Moose Rescue

While working in the Canadian Rockies I was presented with an usual opportunity. One that I am likely to never get again. The chance to help rescue a trapped moose.

I was working in a ski resort and during the night a moose had walked out of the woods and onto the ski run only to find itself getting its antlers tangled in the safety netting that lines the run. The moose was found during ski patrols morning sweep and by that time he was tired and completely stuck in the netting.

After a few novelty photos they called it in.

A moose is a huge animal, a lot larger than most people expect. They have spindly legs and a massive body that makes them perfect for falling through people’s windscreens and crushing them. Moose are responsible for more accidents than bears!

Once the moose was found wildlife and game were called out and after a few hours they were at our location. And who was asked to meet them and carry their equipment? Me. Any other time carrying someones stuff from a van would sound boring and mundane but this time I was happy to do it. At their van I was handed a tool box while my friend was handed the rifle!

As we took the chair lift we grabbed a camera from another friend and said to the wildlife and game guys that we hoped our boss would let us take photos. They assured us that it would be fine as they needed photos for “research purposes”.

It was actually a simple process. The moose was too tired and caught up in the netting to move so one of the guys was able to walk behind him and poke him with a long stick with a needle on it. When the moose was out cold they removed the netting from his antlers and once he woke up he was free to go.

“Who wants to take pictures with him?”

As we heard that we all rushed in from our safety distance and were able to get up close and personal with the moose while he slept through the whole event.