Elk are among the noisiest ungulates, communicating danger quickly and identifying each other by sound. High-pitched squeal: Newborn to its mother, who recognizes her calf by its voice. Bark: Warning of danger.

Chirps, mews and miscellaneous squeals: General conversation among the group.

Bugling (bellow escalating to squealing whistle ending with grunt): Bull advertising his fitness to cows, warning other bulls to stay away, or announcing his readiness to fight.

Elk also use body language. For example, an elk displays dominance by raising its head high.

Prior to European settlement, more than 10 million elk roamed nearly all of the United States and parts of Canada Today, about one million elk live in the western United States, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and North Carolina, and from Ontario west in Canada (Source)