Snowmobilers rescue moose

DEER LAKE, N.L. (CP) — A group of snowmobilers pulled out their shovels to free a stuck moose after spotting its head poking out of freshly fallen snow in western Newfoundland.

Jonathan Anstey said he and about seven other riders set out on the trails near Deer Lake, N.L., on Saturday, when for the first time in two weeks, the terrain was blanketed in a thick layer powder. As they veered off the main road, the group spotted a moose neck-deep amid the white expanse, buried in what Anstey estimated to be six feet, or 1.8 metres, of snow.

“We knew the moose was stuck really good,” he said Wednesday. “He tried several times to get himself out of the hole, but he wasn’t getting anywhere.”

Anstey said the moose appeared to have gotten stuck in a bog hole and was trying to climb out, but its hind legs seemed to be firmly planted in the snow.

“When a moose gets distressed, they pin their ears back, their hair stands up on their back, and they lick their lips a lot,” he said. “You could tell he was extremely distressed.”

He said some members of his group grabbed shovels and walked around to the rear of the moose, where they figured they would be safe from the animal’s thrashing.

“After he realized he wasn’t moving, he just kind of stopped and lay down,” said Anstey.

After a few minutes of digging, Anstey said they had carved out a path behind the moose, and one of the snowmobilers rode up to the animal to coax it to turn around.

“The moose actually realized it had footing on solid ground and managed to pull himself out of the hole,” he said.