American elk, by virtue of their distribution, were the most cosmopolitan members of the cervid family at the time of white settlement of North America. At this early date elk were present in every major region of what is now continental United States, as well as in northern Mexico. they likewise were abundant in upper and lower Canada, though records do Lot corroborate their presence too far north on the Atlantic coast. Although generally existent throughout the western states, elk were sparsely distributed in Nevada, southern Utah, and most of Arizona and New Mexico. Paucity of elk was also noted in eastern portions of Washington and Oregon.