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101-721: Red Buttes Wilderness is situated in both Oregon and California and includes the crest of the Siskiyou Mountains between the Rogue River and Klamath River drainages. The wilderness is 13 miles (21 km) long and 6 miles (9.7 km) wide, with elevations ranging from 2,800 feet (853 m) in Butte Fork Canyon to 6,740 feet (2,054 m) at the east summit of the Red Buttes. The main waterways that flow through Red Buttes Wilderness are all part of

202-657: A coastal subrange of the Klamath Mountains , and located in northwestern California and southwestern Oregon in the United States . They extend in an arc for approximately 100 miles (160 km) from east of Crescent City, California , northeast along the north side of the Klamath River into Josephine and Jackson counties in Oregon. The mountain range forms a barrier between the watersheds of

303-531: A misfolded protein known as a prion , affects the brain tissue in elk, and has been detected throughout their range in North America. First documented in the late 1960s in mule deer, the disease has affected elk on game farms and in the wild in a number of regions. Elk that have contracted the disease begin to show weight loss, changes in behavior, increased watering needs, excessive salivation and urinating and difficulty swallowing, and at an advanced stage,

404-439: A day or two, and matings usually involve a dozen or more attempts. By the autumn of their second year, females can produce one and, very rarely, two offspring. Reproduction is most common when cows weigh at least 200 kilograms (440 lb). Dominant bulls follow groups of cows during the rut from August into early winter. A bull will defend his harem of 20 cows or more from competing bulls and predators. Bulls also dig holes in

505-617: A distinct species, namely the Central Asian red deer ( Cervus hanglu ), which also includes the Kashmir stag . Elk have thick bodies with slender legs and short tails. They have a shoulder height of 0.75–1.5 m (2 ft 6 in – 4 ft 11 in) with a nose-to-tail length of 1.6–2.7 m (5 ft 3 in – 8 ft 10 in). Males are larger and weigh 178–497 kg (392–1,096 lb) while females weigh 171–292 kg (377–644 lb). The largest of

606-515: A dozen subspecies. But mitochondrial DNA studies conducted in 2004 on hundreds of samples from red deer and elk subspecies and other species of the Cervus deer family, strongly indicate that elk, or wapiti, should be a distinct species, namely Cervus canadensis . DNA evidence validates that elk are more closely related to Thorold's deer and even sika deer than they are to the red deer. Elk and red deer produce fertile offspring in captivity, and

707-484: A human getting variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease . Antlers are also used in artwork, furniture and other novelty items. All Asian subspecies, along with other deer, have been raised for their antlers in central and eastern Asia by Han Chinese , Turkic peoples , Tungusic peoples , Mongolians , and Koreans . Elk farms are relatively common in North America and New Zealand. Native Americans have used elk hides for tepee covering, clothing and footwear. Since 1967,

808-401: A large animal, buglings can reach a frequency of 4000 Hz. This is achieved by blowing air from the glottis through the nasal cavities. Elk can produce deeper pitched (150 Hz) sounds using the larynx . Cows produce an alarm bark to alert other members of the herd to danger, while calves will produce a high-pitched scream when attacked. Female elk have a short estrus cycle of only

909-491: A mean weight of 275 kilograms (606 lb). The elk is the second largest extant species of deer, after the moose . Antlers are made of bone, which can grow at a rate of 2.5 centimeters (0.98 in) per day. While actively growing, a soft layer of highly vascularized skin known as velvet covers and protects them. This is shed in the summer when the antlers have fully developed. Bull elk typically have around six tines on each antler. The Siberian and North American elk carry

1010-406: A number of sclerophyllous shrubs - are found only in southwestern Oregon and northwestern California. The Wilderness is home to a wide variety of animals. Black-tailed deer are common, while American black bears , California Valley coyotes , banded bobcats , ring-tail cats , and North American cougars are less common but still may be seen. A number of small mammals, particularly members of

1111-435: A tendency to do most of their feeding in the mornings and evenings, seeking sheltered areas in between feedings to digest. Their diets vary somewhat depending on the season, with native grasses being a year-round supplement, tree bark being consumed in winter, and forbs and tree sprouts during the summer. Elk consume an average of 9.1 kilograms (20 lb) of vegetation daily. Particularly fond of aspen sprouts which rise in

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1212-580: A wild population has not yet established. Since 2015, elk have also been reintroduced in a number of other states, including Missouri , and introduced to the islands of Etolin and Afognak in Alaska. Reintroduction of the elk into Ontario began in the early 20th century and is ongoing with limited success. Elk and red deer were introduced to Argentina in the early 20th century. There they are now considered an invasive species , encroaching on Argentinian ecosystems where they compete for food with

1313-570: A winter- or disease-weakened adult. In the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem , which includes Yellowstone National Park, bears are the most significant predators of calves while healthy bulls have never been recorded to be killed by bears and such encounters can be fatal for bears. The killing of cows in their prime is more likely to affect population growth than the killing of bulls or calves. Elk may avoid predation by switching from grazing to browsing. Grazing puts an elk in

