The Moose or Elk (Alces Alces) is the world’s tallest, largest and heaviest extant species of deer and the only species in the genus Alces. It is also the tallest, and the second-largest, land animal in North America, falling short only of the American Bison in body mass. Most adult male Moose have broad, palmate (“open-hand shaped”) antlers; other members of the deer family have pointed antlers with a dendritic (“twig-like”) configuration.
| Mount Type | Moose Shouldermount Slight Right – DD238, Moose Shouldermount, STR – HH079 |
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On average, an adult Moose stands 1.4–2.1 m (4 ft 7 in – 6 ft 11 in) high at the shoulder, which is more than 30 centimetres (1 ft) higher than the next-largest deer on average, the Wapiti. The tail is short (6 cm to 8 cm in length) and vestigial in appearance; unlike other ungulates the Moose tail is too short to swish away insects. Males (or “bulls”) normally weigh from 380 to 700 kg (838 to 1,543 lb) and females (or “cows”) typically weigh 200 to 490 kg (441 to 1,080 lb), depending on racial or clinal as well as individual age or nutritional variations. The head-and-body length is 2.4–3.1 m (7 ft 10 in – 10 ft 2 in), with the vestigial tail adding only a further 5–12 cm (2–4+1⁄2 in). The largest of all the races is the Alaskan subspecies (A. a. gigas), which can stand over 2.1 m (6 ft 11 in) at the shoulder, has a span across the antlers of 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) and averages 634.5 kg (1,399 lb) in males and 478 kg (1,054 lb) in females. Typically, however, the antlers of a mature bull are between 1.2 and 1.5 m (3 ft 11 in and 4 ft 11 in). The largest confirmed size for this species was a bull shot at the Yukon River in September 1897 that weighed 820 kg (1,808 lb) and measured 2.33 m (7 ft 8 in) high at the shoulder. There have been reported cases of even larger Moose, including a bull killed in 2004 that weighed 1,043 kg (2,299 lb) and a bull that reportedly scaled 1,180 kg (2,601 lb), but none are authenticated and some may not be considered reliable.
Bull Moose have antlers like other members of the deer family. The size and growth rate of antlers is determined by diet and age. Size and symmetry in the number of antler points signals bull Moose health and cows may select mates based on antler size and symmetry. Bull Moose use their antlers to display dominance, to discourage competition, and to spar or fight rivals.
The male’s antlers grow as cylindrical beams projecting on each side of the head at right angles to the midline of the skull and then fork. The lower prong of this fork may be either simple, or divided into two or three tines, with some flattening. Most Moose have antlers that are broad and palmate (flat) with tines (points) along the outer edge. Moose with antlers have more acute hearing than those without antlers; a study of trophy antlers using a microphone found that the palmate antler acts as a parabolic reflector, amplifying sound at the Moose ear.
The antlers of mature Alaskan adult bull Moose (5 to 12 years old) have a normal maximum spread greater than 200 centimetres (79 in). By the age of 13, Moose antlers decline in size and symmetry. The widest spread recorded was 210 centimetres (83 in) across. An Alaskan Moose also holds the record for the heaviest weight at 36 kilograms (79 lb).
Antler beam diameter, not the number of tines, indicates age. In North America, Moose antlers are usually larger than those of Eurasian Moose and have two lobes on each side, like a butterfly. In the common Moose this branch usually expands into a broad palmation, with one large tine at the base and a number of smaller snags on the free border.
After the mating season males drop their antlers to conserve energy for the winter. A new set of antlers will then regrow in the Spring. Antlers take three to five months to fully develop, making them one of the fastest growing animal organs. Antler growth is “nourished by an extensive system of blood vessels in the skin covering, which contains numerous hair follicles that give it a ‘velvet’ texture.” This requires intense grazing on a highly-nutritious diet. By September the velvet is removed by rubbing and thrashing which changes the colour of the antlers. Immature bulls may not shed their antlers for the winter, but retain them until the following Spring. Birds, carnivores and rodents eat dropped antlers as they are full of protein and Moose themselves will eat antler velvet for the nutrients.
If a bull Moose is castrated, either by accidental or chemical means, he will shed his current set of antlers within two weeks and then immediately begin to grow a new set of misshapen and deformed antlers that he will wear the rest of his life without ever shedding again; similarly deformed antlers can result from a deficiency of testosterone caused by cryptorchidism or old age. These deformed antlers are composed of living bone which is still growing or able to grow, since testosterone is needed to stop antler growth; they may take one of two forms. “Cactus antlers” or velericorn antlers usually retain the approximate shape of a normal Moose antlers but have numerous pearl-shaped exostoses on their surface; being made of living bone, they are easily broken but can grow back. In extremely rare circumstances, a cow Moose may grow antlers. This is usually attributed to a hormone imbalance.
