Elk or deer? There are a lot of variables that determine what the hair looks like and how it behaves. Where the elk or deer came from geographically has a lot to do with quality of the hair. As does how old it was when killed; the time of year when it was killed; its diet; how the skin was treated(chemicals); where on the hide a particular patch of skin came from; How was a skin cut up into patches and how were the patches designated for specific uses; etc. To make a blanket statement that elk or deer hair floats or flairs more or less then the other (also, what species of deer) makes no sense. If you're looking into a bin of patches, elk or deer, you need to examine the patches to see if the qualities you're looking for is evident. As Alan wrote, often the choice of what to use depends on "availability".