What Elevation Do Deer Turn Into Elk in Colorado?

One of the most common questions out-of-staters ask a Coloradan is, "At what elevation do deer turn into elk?" Well, we finally have an answer for you.

Researching the Colorado Deer to Elk Transformation

According to our research, deer transform into elk around the elevation of 8008.5 feet. It's at this point, the doe-zone layer has been depleted enough to initiate the conversion process.

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Once the conversion process begins, it can take a few months for a deer to fully change into an elk. As the deer start this conversion process, you can hear them bugle out in agony -- it's a painful process, but necessary to survive.

One amazing fact that most don't know, is that deer who are born with spots turn into Santa's magical reindeer. After birth, they are wondrously transported to the North Pole to begin their flight training.

The Time Frame When Deer Turn Into Elk in Colorado

If you ever want to see this mystical process, venture to your nearest forest on the second Tuesday of the fifth week of Septober.

And if you believe any of this, I have some swampland in Florida I can sell you.

This. This is a deer.

And this is an elk.

While elk and deer are both members of the Cervidae family, they are members of different groups in that family. Maybe it's the antlers that confuse people, but they look nothing alike.

So the next time an out-of-stater asks you this question, you know have a great answer for them. Even if it's not true.