For 46-year-old Jim Hedlund, the reindeer herding trip in Arjeplogsfjällen turned into a rescue effort when he suddenly came across a moose struggling to get over blank ice.
– It was lying so unnaturally, as if there was something not right, says Jim NSD.
Jim Hedlund was out in Laisdalen in the Arjeplogsfjällen to collect reindeer, a process that can take anywhere from two weeks to two months, depending on the conditions. During this time, it is not unusual to meet moose, especially during the moose migration, the newspaper writes.
When Jim drove the snowmobile closer to investigate the situation, he first thought the moose was injured but quickly realized what was wrong. The moose was lying on shiny and slippery ice, unable to get up.
– It has rained an awful lot over the course of 24 hours in the border mountains and that has caused an unusual amount of ice, he tells the newspaper.
Saw his chance
In the video clip, you can see how the moose tries to get up but falls again on the slippery surface. Jim, who is used to handling larger animals, initially kept his distance so as not to put himself in danger until he saw his chance.
– It was when he tried to stand up and fell over, then he couldn’t kick me with his hind legs. When he was standing there on his knees with his front legs, I grabbed and pushed from behind. I am no more than three feet tall, so I had the steak at shoulder height, he says.
“Had dropped the ears back”
It took several tries but he finally managed to get the bull to regain his balance and get onto solid ground. But despite the rescue, the moose showed no great appreciation for Jim’s effort.
– I saw that it didn’t like it when it had folded its ears back, so it was a little irritated. But I can’t actually remember if it turned around or if it just lurched on. Maybe you can see that in the film, says Jim.