Well, That's One Way to Carry a Spare...

An elk in Colorado has apparently decided to spice up its look, and has donned a tire necklace, according to a report from 9 News.

No one's really quite sure how or when the cow managed to get the tire around her neck. But, hey, given some of the other news to come out of Colorado in the last six months, an elk hauling a tire around is pretty tame stuff. 

According to the report, the state's Parks and Wildlife officials are aware of the situation, and have chosen to let the animal be, for now. They prefer to let nature take its course—and have noted that the cow appears to be pregnant, making them reluctant to tranquilize her so they can remove the tire.

All told, the cow looks... completely unperturbed by its situation. She wears the tire comfortably enough, and the images suggest she's still sporting a full range of motion. The tire doesn't seem to be stuck around her neck—it actually looks like it's hanging pretty loosely. So it's probably best that officials have chosen to leave her alone—if the tire was a real problem, she'd have found a way to lose it by now. Animals can be crafty.

I can't even begin to fathom how the tire might effect her come hunting season—short of making her quite easy to pick out in the herd—but she won't have to worry about that until Aug. 31, at the earliest, when bow season opens in the state.

Until then, Coloradans, don't be surprised if you spot an elk with a little bit extra. Hey, it always helps to have a spare...