The Largest American Elk Ever Harvested in Idaho Had Antlers as Wide as a Human!

Idaho has a rich and diverse collection of animals that inhabit its wide, open spaces. The American elk is one of the biggest and most stunning animals calling the state home. Its iconic stature gets replicated in photos, statues, home furnishings, and countless touristy gifts. 

Additionally, the American elk is a highly sought-after prize for hunters. The abundant meat supply, enormous antlers, and the desire to control the rapidly growing herds make elk a target of many during hunting season.

Most elk are huge mammals with enormous antlers. To show you how large these creatures can get, we’ll tell you about the largest American elk ever harvested in Idaho.

An Introduction to the American Elk

The magnificent elk (Cervus canadensis) are members of the Cervidae family. They live in high meadows, forests, and sagebrush-covered deserts. Elk are also known as wapiti, from the native American Shawnee and Cree word waapiti, meaning “white rump.” Bull elk often stand up to 9 feet tall, thanks to their enormous antlers. 

The massive animals used to roam across the majority of North America. However, the population has diminished over the years, mostly due to hunting. Most of the remaining population has retreated to remote areas like the mountains of Colorado, Yellowstone, and Idaho.

American Elk in Idaho

The American elk is the main type of Elk in Idaho. The population there is healthy enough to result in approximately 20,000 elk harvested annually. Wildlife officials have recently discovered that the state’s elk population is spreading to areas it hasn’t historically lived in before. So hunters are experiencing more variety in their hunts.

State officials believe that the territorial shift has multiple underlying factors. First, wildfires have impacted foraging, pushing all animals into new grazing and hunting areas. Also, agricultural regions are tempting for wildlife, including elk. Many farmers have reported increased crop damage due to elk and deer. 

Historians and wildlife officials believe that the current elk level surpasses the historical population. However, throughout the late 1900s, conservation efforts resulted in a growing elk herd throughout the state.

How To Determine the Largest Elk Harvested in Idaho

Technically, there are two different records when it comes to the largest elk ever harvested in Idaho.

Why? Because what defines “large” in the case of elk is the measurement of the antlers verses the actual weight of the animal. To determine the largest elk, experts look at the distance between the points on the antlers. More specifically, they look at:

• The distance between the two closest points.
• The distance between the two main beams (the main sections of each antler where the other points branch out from).
• Finally, the “greatest spread,” which is the total distance from the most outer points of each antler.

All of that data is compiled into a final score.

Typical Elk vs. Non-Typical Elk

To make things a bit more complicated, the determination for the largest elk is also separated by the categories of typical American elk vs. the non-typical American elk. The difference is in the antlers.

A typical elk will have antlers that are more symmetrical in appearance, where there are matching points on each side. A non-typical elk will have antlers that have a unique appearance, with points that may stick out further and in different direction. A non-typical elk may also have more points on one side of their antlers than the other. So, it’s not unusual that the non-typical elk may be considered larger after the measurements are taken.

The Records for Largest Elk Ever Harvested in Idaho

Technically, the record for the largest elk ever harvested Idaho occurred in 1977 by hunter Peter J. Orazi. He harvested an elk with a total antler measurement of 433 ⅛. His score is in the non-typical elk category. The greatest spread measurement of the elk was 70 3/8 inches. From tip to tip, that’s roughly the same size as an adult human!

The other record for largest elk harvested in the state in the typical elk category was in 1954, by hunter Elmer Bacus. His harvested elk had a total score of 412 5/8. The length of the greatest spread on the antlers of his elk was 47 4/8 inches.

We found the data for the largest elk ever harvested in Idaho on the website for the Boone and Crockett Club, which is a private organization. When hunters harvest an elk or other animals, they send in their records to the website and the records are updated regularly. Hunters have a list of required measurements to take and submit before their scores get counted.