Elk
Elk is a huntable animal in Age of Empires III with 500 Food per carcass, 20 hit points, speed 2.0 and a limit of eight gatherers. The map list includes Great Lakes, Saguenay, New England, Northwest Territory and California; Definitive Edition also shows Elk on Rockies. Its presence is map-specific, so scout before planning the opening Food line.
Recorded values
- Durability & mobility
- 20 hit points · 2.0 speed · 18 line of sight
Role, availability & values
Villagers hunt the animal and gather its finite carcass. Up to eight workers can gather at one carcass; herding it toward safer ground before it is killed can shorten the route to the Town Center. Once the Elk is killed, the carcass cannot be moved. Check for another Hunt while the current herd is being collected so workers can transition before it runs out.
Training & availability
Huntable animal; map-dependent appearance on Great Lakes, Saguenay, New England, Northwest Territory and California, with Elk also shown on Definitive Edition Rockies; 500 Food; up to eight gatherers.
Matchup & timing
Use nearby Elk to support early Villager and unit production when the map provides a safe herd. Move or protect workers if the site is exposed, and avoid assigning a large group to carcasses that are nearly depleted. A Shrine near the animal has a recorded Food trickle of 0.076 per second; Hacienda gathering rates list 10 Food, 15 Wood or 6.8 Coin per minute depending on the selected resource.
Herding and a finite Food supply
An Elk carcass supplies 500 Food and can be gathered by up to eight workers. Before hunting begins, Settlers can push the animal toward a safer area by attacking from the opposite direction; after it is killed, its carcass cannot be moved. This lets players shorten walking time and protect the early Food line, but the herd remains finite. Scout the next Hunt before assigning more workers than the remaining carcasses can support.
Map distribution and the Rockies appearance
The AoE3 wildlife entry lists Great Lakes, Saguenay, New England, Northwest Territory and California as maps where Elk features. A Definitive Edition gallery also identifies Elk on Rockies, so the available herd depends on the installed map pool and selected layout. Do not assume every northern or forest map includes it; locate the herd in the preview or with the Explorer before budgeting Food around it.
Food gathering and building interactions
Each carcass holds 500 Food and supports up to eight gatherers. The recorded Shrine rate for Elk is 0.076 Food per second, or 4.56 per minute. A Hacienda can be set to gather Food at 10 per minute, Wood at 15 per minute or Coin at 6.8 per minute; those are building-based rates, not additional Food stored in the carcass. Use these values only when the civilization and mode provide the relevant building.