Moose skin is typical of the deer family. Moose fur consists of four types of hair: eyelashes, whiskers, guard hairs and wool hairs. Hair length and hair density varies according to season, age, and body region. The coat has two layers—a top layer of long guard hairs and a soft woolly undercoat. The guard hairs are hollow and filled with air for better insulation, which also helps them stay afloat when swimming.
Both male and female Moose have a dewlap or bell, which is a fold of skin under the chin. Its exact function is unknown, but some morphologic analyses suggest a cooling (thermoregulatory) function. Other theories include a fitness signal in mating, as a visual and olfactory signal, or as a dominance signal by males, as are the antlers.
The Moose is a browsing herbivore and is capable of consuming many types of plant or fruit. The average adult Moose needs to consume 96 megajoules (23,000 kilocalories) per day to maintain its body weight. Much of a Moose energy is derived from terrestrial vegetation, mainly consisting of forbs and other non-grasses, and fresh shoots from trees such as Willow and Birch. As these terrestrial plants are rather low in sodium, as much as half of its diet usually consists of aquatic plants, including lilies and pondweed, which while lower in energy content, provide the Moose with its sodium requirements. In winter, Moose are often drawn to roadways, to lick salt that is used as a snow and ice melter. A typical Moose, weighing 360 kg (794 lb), can eat up to 32 kg (71 lb) of food per day.
Moose lack upper front teeth, but have eight sharp incisors on the lower jaw. They also have a tough tongue, lips and gums, which aid in the eating of woody vegetation. Moose have six pairs of large, flat molars and, ahead of those, six pairs of premolars, to grind up their food. A Moose upper lip is very sensitive, to help distinguish between fresh shoots and harder twigs, and is prehensile, for grasping their food. In the summer, Moose may use this prehensile lip for grabbing branches and pulling, stripping the entire branch of leaves in a single mouthful, or for pulling forbs, like dandelions, or aquatic plants up by the base, roots and all. A Moose diet often depends on its location, but they seem to prefer the new growths from deciduous trees with a high sugar content, such as White Birch, Trembling Aspen and Striped Maple, among many others. To reach high branches, a Moose may bend small saplings down, using its prehensile lip, mouth or body. For larger trees a Moose may stand erect and walk upright on its hind legs, allowing it to reach branches up to 4.26 meters (14 ft 0 in) or higher above the ground.
Moose are excellent swimmers and are known to wade into water to eat aquatic plants. This trait serves a second purpose in cooling down the Moose on summer days and ridding itself of black flies. Moose are thus attracted to marshes and river banks during warmer months as both provide suitable vegetation to eat and water to wet themselves in. Moose have been known to dive over 5.5 metres (18 ft) to reach plants on lake bottoms, and the complex snout may assist the Moose in this type of feeding. Moose are the only deer that are capable of feeding underwater. As an adaptation for feeding on plants underwater, the nose is equipped with fatty pads and muscles that close the nostrils when exposed to water pressure, preventing water from entering the nose. Other species can pluck plants from the water too, but these need to raise their heads in order to swallow.
A full-grown Moose has few enemies except Siberian Tiger (Panthera Tigris Tigris) which regularly prey on adult Moose, but a pack of Grey Wolf (Canis lupus) can still pose a threat, especially to females with calves. Brown Bear (Ursus Arctos) are also known to prey on Moose of various sizes and are the only predator besides the wolf to attack Moose both in Eurasia and North America.
Moose are mostly diurnal. They are generally solitary with the strongest bonds between mother and calf. Although Moose rarely gather in groups, there may be several in close proximity during the mating season.
Rutting and mating occurs in September and October. During the rut, mature bulls will cease feeding completely for a period of approximately two weeks; this fasting behaviour has been attributed to neurophysiological changes related to redeployment of olfaction for detection of Moose urine and Moose cows. The males are polygynous and will seek several females to breed with. During this time both sexes will call to each other. Males produce heavy grunting sounds that can be heard from up to 500 metres (1,600 ft) away, while females produce wail-like sounds. Males will fight for access to females. Initially, the males assess which of them is dominant and one bull may retreat, however, the interaction can escalate to a fight using their antlers.
Female Moose have an eight-month gestation period, usually bearing one calf, or twins if food is plentiful, in May or June. Twinning can run as high as 30% to 40% with good nutrition. Newborn Moose have fur with a reddish hue in contrast to the brown appearance of an adult. The young will stay with the mother until just before the next young are born. The life span of an average Moose is about 15–25 years. Moose populations are stable at 25 calves for every 100 cows at 1 year of age. With availability of adequate nutrition, mild weather, and low predation, Moose have a huge potential for population expansion.
