Cascadia Animal Spotlight – Roosevelt Elk

February 12, 2025

Cascadia Digital releases on February 19th on Steam, Android, and iOS!

Cascadia reminds us about the interconnectedness of ecosystems and the importance of biodiversity, with wildlife being integral to the game’s essence. As we move closer to Cascadia Digital’s release, we’ll be taking a deeper look at the game’s animals in our Animal Spotlight series!

The Roosevelt Elk

Welcome back to the Animal Spotlight! Previously, we marveled at the formidable grizzly bear, a creature that reigns supreme at the top of the food chain. Today, we turn our focus to a gentler giant that roams the same landscapes: the Roosevelt elk.

The Roosevelt elk (Cervus canadensis roosevelti) is the largest species of elk in the region – they can grow to be 10 ft long and 6 ft tall, and weigh over 1,000 lbs! The Roosevelt elk was named after president Theodore Roosevelt, who established the Mount Olympus National Monument (now Olympic National Park) in 1909, in order to protect the animals and their habitat.

Playing Roosevelt Elk in Cascadia

Should you ever encounter a Roosevelt elk in real life, the one thing you can safely assume is that there are almost certainly more nearby. These creatures like to travel in herds — something that’s reflected in their Wildlife Scoring Cards in Cascadia. Elk always score better in numbers, but each Scoring Card presents different requirements for the “shape” of each group. Be prepared to think ahead!

Roosevelt Elk Tips

SCORING CARD A - LINES

Be mindful about where you place your first Elk; it’s much easier to make a full line when you can build out from both sides, instead of being forced to build out in one direction.

SCORING CARD B - FORMATIONS

You have a lot of flexibility on how to expand when you place your first Elk, and even your second and third, but don’t get complacent — it can be surprisingly easy to block yourself from placing the fourth Elk correctly if you’re not planning ahead with each placement!

SCORING CARD C - HERDS

Arguably the most forgiving Scoring Card in the game, there is no wrong way to play Elk here as long as they’re connected. The real challenge comes from getting the eight(!) Elk you need for optimum scoring. That’s a whole lot of points, but are you paying attention to opportunity costs? A wise player will make sure their Elk herd isn’t growing at the expense of other animals.

SCORING CARD D - RINGS

High-risk but high-reward, it’s not easy to make a full ring of Elk, but you’ll score well if you do! The middle of this “donut” is an important consideration; be sure not to trap an animal in there who doesn’t like being alone! Salmon won’t have a great time inside the Elk ring, but Hawks might find it agreeable, and maybe Bears and Foxes, depending on their mood.

Fun Elk Scenarios in Cascadia Digital

Solo Scenario 8: Bears and Elk cannot be placed next to one another in this scenario — and you’ll need at least five Nature Tokens at the end of the game to win!
Solo Scenario 12: Can you reach 95 points, fully score a Long Salmon Run, and score 12 points for at least one habitat type… without placing Elk on any Forests? This Solo Scenario invites you to find out.
Solo Scenario 13: Elks and Hawks team up in Solo Scenario 13, which challenges you to fully score a herd of eight (or more) Elk, and at least five Hawks adjacent to them. That doesn’t leave a lot of room for other animals — plan carefully!

Discover the Pacific Northwest

Roosevelt Elk add an interesting wrinkle to games of Cascadia, challenging players to plan strategically in order to accommodate their unique formations.

Each animal in Cascadia requires a unique approach, contributing to the game’s core strategic gameplay and mirroring the diversity of real-life creatures. Join us in our next Animal Spotlight, where we’ll be taking a look at the Chinook Salmon, a ubiquitous denizen of the many streams and rivers flowing through the Pacific Northwest.

Cascadia Digital releases on February 19th on Android and iOS, and is currently available on Steam. The hiking trail beckons — will you answer the call?

More Animal Spotlights