1414-639: Is a good source of iron , phosphorus and zinc . A male elk can produce 10 to 11 kilograms (22 to 24 lb) of antler velvet annually and on ranches in the United States, Canada and New Zealand, it is collected and sold to markets in East Asia , where it is used in medicine. Some cultures consider antler velvet to be an aphrodisiac . However, consuming velvet from elk in North America may be risky since velvet from animals infected with chronic wasting disease may contain prions that could result in

1515-492: Is a parasitic nematode known to affect the spinal cord and brain tissue of elk and other species, leading to death. The definitive host is the white-tailed deer, in which it normally has no ill effects. Snails and slugs, the intermediate hosts, can be inadvertently consumed by elk during grazing. The liver fluke Fascioloides magna and the nematode Dictyocaulus viviparus are also commonly found parasites that can be fatal to elk. Chronic wasting disease , transmitted by

1616-477: Is also common along some dry, rocky ridges. Perhaps the most distinctive vegetation community is that found on the peridotite/serpentinite outcrops - Jeffrey pine , western white pine , and Brewer spruce . A small stand of subalpine fir was also recently discovered by Frank Callahan in the wilderness. Some of the plant species in the Wilderness - such as Brewer's spruce, Sadler oak, Siskiyou lewisia , and

1717-465: Is also not known, but it appears to be highly contagious among elk. Studies are being undertaken by government departments to determine how to halt or eliminate the disease. The elk ranges from central Asia through to Siberia and east Asia and in North America. They can be found in open deciduous woodlands, boreal forests, upland moors, mountainous areas and grasslands. The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) list

1818-410: Is common for the highway to be closed one to four times per year by transportation authorities because of hazardous conditions. The speed limit is 55 miles per hour (89 km/h), but lower limits are set for larger vehicles. The climate of the mountains is distinctive in how it varies from the coast to the inland slopes. Generally, the mountains see milder temperatures and more precipitation nearer to

1919-528: Is common with many deer species, and they lose their spots by the end of summer. After two weeks, calves are able to join the herd, and are fully weaned at two months of age. Elk calves are as large as an adult white-tailed deer by the time they are six months old. Elk will leave their natal (birth) ranges before they are three years old. Males disperse more often than females, as adult cows are more tolerant of female offspring from previous years. Elk live 20 years or more in captivity but average 10 to 13 years in

2020-620: Is considerable biodiversity within the Siskiyou Mountains, including extensive forests. Forests vary by elevation and relative locations, being primarily divided into mixed evergreen forests , montane forests , and subalpine forests. The occurrences of tree species are divided by these forest types. Exceptions to this exist. Coast Douglas-fir ( Pseudotsuga menziesii subsp. menziesii ) occurs in both mixed evergreen and montane forests. Lawson's cypress (also known as Port Orford cedar, Chamaecypraris lawsoniana ) occurs throughout

2121-458: Is dominant only in montane forests on steep south-facing slopes, but also grows with California black oak ( Quercus kelloggii ) and in mixed evergreen forests. Rare Pacific yew ( Taxus brevifolia ) grow at low elevations or at higher elevations near sources of water. Other conifers include weeping spruce ( Picea breweriana ), an endemic species, and coast redwood ( Sequoia sempervirens ). Various deciduous broadleaf trees grow in addition to

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2222-507: Is found within this mountain range; there is also the Scott Bar salamander . The variety of habitats in the mountains contributes to the number of bird species in the area, because the birds have more variety of habitat available to them. However, many birds disperse from the area following the breeding season. These birds include the endangered spotted owl , which lives in forests up to 5,800 feet (1,800 m). Endangered salmon live in

2323-440: Is seen in other artiodactyl species, like the bighorn sheep , pronghorn and the white-tailed deer , to varying degrees. Elk dwell in open forest and forest-edge habitats, grazing on grasses and sedges and browsing higher-growing plants, leaves, twigs and bark. Male elk have large, blood- and nerve-filled antlers , which they routinely shed each year as weather warms-up. Males also engage in ritualized mating behaviors during

2424-540: Is the Chinook Jargon word for "bob-tailed horse". According to historian Richard Mackie, "siskiyou" was a Cree word for a bob-tailed horse, one of which perished in 1829 during Alexander McLeod's journey over a pass later named for the "siskiyou" (today's Siskiyou Pass ). The Cree were in the area as part of McLeod's Hudson's Bay Company expedition, and had been recruited far away in their homeland in eastern Canada. Another version, given in an argument before

2525-482: Is the official state animal for Utah . An image of an elk and a moose appear on the state seal and flag of Michigan. The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (B.P.O.E.) chose the elk as its namesake because a number of its attributes seemed appropriate for cultivation by members of the fraternity. Jewel-encrusted, gold-mounted elk teeth are prized possessions of many members of the B.P.O.E. Although breakdown figures for each game species are not available in

