us unfamiliar with US mammal species.

Please could someone confirm an ID?

Thanks
Kevin

Click to expand...

That looks like a Wapiti (American counterpart of Red Deer, only bulkier). It is a big bulky animal, seen in Yellowstone documentaries chased by wolves in snow. The Mule and White-tailed species are more delicate thin-legged animals, more like impalas compared to wapiti's kudu.

And Chris brings up the well-known confusion about "elk". Americans call the big red-deer-like animal "elk" and the palmate-antlered one "moose", while in "European English" ("field guide English") there is a red deer and the palmate-antlered animal is "elk".
Now when it is translated into an unrelated language (as in a nature documentary), you get the situation that for half an episode you get an explanation how wolves hunt (word) and then the sentence "but when they hunt (the same word) they use a different technique"... ???

 

njlarsen

Gallery Moderator

Opus Editor

Supporter

• Feb 20, 2014

• #9

chris butterworth said:

Can't be an Elk. They're those big Eurasian jobbies with palmate antlers, like North American Moose.

Click to expand...

No you are wrong, those northern european jobbies are called Elg (in their native range, that is)

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