Trip’s first solo moose antler of the spring 2022.

It was early spring and we could just barely push through the snow on the old logging roads in Northern Maine. We headed into an area that we’ve found antlers before but hadn’t been to since Finley was a young pup. Luckily, we were the first ones out there and the area looked just as good as it had in years past. We started following a rub line up the side of a mountain which brought us to a beautiful moose wintering area. Once there, we started slowing down and scanning the area for antlers. Within minutes of entering the mountain valley, Trip started indicating he could smell an antler. Visibility was quite good and judging by the way he was acting, the antler must have been close. He started to circle and zigzag up and down a stream until he stopped and stuck his head right in the water. Thinking he was just a lab doing lab things I didn’t think anything of it until he emerged with a beautiful fresh brown antler! We ended up finding 9 antlers that day and I learned never to doubt his sniffer again!