2626-515: Is the highest pass on Interstate 5, at 4,310 feet (1,310 m). This pass is one of the most treacherous in the Interstate highway system. The California side has a more gradual slope than the Oregon side, where the freeway climbs or descends 2,300 feet (700 m) in elevation over about 7 miles (11 km). In addition, the pass includes several hazardous curves, and is frequently hit with snow, ice, and fog during winter storms. In winter, it

2727-667: Is typically characterized by a diverse community of bacteria specialized in breaking down complex plant fibers and cellulose , whereas the supplementally fed gut microbiome may have less fiber-digesting bacteria. Therefore, transitioning from natural foraging to concentrated alfalfa pellets can cause changes in the gut microbiome that might affect the elk's ability to efficiently digest their natural diet or could potentially lead to imbalances that affect overall health. Predators of elk include wolves , coyotes , brown and black bears , cougars , and Siberian tigers . Coyote packs mostly prey on elk calves, though they can sometimes take

2828-661: The Oxford English Dictionary , the etymology of the word "elk" is "of obscure history". In Classical Antiquity , the European Alces alces was known as Ancient Greek : ἄλκη , romanized :  álkē and Latin : alces , words probably borrowed from a Germanic language or another language of northern Europe. By the 8th century, during the Early Middle Ages , the moose was known as Old English : elch, elh, eolh, derived from

2929-611: The Fiordland National Park . In 1949 the New Zealand American Fiordland Expedition was undertaken to study the descendants of this release. There is significant hybridization of elk with red deer. These deer have had an adverse impact on forest regeneration of some plant species, as they consume more palatable species, which are replaced with those that are less favored by the elk. The long-term impact will be an alteration of

3030-694: The Korean Peninsula and Siberia are the Manchurian wapiti ( C. c. xanthopygus ) and the Alashan wapiti ( C. c. alashanicus ). The Manchurian subspecies is darker, and more reddish, in coloration than other populations. The Alashan wapiti of northern Central China is the smallest of all the subspecies, has the lightest coloration, and is one of the least-studied. Recent DNA analyses suggest that there are no more than three or four total subspecies of elk. All American forms, aside from possibly

3131-641: The Late Pleistocene , surviving into the early Holocene in Southern Sweden and the Alps . The now-extinct North American Merriam's elk subspecies ( Cervus canadensis merriami ) once ranged south into Mexico . The wapiti has also successfully adapted to countries outside of its natural range where it has been introduced, including Argentina and New Zealand ; the animal's adaptability in these areas may, in fact, be so successful as to threaten

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3232-545: The National Elk Refuge , having migrated south from the southern portions of Yellowstone National Park and west from the Shoshone and Bridger–Teton National Forests . Elk are ruminants and therefore have four-chambered stomachs. Unlike white-tailed deer and moose, which are chiefly browsers, elk are similar to cattle in that they are primarily grazers . But like other deer, they also browse . Elk have

3333-914: The Proto-Germanic : *elho- , *elhon- and possibly connected with the Old Norse : elgr . Later, the species became known in Middle English as elk , elcke , or elke , appearing in the Latinized form alke , with the spelling alce borrowed directly from Latin: alces . Noting that elk "is not the normal phonetic representative" of the Old English elch , the Oxford English Dictionary derives elk from Middle High German : elch , itself from Old High German : elaho . The American Cervus canadensis

3434-817: The Rogue River watershed, including the Butte Fork and the Middle Fork of the Applegate River , as well as Sucker Creek, a tributary of the Illinois River . The Wilderness contains the headwaters of the Illinois River. Red Buttes Wilderness takes its name from the dominant peak along the Siskiyou Crest; because of its high iron and magnesium content, the butte's rock is a reddish-orange color. The Siskiyou Mountains are part of

3535-751: The Roosevelt ( C. canadensis roosevelti ), Tule ( C. c. nannodes ), Manitoban ( C. c. manitobensis ) and Rocky Mountain elk ( C. c. nelsoni ). The eastern elk ( C. c. canadensis ) and Merriam's elk ( C. c. merriami ) subspecies have been extinct for at least a century. Four subspecies described from the Asian continent include the Altai wapiti ( C. c. sibiricus ) and the Tianshan wapiti ( C. c. songaricus ). Two distinct subspecies found in China, Mongolia ,

3636-499: The Siskiyou Wilderness , which protects 153,432 acres (620.9 km ). Elk Various Cervus elaphus subspecies The elk ( pl. : elk or elks ; Cervus canadensis ), or wapiti , is the second largest species within the deer family, Cervidae , and one of the largest terrestrial mammals in its native range of North America and Central and East Asia . The word "elk" originally referred to

3737-497: The mating season , including posturing to attract females, antler-wrestling (sparring), and bugling , a loud series of throaty whistles, bellows, screams, and other vocalizations that establish dominance over other males and aim to attract females. Elk were long believed to belong to a subspecies of the European red deer ( Cervus elaphus ), but evidence from many mitochondrial DNA genetic studies, beginning in 1998, shows that

