Elk (Wapiti) (Wildlife Collection by CollectA)

Before we begin the review, I would like to extend my gratitude towards Happy Hen Toys for sending this figure along as a review sample. Happy Hen Toys is a U.S. distributor of animal figures and one of the only places in the country where you can get CollectA figures at a reasonable price. Visit their site by clicking the link below.

The elk (Cervus canadensis) is the second largest member of the deer family, Cervidae, and an icon of the North American wilderness. They don’t just occur in North America though; elk can also be found in central and east Asia. Historically their ranges were larger and elk were found well into Europe. With the arrival of Europeans to North America their range shrunk greater still and they are now extirpated from most of their range outside the Rocky Mountains and Pacific Northwest but have been reintroduced in various scattered locations. Conversely, they have been introduced as game animals to places like New Zealand and Argentina where they present a threat as an invasive species.

Elk should not be confused with the red deer (C. elaphus), which they were once considered a sub-species of. Nor should they be confused with moose (Alces alces) which are called elk in much of Eurasia. Perhaps to avoid confusion CollectA has decided to market their new elk figure as a wapiti, a Native American name for the species that means “white rump”.

I was excited when CollectA’s wapiti was announced since it’s an animal I lacked in my collection, and I wasn’t too enthusiastic about the available options. Safari makes a standard size elk but it’s from 2013 and starting to show its age. They released one last year in their Wildlife Wonders line but it’s too large for my collection. Aside from those there aren’t too many exciting options out there and this is the first elk from CollectA.

CollectA’s elk measures 4.25” (10 cm) from nose to rump and stands 3” (7.62 cm) tall at the shoulder. The actual animal measures 7-10’ (2.1-3 meters) long and stands 4.5-5’ (1.3-1.5 meters) tall at the shoulder although sizes do vary with subspecies with some being considerably smaller. Bull elk can weigh over 1,000 lbs. (453 kg) while cows can weigh over 600 lbs. (272 kg.). Scaled down from a length of 7’ the CollectA elk comes out to be 1/19 in scale.

This figure depicts a bull elk during the height of the rut or breeding season, which occurs in the fall. You can tell because his antlers are bare-bone and no longer covered in a layer of skin (called velvet) that they would have during the spring and early summer months. This is also exemplified by the thick layer of fur he has that would help him keep warm during the winter. His posture also suggests that it’s the breeding season as he’s striding forward with his head lifted and mouth open, as if letting out the haunting bugle of a bull elk, truly one of the classic sounds of the North American wilderness.

Fine details are excellently executed here. The raised fur along the back and shoulders, as well as the mane along the neck, provides depth and an illusion of thickness to the coat. Faint furrows are sculpted into the antlers, giving them a bone-like appearance. The rack itself is impressive with six tines per antler, which is typical of the species. It’s not just the antlers that indicate this figure represents a bull; all the right anatomical bits are present as well.

The figure is painted in various brown tones that are nicely blended together. The head and neck, and legs are dark brown, and a dark brown stipe runs down the midline of the back. The shoulders, torso, and hips are mostly gray and tan. The darkest brown can be seen along the mane. The rump is white and in life is used for communication, it can be fluffed up either as a warning when distressed or in dominance displays amongst males. The antlers are brown but transition to tan along the tips of the tines. The eyes and nostrils are black and the tongue and inside of the mouth are pink. The paint application and realistic blending of colors is excellent.

The CollectA wapiti is further proof that when it comes to ungulates, CollectA is without equal. The realism and attention to detail afforded this model is unmatched and there can be no dispute about it, this is the best elk figure on the market. The CollectA wapiti is new for 2024 and widely available online. If you live in the United States your best bet for acquiring it is over at Happy Hen Toys, here.