The herd, its members

Mount St. Helens elk herd

Is made up of Roosevelt elk native to the area interbred with Rocky Mountain elk imported at the turn of the 20th century.

Is the largest of 10 herds in the state. It is also one of the most visible because it is easily seen by tourists visiting Mount St. Helens.

Numbers a total of about 12,500 animals scattered through Clark, Cowlitz, Klickitat, Lewis and Skamania counties. State wildlife managers want to thin the herd to about 10,000 animals over the next five to eight years, through more aggressive hunting.

Generates about $30.4 million in revenue for local communities during hunting season.

Elk facts

Mature males, or bulls, can weigh up to 1,000 pounds.

Elk stay warm inside furry coats of hollow hair. The fur doubles as a life jacket: Elk are excellent swimmers and even the calves can bob like corks.

Elk can run up to 35 mph, and are strong enough to crash through timber, all on a vegetarian diet.

A rack of antlers on a mature bull can weigh 20 pounds. The antlers are shed and regrown every year.

Cows can live as long as 20 years in the wild, bulls about 12. During the rut, or annual fall mating season, bulls eat very little and lose up to 30 percent of their body weight as they court females and spar with other bulls to defend their harems.

Sources: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife; The Forest Elk, by Bruce B. Moorehead (1994: Northwest Interpretive Association)

— Lynda V. Mapes