3838-607: The 1820s. As settlement increased with a variety of new incentives, tensions over relations with the natives increased. In the 1850s, following the Donation Land Claim Act , miners came to the area to prospect for gold . Thousands of miners flooded into the area as profitable claims were made. The new settlements grew enough for Jackson County to be founded, with its seat in Jacksonville, in 1853. The large and sudden influx of white population deteriorated

3939-471: The 2006 National Survey from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, hunting of wild elk is most likely the primary economic impact. While elk are not generally harvested for meat production on a large scale, some restaurants offer the meat as a specialty item and it is also available in some grocery stores. The meat has a taste somewhere between beef and venison and is higher in protein and lower in fat and cholesterol than beef, pork, and chicken. Elk meat

4040-646: The California portion of the range is Preston Peak at 7,309 feet (2,228 m). There are also several lower mountains, including Ben Johnson Mountain , which reaches 4,398 feet (1,341 m). The main drainage basins in the mountains are those of the Rogue and Klamath rivers. Interstate 5 passes through the Siskiyou Mountains at Siskiyou Summit, located just north of the Oregon-California border, and just south of Ashland, Oregon . Siskiyou Summit

4141-468: The European variety of the moose , Alces alces , but was transferred to Cervus canadensis by North American colonists. The name "wapiti" is derived from a Shawnee and Cree word meaning "white rump", after the distinctive light fur around the tail region which the animals may fluff-up or raise to signal their agitation or distress to one another, when fleeing perceived threats, or among males courting females and sparring for dominance. A similar trait

Red Buttes Wilderness - Misplaced Pages Continue

4242-743: The Klamath River to the south and the Rogue River to the north. Accordingly, much of the range is within the Rogue River – Siskiyou and Klamath national forests, and the Pacific Crest Trail follows a portion of the crest of the Siskiyous. These mountains are not the highest of the Klamath Mountains, but because of the relief so close to the Pacific Ocean , the peaks receive significant precipitation from

4343-632: The Red Buttes Wilderness most likely came through during the Siskiyou Mountain gold rush in the early 1850s. Prospecting and small-scale mining, along with trapping, hunting, livestock grazing, continued to bring local residents up into the Wilderness during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In the 1920s and 1930s, the Forest Service built trails and a few cabins in the remote area, and during World War II,

4444-517: The Rogue and Klamath watersheds. Mammals in the area include small rodents, deer and elk, and bear and coyote. Medium-sized mammals also live in the region, including red fox , gray fox , and weasel . Another rare animal is the fisher , a predatory medium-sized mammal that lives in old-growth forest . The Siskiyou Mountains have federal protection in several forms. Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve protects 4,558 acres (18 km ) in

4545-747: The Siskiyou Crest. By late prehistoric times, the Dakubetede Indians of the Applegate Valley used this area, probably sharing it on occasion with their neighbors the Shasta , the Karok , and the Takelma . They hunted deer , bighorn sheep , elk , and grizzly bear . Arrowheads, scrapers, and other stone tools from several thousand years of human prehistory have been found in the Red Buttes Wilderness. The first non-native people to visit

4646-433: The Siskiyous only in the last 20 years. It has little value to habitat and is able to outcompete many native plants. Purple loosestrife is a plant that is invasive to waterways. The diversity of fauna in the region is exhibited by the number of amphibian , reptile , and avian species in the region. Many of the amphibian and reptiles are endemic species. The eponymous endangered Siskiyou Mountains salamander

4747-651: The State Senate in 1852, is that the French name Six Cailloux , meaning "six-stones", was given to a ford on the Umpqua River by Michel Laframboise and a party of Hudson's Bay Company trappers in 1832, because six large stones or rocks lay in the river where they crossed. According to some, the Six Cailloux name was appropriated to this region by Stephen Meek , another Hudson's Bay Company trapper who

4848-735: The Tule and the Roosevelt's elk, seem to belong to one subspecies— Cervus c. canadensis ; even the Siberian elk ( C. c. sibiricus ) is, more or less, physically identical to the American forms, and thus may belong to this subspecies, too. However, the Manchurian wapiti ( C. c. xanthopygus ) is clearly distinct from the Siberian forms, but not distinguishable from the Alashan wapiti. Still, due to

4949-581: The U.S. government constructed a narrow mining road from the Klamath River to the chromite deposits on the south slope of the Red Buttes. In 1945, a single-engine airplane crashed in the Red Buttes Wilderness. A bronze plaque along the Butte Fork Trail marks the grave of three victims on board. In 1984, the area was designated Wilderness and afforded the protections laid out in the Wilderness Act of 1964. Primary recreational activities in

5050-684: The U.S. where the disease is still known to exist, though this can extend out to the Bighorn Mountains . In domesticated cattle, brucellosis causes infertility, abortions, and reduced milk production. It is transmitted to humans as undulant fever , producing influenza -like symptoms that may last for years. Though bison are more likely to transmit the disease to other animals, elk inadvertently transmitted brucellosis to horses in Wyoming and cattle in Idaho . Researchers are attempting to eradicate

