SHEDDING THE VELVETS

When the moose come out to play

Hi everyone, it’s MooseMan from Mooseman Nature Photography! Today, we’re embarking on the start of a very special series on the stages of the moose rut. And even if technically this stage is called the pre-rut, for us, it’s the official kick-off of the season. Why? Because that’s when the males start to lose their velvet. And believe me, it’s quite a sight.

The long-awaited moment: the beginning of the great change

We were super excited to come across three magnificent bulls that day. Well, we had to work hard to find them, but it was so worth it! They spotted us, sized us up, and decided that we were less of a nuisance than the bears they regularly come across. They then went off to blend into what we call their little secret corner: the big hemlocks. A dense and bushy corner where they like to hide.

It is in these places that we crawl and sneak in with our camera to try to follow them without disturbing them. And guess what? It was time for drop time! Yes, the moment when the velvet begins to fall, and MooseMan was in a state.

What exactly is this “velvet”?

Velvet antlers are a kind of thin skin covered with soft hairs, which supply the antlers with blood and nutrients throughout the spring and summer. These antlers, by the way, are among the fastest growing tissues in all mammals. When the moose reaches a certain hormonal point around the end of August, its body begins to cut off the blood supply to the velvet.

And that’s when the magic happens – or rather, when the itching begins! Once the nerves in the velvet die, you can imagine that it stings intensely, which drives the bull to scratch itself frantically against trees, bushes and even grass to get rid of it.

A somewhat gory… but fascinating sight

When the velvet comes off, it can look almost like Halloween: sticky, disgusting-looking pieces hanging down – but completely natural! And no, it doesn’t hurt at all to the animal. It is no longer living tissue, so the bull gets rid of it without any problem.

That day, we actually camped near a moose to document the whole process. We even picked up a piece of fallen velvet to see what it looked like: it’s as soft as new velvet… but it quickly becomes hard as jerky. And get this: some moose eat their own velvet. Yes, really. Herbivorous or not, we find it a bit strange, but who knows, maybe it brings them something?

The velvet falls… make way for the weapons

Once their velvet has completely fallen off, the bulls are left with brand new antlers, ready for the next stage: training fights, also known as “sparring”. At first, their antlers are still stained red with blood, but this disappears fairly quickly.

Our star of the day, whom we had been following all afternoon, had almost completely shed his velvet, even in the most complicated corners, such as the “kickers” and the ends of his antlers. He was clearly ready for what comes next – confrontation, domination, conquest.

🎥 Thank you for being with us in the field

Thank you for following us! Nature is a true wilderness theater, and we are here to show you every scene. One rubbing at a time.

What we do here is more than a hobby. It’s a passion. We love living in the forest, observing behavior, and capturing magical moments to share with you.

🔔 Join the adventure!

See you soon in the forest 🌲

MooseMan 🦌📸

🎬 Module content

• 1 Introduction video
• 6 Main videos (English)
• 5 Interactive lessons + 1 Final quiz (20 questions)

🧠 Module objective

This module aims to educate and entertain all nature enthusiasts. Thanks to the immersive videos and interactive quizzes, you will dive into the fascinating world of moose rutting.

⚖️ Legal notice

Under Article 107 of the Copyright Act, limited use of protected material is authorized without the authorization of the copyright holder for educational purposes.