Missoula CVB - Wildlife

Wildlife requires vigilence, a deft eye, and a clean pair of binoculars for optimal viewing. How else can you tell if that bear is of the brown/black family or a Grizzly? For additional information, be sure to check out Montana's Fish, Wildlife & Parks website.

Deer

The most sought after game animal in Northern America, deer usually inhabit a relatively small home range until winter conditions encourage them to temporarily move on. Living roughly 12 years in the wild, deer are reddish or grayish in color depending on the time of year and habitat, and a full grown deer weighs in between 100 - 300+ pounds. The white-tailed deer is an herbivore (plant eater), follows well-used trails to and from its feeding areas, and tends to eat green plants in the spring and summer; corn, acorns and other nuts in the fall; and buds and twigs of woody plants in the winter. Additional information can be found over here.

Elk

Originally ranging across the great North American continent, the elk species have reduced their range to the northern reaches of the United States and into Canada, yet dipping down south as far as Arkansas, Kentuky and Tennessee. Elk are larger than deer, and can weigh from 35 lbs. as a calf to 500 lbs. for a Cow and 700 lbs. for a Bull. Their color is deep copper brown to light tan with a light beige rump patch and legs and neck that are often darker than the body. Subsisting mostly on grasses and forbs throughout the year; shrubs, tree bark and twigs make their way into their winter diet as well. Much like a dairy cow, the elk's stomach consists of four chambers where-in the first chamber stores the food while the other three digest. More information can be found at the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

Moose

The largest member of the deer family and tallest mammal in North America, the moose stands six feet tall at the shoulders. Weighing in at 800 - 1,600 lbs, the moose has thick, light brown to dark brown fur. An interesting fact: The hair of a moose is hollow, which helps keep the moose warm throughout the year. Humpbacked in appearance, the front legs are longer than the rear legs. Antlers begin forming in the early summer and are originally covered in a velvety soft fuzzy skin which house blood vessels that aid in the development of the antlers until they reach full size. To Europeans, this large land mammal is known as the elk. Additional information can be found over here.

Black Bears

The primary difference between the black bear and grizzly is the size, and visually the shoulders appear much smaller, and possess a less concave facial profile. The black bear has only a slight shoulder hump, and wear a coat that is black (with white on the chest), brown or blond. A male black bear of breeding age weighs in from 125-500 lbs. while a female is more petite at the 90-300 lb. range. Historical ranges of the black bear show that the species populated most all of North America except for the desert regions in the southwest. More information about bears in general can be located at North American Bear Center.

Mountain Goats

A white coat, horns and black hooves, the mountain goat is a mountain top survivor. Short and stalky, the goat sports a long hair winter coat with a beard under the chin and pantaloons around the front legs. Horns are short, smooth, sharp and curve backward slightly 8 - 10 inches long. The hooves are hard on the outer edges and have a soft center that help the goat "stick" to rocks. The oldest of billies may weigh in around 300 lbs, while the nannies tend to be a bit more petite at 150 lbs. Eating primarily grasses, sedges, lichens, forbs and shrubs. Find additional information here.