5151-605: The US. Elk were reintroduced in Michigan in 1918 after going extinct there in 1875. The Rocky Mountain elk subspecies was reintroduced by hunter-conservation organizations into the Appalachian region of the U.S. where the now extinct eastern elk once lived. They were reintroduced to Pennsylvania beginning in 1913 and throughout the mid-20th Century, and now remain at a stable population of approximately 1,400 individuals. Since

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5252-518: The Wilderness include hiking, camping, horseback riding, and wildlife watching. Several hiking trails run throughout the Wilderness, including Azalea Lake Trail, Frog Pond Trail, Cameron Meadows Trail, and Butte Fork Trail. The Bigfoot Trail also passes through the wilderness, using the Boundary National Recreation Trail as well as other seldom hiked trails. Siskiyou Mountains The Siskiyou Mountains are

5353-723: The area came from the coast, beginning in 1775, when the Spanish lieutenant Bruno de Heceta came to the Northwest . He would be followed in 1791 and 1792 by other explorers like captain George Vancouver , James Baker, and Robert Gray . The early western overland expeditions all avoided the area around the Oregon–California border. The first land-based expeditions came when the North West Company came to

5454-521: The area in 1820, followed by the Hudson's Bay Company in 1821. The Siskiyou Trail stretched from California's Central Valley through the Siskiyous to Oregon's Willamette Valley . Originally based on existing Native American foot trails winding their way through river valleys, the Siskiyou Trail provided the shortest practical travel path between early settlements in California and Oregon in

5555-432: The big bull to avoid harassment. Dominant bulls are intolerant of spike bulls and will chase them away from their harems. The gestation period is eight to nine months and the offspring weigh around 16 kilograms (35 lb). When the females are near to giving birth, they tend to isolate themselves from the main herd, and will remain isolated until the calf is large enough to escape predators. Calves are born spotted, as

5656-406: The bull will copiously lick the female and then mount her. Younger, less dominant bulls, known as "spike bulls" because their antlers have not yet forked, will harass unguarded cows. These bulls are impatient and will not perform any courtship rituals and will continue to pursue a female even when she signals him to stop. As such, they are less reproductively successful, and a cow may stay close to

5757-510: The coast, especially in summer. Most precipitation at lower elevations comes as rain. At higher elevations, snow is a major source of water. Temperature tends to change most in the east–west direction because of the ocean's major influence. The mean annual temperature is around 11 to 11.5 °C (51.8 to 52.7 °F) at low elevations. Higher in the mountains and farther east, the temperatures range from overnight lows just above freezing to highs around 21 to 23 °C (70 to 73 °F). There

5858-465: The coast. The interior is drier and warmer in the summer months, and the eastern slopes resemble an interior climate. The coast tends to receive about 60 inches (1,500 mm) of precipitation each year, rising to 100 inches (2,500 mm) at the peaks. The arid eastern areas receive around 30 inches (760 mm) annually. Precipitation is greatest in the winter and least in the summer. Fogs provide an additional source of water at low elevations near

5959-808: The compromising situation of being in an open area with its head down, leaving it unable to see what is going on in the surrounding area. Living in groups also lessens the risk of an individual falling to predation. Large bull elk are less vulnerable and can afford to wander alone, while cows stay in larger groups for protection for their calves. Bulls are more vulnerable to predation by wolves in late winter, after they have been weakened by months of chasing females and fighting. Males that have recently lost their antlers are more likely to be preyed upon. At least 53 species of protist and animal parasites have been identified in elk. Most of these parasites seldom lead to significant mortality among wild or captive elk. Parelaphostrongylus tenuis (brainworm or meningeal worm)

6060-404: The conifers. The largest extant California black oak is found in the Siskiyou Mountains. The blue oak , Quercus douglasii , is beyond its contiguous range; however, there are disjunctive populations of blue oak within the Siskiyou Mountains. Invasive species have become a concern in some areas. Some of these include yellow starthistle and scotch broom . Starthistle has become a problem in

6161-484: The disease leads to death. No risks to humans have been documented, nor has the disease been demonstrated to pose a threat to domesticated cattle. In 2002, South Korea banned the importation of elk antler velvet due to concerns about chronic wasting disease. The Gram-negative bacterial disease brucellosis occasionally affects elk in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the only place in

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6262-557: The disease through vaccinations and herd-management measures, which are expected to be successful. Nevertheless, research has been ongoing since 2002, and a successful vaccine has yet to be developed as of 2016 . A recent necropsy study of captive elk in Pennsylvania attributed the cause of death in 33 of 65 cases to either gastrointestinal parasites (21 cases, primarily Eimeria sp. and Ostertagia sp.) or bacterial infections (12 cases, mostly pneumonia ). Elk hoof disease

6363-427: The early Holocene of central Alaska, where it was the main hunted animal along with bison , and survived in Yukon until around 1400 BP (550 AD). As of 2014, population figures for all North American elk subspecies were around one million. Prior to the European colonization of North America, there were an estimated 10 million on the continent. There are many past and ongoing examples of reintroduction into areas of

