The brown elk is a majestic animal, tall and muscular. Resembling an oversized deer, it stands upon four slender legs, its mahogany coat glossy and smooth over powerful shoulders and hindquarters. A ruff of thicker fur insulates the neck, shaggy and warm. Females of the breed tend to stand closer to 4.5 ft at the shoulder and weigh on average 500 lbs, whereas males are noticeably larger at 5 feet and 700 pounds. The male of the species is crowned by six-tined antlers that begin their growth in the spring but are shed by winter, powerful weapons of natural bone.