People often lump elk vs deer meat into the same category: venison.
We aren’t fans of that grouping because elk and deer are not only different creatures, but they also taste pretty different. So, for the sake of this article, we’re going to call deer meat ‘venison’ and elk meat, well, elk meat.
But first, let’s compare each animal’s appearance, habitat, diet, and how hunters adapt to catch each one.
All About Elk
What do Elk Look Like?
Elk and moose are members of the deer family. An adult elk bull (male) typically reaches 800 pounds, and larger animals can tip the scales at over 1,100 pounds. Elk can grow up to five feet at the shoulder and are much more physically imposing than deer.
Their antlers, most prominent during summer, are sharp, pointed, and softer to the touch than deer antlers.
Where Elk Can be Found
In the US, you’ll find large elk populations in Washington, Oregon, California, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. Other states have elk as well but in much smaller numbers.
Significant elk populations can be found internationally in Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Chile, Argentina, Russia, China, Mongolia, and sporadically throughout Eastern Asia.
An Elk’s Typical Diet
Elk roam areas as large as 500 square miles. They constantly graze on grasses and foibles (weeds), and typically eat three pounds for every 100 pounds the animal weighs. That’s a whole lot of grazing.
Elk’s natural habit typically makes hunting much more complex than deer’s. Elk usually live in rugged mountain meadows, coastal forests, and open woodlands.
Because of where they live, elk are more challenging to track and much trickier to hunt than deer.
When hunting elk, you’ll need to cover a lot of ground.
What does Elk Meat Taste Like?
Elk meat is widely considered the better-tasting, less-gamey meat to venison. Sure, wild elk still has a hint of gamey flavor, largely due to its diet. Bark has a way of fouling the taste of meat. Plus, fat stores gamey flavor, which elk have very little of.
When farm-raised by high-quality ranchers and farmers, elk meat loses its gamey flavor because ranchers only feed their elk food, which contributes to good-tasting meat.
You’ll discover that elk meat has a subtly sweet and savory flavor. This flavor profile makes it an excellent replacement for beef or pork and is far healthier than higher protein and vitamin levels.
All About Deer
What do Deer Look Like?
Deer are the smaller, more agile, and more prevalent cousin to elk. They rarely weigh above 300 pounds and have sharp, pointed antlers similar to the elk’s, but are more solid and firm to the touch when fully matured.
Where Deer Can be Found
Deer can be found in all 50 US states and live in less-rugged environments, including prairies, deserts, and grasslands. Outside of the US, deer populations are robust. Deer are widespread and can be found inhabiting every continent, aside from Antarctica, of course.
A Deer’s Typical Diet
Compared to elk, adult deer only cover about two square miles of land each and spend their days looking for more nutrient-dense foods like the tips of shrubs and trees. We classify deer as browsers because they prefer a specific diet — they don’t just fill their stomachs with grass, as elk do.
What does Deer Meat Taste Like?
Venison meat tastes gamier than elk meat and is generally considered less favorable. Venison contains more fat, which lends to a strong, intense, and earthy flavor. Deer’s high-fat content isn’t necessarily a good thing taste-wise, which is why most hunters prefer the taste of elk instead.
Further, substituting deer meat in beef or pork recipes is not as simple as a 1:1 exchange as it is with elk. Instead, look for recipes suited explicitly to venison’s strong taste profile.
Both venison and elk meat have a place on our table, but if you’re looking to get into eating game meat for the first time, we recommend trying elk first. It has far less of a learning curve, and you can substitute it directly with many of the beef and pork recipes you already know and love.
Final Thoughts: Elk vs Deer
By now, we hope that you have a good idea about the differences between elk and deer—where they live, what they eat, and ultimately how they taste.
Visit one of our fine suppliers to put elk on the dinner table for you, your family, and your friends.
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