6464-466: The elk) first appear in the fossil record 25 million years ago, during the Oligocene in Eurasia , but do not appear in the North American fossil record until the early Miocene . The extinct Irish elk ( Megaloceros ) was not a member of the genus Cervus but rather the largest member of the wider deer family (Cervidae) known from the fossil record. Until recently, red deer and elk were considered to be one species, Cervus elaphus , with over

6565-647: The end of the 19th century led to a boom in the fruit orchard industry. Apple blights around 1900 diminished the crop and pears began to be a major crop. By 1910, pears had begun to replace apples as the major fruit grown in the region. In 1927, the Jackson County seat moved to Medford, which had become much larger than Jacksonville. The highest peaks in the range include Mount Ashland at an elevation of 7,533 feet (2,296 m), Dutchman Peak at 7,410 feet (2,260 m), Siskiyou Peak at 7,147 feet (2,178 m), and Wagner Butte at 7,140 feet (2,180 m), all of which are in Oregon. The highest peak in

6666-419: The forest-adapted European red deer . Elk are among the most gregarious deer species. During the summer group size can reach 400 individuals. For most of the year, adult males and females are segregated into different herds. Female herds are larger while bulls form small groups and may even travel alone. Young bulls may associate with older bulls or female groups. Male and female herds come together during

6767-435: The greater availability of food to eat. Elk do not appear to benefit from thermal cover. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem elk herds comprise as many as 40,000 individuals. During the spring and fall, they take part in the longest elk migration in the continental U.S., traveling as much as 168 mi (270 km) between summer and winter ranges. The Teton herd consists of between 9,000 and 13,000 elk and they spend winters on

6868-479: The ground called wallows, in which they urinate and roll their bodies . A male elk's urethra points upward so that urine is sprayed almost at a right angle to the penis. The urine soaks into their hair and gives them a distinct smell which attracts cows. A bull interacts with cows in his harem in two ways: herding and courtship. When a female wanders too far away from the harem's range, the male will rush ahead of her, block her path and aggressively rush her back to

6969-532: The harem. Herding behavior is accompanied by a stretched out and lowered neck and the antlers laid back. A bull may get violent and hit the cow with his antlers. During courtship, the bull is more peaceful and approaches her with his head and antlers raised. The male signals his intention to test the female for sexual receptivity by flicking his tongue. If not ready, a cow will lower her head and weave from side to side while opening and closing her mouth. The bull will stop in response in order not to scare her. Otherwise,

7070-467: The head, neck, and legs during the summer. Forest-adapted Manchurian and Alashan wapitis have red or reddish-brown coats with less contrast between the body coat and the rest of the body during the summer months. Calves are born spotted, as is common with many deer species, and lose them by the end of summer. Adult Manchurian wapiti may retain a few orange spots on the back of their summer coats until they are older. This characteristic has also been observed in

7171-567: The heavy winter coat has been shed. Elk are known to rub against trees and other objects to help remove hair from their bodies. All elk have small and clearly defined rump patches with short tails. They have different coloration based on the seasons and types of habitats, with gray or lighter coloration prevalent in the winter and a more reddish, darker coat in the summer. Subspecies living in arid climates tend to have lighter colored coats than do those living in forests. Most have lighter yellow-brown to orange-brown coats in contrast to dark brown hair on

7272-531: The indigenous Chilean huemul and other herbivores. This negative impact on native animal species has led the IUCN to identify the elk as one of the world's 100 worst invaders. The introduction of deer to New Zealand began in the middle of the 19th century, and current populations are primarily European red deer, with only 15 percent being elk. In 1905 18 American wapiti were released in George Sound in

7373-547: The insufficient genetic material that rejects monophyly of C. canadensis , some researchers consider it premature to include the Manchurian wapiti as a true subspecies of wapiti, and that it likely needs to be elevated to its own species, C. xanthopygus . The Chinese forms (the Sichuan deer , Kansu red deer , and Tibetan red deer ) also belong to the wapiti, and were not distinguishable from each other by mitochondrial DNA studies. These Chinese subspecies are sometimes treated as

7474-456: The larger "Klamath Mountains Province" of southwestern Oregon and northwestern California, and they include some of the oldest rocks in the region. The former ocean-bottom sediments that make up most of the Wilderness are several hundred million years old. Over time they were slowly changed by pressure and heat into the complex variety of metamorphic rocks present today: schist, quartzite, gneiss, and several outcrops of white marble. During

7575-556: The largest antlers while the Altai wapiti has the smallest. Roosevelt bull antlers can weigh 18 kg (40 lb). The formation and retention of antlers are testosterone -driven. In late winter and early spring, the testosterone level drops, which causes the antlers to shed. During the fall, elk grow a thicker coat of hair, which helps to insulate them during the winter. Both male and female North American elk grow thin neck manes; females of other subspecies may not. By early summer,

