During hunting season, elk may be hunted on public lands, but not on private lands. Somehow, the elk figured this out, and when hunting season began, elk in Utah began taking refuge.

“The state had been getting complaints on both sides of the issue with elk migrating to private lands,” Larsen said. “One side says there are not enough elk to hunt — ‘Why are you issuing permits?’ — while private owners are saying ‘The elk are eating us out of house and home!’”

Life, uh, finds a way.