Interesting wildlife experience while riding

[highlife]

While putting in a new trail I was ahead of my group and noticed a nice bull moose about 40 yds away. I stopped my sled and then all of a sudden, one of his antlers fell off and then he trotted away to join another smaller bull. If that wasnt enough, in my peripheral vision I noticed movement and turned to see a large river otter 10 yds away loping toward the two bulls. About then, the other riders showed up and scared all three of them away.

What a way to finish 2009 ... a blue bird day, an awesome ride in mile after mile of untouched and an awesome peak into Alaska's wild critters.

 

[siiAK907]

thats crazy cause me and icr where on our way back to fairbanks and saw two bull moose on the side of the highway and one was missing a antler, they look like the same ones

 

[tc_villain]

Highlife, did you pick up the antler? They are worth a few bucks pound to a buyer.

 

[highlife]

Highlife, did you pick up the antler? They are worth a few bucks pound to a buyer.

Yep, I hauled it out of there and plan on having an artist scrimshaw a scene with the two bulls and the otter with spruce and mountains in the background. Good conversation starter that is for sure.

 

[highlife]

Went riding again on Monday and most likely saw the same two bulls you saw near mile post 127 on the Parks. I plan on going back in there and looking for the other side to make a matching pair.

Not a very good pic of the antler but nonetheless, there ya go.

 

[Dash]

I have a friend in Anchorage, who carves. He used to do antlers, and now he prefers diamond willow. He used to make deals with people, he'd carve one antler and keep the other one for himself... We got one as a wedding gift.

 

[highlife]

Sounds good ... turn me on to him. I appreciate it.

 

[Hockref333]

Thats a great story. Wish I could say that for a moose, but the same thing happened to me with a caribou up by eagle a number of years ago.
Not much to carve on those antlers.
Hope the carving turns out great!