In North America, the Moose range includes almost all of Canada (excluding the Arctic and Vancouver Island), most of Alaska, northern and eastern North Dakota, northern New England, the Adirondack Mountain region and Taconic highlands of northeast New York State, the upper Rocky Mountains, northern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and Isle Royale in Lake Superior. This massive range, containing diverse habitats, contains four of the six North American subspecies. Moose inhabit the circumpolar boreal forests or temperate broadleaf and mixed forests of the Northern Hemisphere, thriving in cooler, temperate areas as well as subarctic climates Moose require habitat with adequate edible plants (e.g. pond grasses, young trees and shrubs), cover from predators, and protection from extremely hot or cold weather. Moose travel among different habitats with the seasons to address these requirements. Moose are cold-adapted mammals with thickened skin, dense, heat-retaining coat, and a low surface to volume ratio, which provides excellent cold tolerance but poor heat tolerance. Moose survive hot weather by accessing shade or cooling wind, or by immersion in cool water. In hot weather, Moose are often found wading or swimming in lakes or ponds. When heat-stressed, Moose may fail to adequately forage in summer and may not gain adequate body fat to survive the winter. Also, Moose cows may not calve without adequate summer weight gain. Moose require access to both young forest for browsing and mature forest for shelter and cover. Forest disturbed by fire and logging promotes the growth of fodder for Moose. Moose also require access to mineral licks, safe places for calving and aquatic feeding sites. Moose avoid areas with little or no snow as this increases the risk of predation by wolves and avoid areas with deep snow, as this impairs mobility. Thus, Moose select habitat on the basis of trade-offs between risk of predation, food availability, and snow depth. Moose prefer sub-alpine shrublands in early winter, while bison prefer wet sedge valley meadowlands in early winter. In late winter, Moose prefer river valleys with deciduous forest cover or alpine terrain above the tree line, while bison preferred wet sedge meadowlands or sunny southern grassy slopes.
Moose taxidermy is the art of preserving the Moose skin and other body parts to produce lifelike sculptures for display, either at home as a hunting trophy or in museums for educational purposes. Skin is preserved and mounted on an artificial armature to display the specimen.
The contemporary English word “taxidermy” is derived from the Greek terms taxis, meaning “movement,” and derma, meaning “skin,” thereby combining these two meanings. This is why, in a broad sense, taxidermy is synonymous with “the motion of skin.”
For expert taxidermists, skills in sculpture, painting, and sketching are just as important as those in carpentry, woodworking, tanning, moulding, and casting.
The remaining parts of the body are synthetic replacements for real organs and tissues. Polyurethane foam is used for the manikin or form, which includes the anatomy of every muscle and vein; glass is used for the eyes; clay is used for the eyelids; for the nose and mouth the foam of the mannequin is sculptured.
Works of taxidermy can be found in a wide range of environments, including museums, classrooms, galleries, stores, restaurants, and private households, due to the complexity and delicate craftsmanship involved in the taxidermy process.
Thorough preparation is the key factor to ensuring a high-quality final product. All hides are tanned and oiled using the world’s very best available chemicals and processes to ensure permanence and longevity. Forms are selected to ensure the best fit and posture will be altered to suit you, the client’s preference without additional cost. Natural habitat bases are custom-made for full mount trophies without additional cost. Only the finest materials and 40 years of professional experience are used in defining your trophies in a whole new way. The final trophies are almost Life-Formed. When the restoration is required, every effort is made to repair cuts and abrasions, and to minimise bullet damage. Natural scarring is kept unless otherwise requested.
When making an Moose mount, careful planning is key to getting a high-quality result. When tanning and oiling the skins, only the best chemicals and methods are used. This ensures that the skins will last for many years.
Your preferred form for the Moose will be chosen after taking your measurements into account, and the posture of your form will be changed at no extra cost. Full-mount Moose trophies come with bases made to look like the animal’s natural habitat and made just for the Moose mount.
The taxidermy process at Life-Form takes your prized Moose trophy and gives it a whole new meaning by using only the best materials and drawing on more than 40 years of experience in the field.
When repair is needed, every effort is made to fix cuts and scrapes and lessen bullet damage. Existing scars are left alone unless the client asks for them to be taken away.
Using the helpful tips below, it’s important to take extra care of your prized Moose trophy to make sure it stays in perfect shape for years to come.
The pricing of any trophy is subject to the costing stipulated per taxidermy order, quantity of trophies and preferred mounting options, along with additional requirements.
Should you wish to receive a quotation prior to the hunt, the taxidermist can generate such for you. Please contact [email protected]
Taxidermy is an art form that involves a complicated step-by-step process to make sure that each trophy looks just right and is of a high enough quality that it will last your whole life.
The time it takes a taxidermist to mount an animal might range from days to weeks, and possibly several months, depending on the quantity of trophies per taxidermy order, the display preferences, and volumes of client trophies to be produced, simultaneously, per production schedule.
This depends largely on the “what, how, when” factors. A taxidermy order also only becomes available for production scheduling upon receipt of the required deposit and trophy mounting instructions.
