Holay molay… what a smasher.
As an outdoorsmen, there’s not much that I personally love more than an absolute monster of a bull moose.
They’re huge, they taste good, and they have antlers that are pretty unique compared to anything else around.
Moose shedding their velvet is a sign that their antlers are done growing and mating season (and hunting) is right around the corner.
Velvet is literally a velvet layer that grows over all antlers while they are growing. Essentially, it provides that bone with a transport system for nutrients and blood throughout the antler growth period. When they stop growing, they velvet starts to die off. It starts to bother the bull moose, and they work to get it off.
Seeing a bull moose with dangling velvet or him frantically scarping antlers off trees and shrubs is a good sign they’re nearing the point of the rut. Their antlers are grown and ready to fight for dominance over females.
This massive bull is seen out in New Hampshire, scraping his antlers against an alpine bush as he also feeds away. As he scraps the antlers, fresh bone is exposed as the skin like velvet peels off them looking like a horror movie.
I mean, it’s kind of terrifying… big, bloody spikes poking out of this massive beast’s head? I looks like a murder scene…
But at the same time, it’s some pretty cool stuff and amazing to get to witness in person.