7676-503: The last ice age small glaciers sculpted the Siskiyou basins that now contain lakes and meadows. At the lowest elevations of the Red Buttes Wilderness is found a magnificent old-growth forest of ponderosa pine , sugar pine , Douglas-fir and incense-cedar , with an understory of Pacific madrone , canyon live oak , and chinquapin . On the higher slopes are found white fir , Shasta red fir , and mountain hemlock . Knobcone pine

7777-666: The late 1990s, they were reintroduced and recolonized in the states of Wisconsin , Kentucky , North Carolina , Tennessee , Georgia , Virginia and West Virginia . In the state of Kentucky, the elk population in 2022 had increased to over 15,000 animals. In 2016, a male elk, likely from the Smoky Mountains population, was sighted in South Carolina for the first time in nearly 300 years. Once locally extinct, dispersing elk are now regularly spotted in Iowa , although

7878-414: The lower creeks. Commercial orchards began to be planted in 1885. The Southern Pacific Railroad was completed over Siskiyou Summit in 1887. The new railroads were focused around Medford . The Klamath Lake Railroad Company built a railroad into Pokegama from 1900 to 1903. It became a vital part of the lumber industry and was acquired by Weyerhaeuser in 1905. Irrigation projects that began at

7979-412: The mating season, which may begin in late August. Males try to intimidate rivals by vocalizing and displaying with their antlers. If neither bull backs down, they engage in antler wrestling, sometimes sustaining serious injuries. Bulls have a loud, high-pitched, whistle-like vocalization known as bugling , which advertise the male's fitness over great distances. Unusual for a vocalization produced by

8080-560: The meaning of the word "elk" to English-speakers became rather vague, acquiring a meaning similar to "large deer". The name wapiti is from the Shawnee and Cree word waapiti (in Cree syllabics : ᐙᐱᑎ or ᐚᐱᑎ ), meaning "white rump". There is a subspecies of wapiti in Mongolia called the Altai wapiti ( Cervus canadensis sibiricus ), also known as the Altai maral. According to

8181-581: The northern part of the range south of Grants Pass, Oregon . The Cascade–Siskiyou National Monument protects 52,940 acres (214 km ) at the junction of the Siskiyou and Cascade ranges. There are three designated wilderness areas in the range in Oregon and California—the Red Buttes Wilderness , which protects 19,940 acres (80.7 km ); the Kalmiopsis Wilderness , which protects 179,755 acres (727.4 km ); and

8282-407: The ocean, including wintertime snow on the peaks. Western canyons can receive over 100 inches (2,500 mm) of rain in some winters and are densely forested, while eastern areas are more arid. The greatly varied topography and climate contribute to high biodiversity , and the Siskiyous are noted for a number of endemic species. The origin of the word siskiyou is unclear. One version is that it

8383-525: The production of ground antler and velvet supplements is also a thriving naturopathic industry in several countries, including the United States, China and Canada . The elk is hunted as a game species, and their meat is leaner, and higher in protein , than beef or chicken . By the 17th century, Alces alces (moose, called "elk" in Europe) had long been extirpated from the British Isles , and

8484-487: The range west of the summit. California white fir ( Abies concolor subsp. lowiana ) occurs in montane and subalpine forests above 4,000 feet (1,200 m). In the montane forest, occurring in the snowzone, sugar pine ( Pinus lambertiana ) also occurs. The subalpine forests above 5,000 feet (1,500 m) include mountain hemlock ( Tsuga mertensiana ) and Shasta red fir ( A. magnifica subsp. shastensis ) in addition to Douglas-fir. Ponderosa pine ( Pinus ponderosa )

8585-416: The relationship with the natives in the area. This led to the 1855 Rogue River Wars , which ended in 1856. The new population needed to be supported by an improved infrastructure. By 1859, the trail had been replaced by a toll road. A telegraph line was built over the summit in 1864. By the end of the 1870s, the first private lumber mills were established in the mountains had been established in some of

8686-426: The rodent and weasel families, inhabit the area. Many species of birds can be seen in the Wilderness, including eagles , hawks , falcons , northern goshawks , owls , Steller's jays , and ravens . Unsubstantiated sightings of the infamous Bigfoot or Sasquatch date back over the last century. Beginning perhaps as early as 8,000 years ago, Native American groups traveled and hunted along this portion of

8787-532: The same species (adapted to local environments through minor changes in appearance and behavior). Populations vary in antler shape and size, body size, coloration and mating behavior. DNA investigations of the Eurasian subspecies revealed that phenotypic variation in antlers, mane and rump patch development are based on "climatic-related lifestyle factors". Of the six subspecies of elk known to have inhabited North America in historical times, four remain, including

8888-627: The sensitive endemic ecosystems and species it encounters. As a member of the Artiodactyla order (and distant relative of the Bovidae ), elk are susceptible to several infectious diseases which can be transmitted to and/or from domesticated livestock . Efforts to eliminate infectious diseases from elk populations, primarily by vaccination , have had mixed success. Some cultures revere the elk as having spiritual significance. Antlers and velvet are used in traditional medicines in parts of Asia;

