'Rare' nature film of a moose losing its antlers is captured by a Canadian citizen

 

January 19, 2023 10:30 GMT

                                     Derek Burgoyne has spent the majority of his life searching the marshes, forests, and vast fields of eastern Canada for his treasured trophy: downed moose antlers. Last week, he struck it lucky and won the lottery.

As part of his work, Burgoyne was using a drone to inspect some birch and maple trees in a rural area of New Brunswick when he noticed three moose lying down in a clearing.

Burgoyne piloted the drone to track one of the bulls, still sporting a full set of antlers, as the animals started to stir.

The moose started to shake the snow from its hair and wobble its enormous body before bolting off. Burgoyne recorded the "very uncommon and thrilling" moment when the huge antlers of the deer were thrown off as its body trembled.

He told the Guardian, "I've seen moose shed and antler before, but this was just another level. When it comes to wildlife photography, this is comparable to the lottery. There is no finer place to be than this.

The towering ungulate, known as a moose, alters physically when winter approaches and food supplies become low in North America's northern areas. Older males will naturally shed their antlers as a means of energy conservation when temperatures drop, developing a new set in the spring.

When the snow melts, it's usual to see shed antlers scattered across the forest floor, but actual film of shedding is uncommon.

A moose in Alaska made news across the world last month after a doorbell camera caught it shedding.

Burgoyne's film, however, has much more significance for the forester since he has been a lifetime "shed hunter," combing the woods for antlers that have fallen as part of an increasingly well-liked and lucrative hobby in both the US and Canada. However, Burgoyne said he prefers the peace of the hunt. For some, the activity has turned into a frenetic search for antlers that can fetch lucky foragers thousands of dollars.

I like spending time in the woods. Tracking the moose during the winter and searching for their sheds in the spring is enjoyable activity. Each one you discover seems similar to the first. He acknowledged that his collection is quickly outgrowing the available space in his home but said that it never grows old.

Burgoyne's finest discovery up until recently had come from the largest bull in the area, a 33 point leviathan that continues to be the largest moose Burgoyne has ever seen.

However, on that January day, once the moose he was observing ran off, Burgoyne raced through heavy snow as quickly as he could to collect the shed and his first set of antlers that matched.

The most recent antlers have 17 points and are 45 inches in diameter. Good bull. Beautiful," he exclaims while inspecting his most recent catch in the video. There is nothing more recent than this.

Under the terms of a Creative Commons licence, this article has been taken from The Guardian. Go here to read the original article.