24: MOOSE - this post is NOT for you if you're anti-hunting or squeamish (10/9-10/11)

While on Newfoundland, we learned moose were introduced to the island in the 1870's, and have since done great environmental damage to native forest flora.  Also learned moose licenses allowing one kill per person are issued at a rate of 15,000 a year to islanders via a lottery system, and another number to outfitters, who take off-island hunters into the woods.

We shared our ferry ride to NFLD with a LOT of Americans headed over to hunt with the outfitters. Their license tags showed them coming from as far as Michigan and Wyoming, for instance.  Turns out they probably paid close to $5,000 each to come hunt moose (or bear or caribou) here.  For example, http://www.newfoundlandlabrador.com/ThingsToDo/Moose

While driving south on the Trans-Canadian Highway south of Corner Brook, we passed a pick-up hauling a trailer with all sorts of moose parts sticking up, as well as an ATV.  Allen was smacking himself in the forehead that he'd passed it because we were interested in taking a longer look, having heard so much about moose hunting.  Shortly after, we got off the highway to take a scenic road.

Along that road was a meat packing shop, next to which was parked a red truck with the bed full of moose parts.  At my request, we stopped.

With the workers' permission, we watched them butchering several moose for a few minutes.

Then a moment later, the guy we passed pulls up behind.  Turns out this shop takes care of post-hunt butchering for several outfitters.  Allen had a long talk with him about hunting and being an outfitter.  Conversation topics also included how global warming is affecting NFLD (snowmobiling now doesn't begin until January, when it used to be plenty easy in December) and how/if coyotes were introduced or got to NFLD by themselves, and in any event, are a leading cause of the island's caribou dying out (the coyotes hang around the known birthing grounds, follow the cows giving birth, and take the newborns as soon as they drop).

The next morning at the Port-aux-Basques ferry terminal, getting ready to leave NFLD, we saw a number of guys who'd had successful hunts themselves, and who spent time admiring each other's successes.  Learned the span of moose antlers, as well as number of points, is what's most admired.

And truckers call these "moose catchers."  Allen spoke with one trucker who said that when you're hauling a load of lumber and are going to hit a moose, hit the gas hard, because to do anything else would mean you'd wreck and lose your load for sure.