ELK ARE THE SECOND LARGEST DEER NATIVE TO NORTH AMERICA, AND ARE A VERY POPULAR GAME TO HUNT IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, STRETCHING FROM NEW MEXICO, TO MONTANA. ANOTHER POPULAR NAME FOR ELK IS "WAPITI", GIVEN TO THEM BY THE SHAWNEE NATIVES. WAPITI MEANS WHITE RUMP, WHICH REFERS TO THEIR LIGHT COLOR PATCH ON THE ELK'S BEHIND. EACH YEAR IN THE SPRING, THEY SHED THEIR ENORMOUS ANTLERS (SOMETIMES WEIGHING UPWARD OF 30 LBS) AND BEGIN TO GROW AGAIN. IN THE FALL, THEY USE THEIR ANTLERS TO ATTRACT MATES, PROTECT FROM PREDATORS, AND INTIMIDATE OTHER MALES. THERE ARE MANY SUBSPECIES OF ELK THROUGHOUT THE WORLD IN NORTH AMERICA, EUROPE, AND ASIA.