If you were an elk calf, fairly fresh to the world, and suddenly, bam—your herd is gone. You’re standing there in western Montana, all alone, trying to figure out life’s big questions: “What’s the deal with the burnt trees?” “How do I make my bugle sound like great-grandpa’s bugle?” and, most importantly, “Do horses even know what they’re doing?” What would you do?
Well, one confused calf elk found itself in that situation and made a bold decision. It apparently decided that the whole ‘find your own species’ thing was overrated, and instead, opted for the horse life. Why? Because horses look like they know how to throw a good pasture party. Plus, it was hunting season, and it felt a lot safer with the neigh-ers.
For weeks, this elk embraced a whole new identity. It traded in its elk life for a horse life, like joining in on their daily routine of grazing, running around and bucking while probably learning how to look majestic while doing absolutely nothing. Can you imagine the confusion?
The calf probably thought, “Hey, no one’s questioning this, right? I’m just going to blend in.” And blend in it did. Who needs antlers, anyway? They seem to only get his family shot.
Eventually, the calf realized it wasn’t exactly fitting in with the whole “horse” lifestyle (no epic bugles or long treks through the wild) and, finally, made the decision detach and search for the comfort of its elk family. The horses were kind of relieved. I mean, we all like meeting new people, but when they just linger and do everything you do for about a month, it is nice to get your life back.