8989-497: The species "red deer", but noted in parentheses that they were "for their unusual largeness improperly termed Elks by ignorant people". Both Thomas Jefferson 's 1785 Notes on the State of Virginia and David Bailie Warden 's 1816 Statistical, Political, and Historical Account of the United States used "red deer" to refer to Cervus canadensis . Members of the genus Cervus (and hence early relatives or possible ancestors of

9090-583: The species as least-concern species . The habitat of Siberian elk in Asia is similar to that of the Rocky Mountain subspecies in North America. During the Late Pleistocene their range was much more extensive, being distributed across Eurasia, with remains being found as far west as France. These populations are most closely related to modern Asian populations of the elk. Their range collapsed at

9191-424: The spring, elk have had some impact on aspen groves which have been declining in some regions where elk exist. Range and wildlife managers conduct surveys of elk pellet groups to monitor populations and resource use. Research in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem has found that supplemental feeding of concentrated alfalfa pellets leads to significant alterations in the elks' microbiome . The elk gut microbiome

9292-508: The start of the Holocene, possibly because they were specialized to cold periglacial tundra-steppe habitat. When this environment was replaced largely by closed forest the red deer might have outcompeted the elk. Relictual populations survived into the early Holocene (until around 3000 years ago) in southern Sweden and the Alps, where the environment remained favorable. Elk were also present in

9393-837: The subspecies is the Roosevelt elk ( C. c. roosevelti ), found west of the Cascade Range in the U.S. states of California , Oregon and Washington , and in the Canadian province of British Columbia . Roosevelt elk have been introduced into Alaska , where the largest males are estimated to weigh up to 600 kg (1,300 lb). More typically, male Roosevelt elk weigh around 318 to 499 kg (701 to 1,100 lb), while females weigh 261 to 283 kg (575 to 624 lb). Male tule elk weigh 204–318 kg (450–701 lb) while females weigh 170–191 kg (375–421 lb). The whole weights of adult male Manitoban elk range from 288 to 478 kilograms (635 to 1,054 lb). Females have

9494-399: The two are distinct species . The elk's wider rump-patch and paler-hued antlers are key morphological differences that distinguish C. canadensis from C. elaphus . Although it is currently only native to North America, Central , East and North Asia , elk once had a much wider distribution in the past; prehistoric populations were present across Eurasia and into Western Europe during

9595-568: The two species have freely inter-bred in New Zealand 's Fiordland National Park . The cross-bred animals have resulted in the disappearance of virtually all pure elk blood from the area. Key morphological differences that distinguish C. canadensis from C. elaphus are the former's wider rump patch and paler-hued antlers. There are numerous subspecies of elk described, with six from North America and four from Asia, although some taxonomists consider them different ecotypes or races of

9696-663: The types of plants and trees found, and in other animal and plant species dependent upon them. As in Chile and Argentina, the IUCN has declared that red deer and elk populations in New Zealand are an invasive species. Elk have played an important role in the cultural history of a number of peoples. Neolithic petroglyphs from Asia depict antler-less female elk, which have been interpreted as symbolizing life and sustenance. They were also frequently overlaid with boats and associated with rivers, suggesting they also represented paths to

9797-609: The underworld. Petroglyphs of elk were carved into cliffs by the Ancestral Puebloans of the southwestern U.S. hundreds of years ago. The elk was of particular importance to the Lakota and played a spiritual role in their society. The male elk was admired for its ability to attract mates, and Lakota men will play a courting flute imitating a bugling elk to attract women. Men used elks' antlers as love charms and wore clothes decorated with elk images. The Rocky Mountain elk

9898-415: The wild. In some subspecies that suffer less predation, they may live an average of 15 years in the wild. As is true for many species of deer, especially those in mountainous regions, elk migrate into areas of higher altitude in the spring, following the retreating snows, and the opposite direction in the fall. Hunting pressure impacts migration and movement. During the winter, they favor wooded areas for

9999-594: Was first noticed in the state of Washington in the late 1990s in the Cowlitz River basin, with sporadic reports of deformed hooves. Since then, the disease has spread rapidly with increased sightings throughout southwest Washington and into Oregon. The disease is characterised by deformed, broken, or missing hooves and leads to severe lameness in elk. The primary cause is not known, but it is associated with treponeme bacteria, which are known to cause digital dermatitis in commercial livestock. The mode of transmission

10100-552: Was known for his "discovery" of Scott Valley , in regard to a crossing on the Klamath River near Hornbrook . Still others attribute the name to a local tribe of Native Americans . Natives speaking the Athapaskan Language lived along the Rogue River prior to 1850. These settlements were primarily winter residences, and the people likely spent much of the summer in the mountains. Most early exploration of

10201-532: Was recognized as a relative of the red deer ( Cervus elaphus ) of Europe, and so Cervus canadensis were referred to as "red deer". Richard Hakluyt refers to North America as a "lande ... full of many beastes, as redd dere" in his 1584 Discourse Concerning Western Planting . Similarly, John Smith 's 1616 A Description of New England referred to red deer. Sir William Talbot 's 1672 English translation of John Lederer 's Latin Discoveries likewise called

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