The natural treasures of Gaspésie are a wonder to behold. A friend and I were hiking through the stunning forests and mountains of Gaspésie, also known as the Gaspé peninsula. The Gaspé peninsula is a piece of land that is almost surrounded by the Gulf of Saint Lawrence in Quebec, Canada. Along our path, my friend spotted this stunning, moose antler.
During our exploration of the Gaspésie we also came across live moose, well camouflaged in the forest despite their large size. The antler we had discovered served as the perfect memento for a trip filled with great memories of this stunning coastline paradise. This pandemic combined with newfound time on our hands had provided at least one positive outcome - the chance to discover the province of Quebec province in a way that we never had before.
Apparently bull moose shed their antlers annually. It's amazing that any animal could hold their heads high with not just one, but two of these incredibly heavy horns weighing them down. Moose are some of the largest mammals in North America and are the largest of all deer species. The males grow antlers which can be 6 feet from end to end. The average female weighs 771 lbs (350 kg) and an average male weighs 881 lbs (400 kg) but can grow to 1,800 lbs! Natural majesty at its finest!
Some other interesting moose facts is that they feel at home in the water and are good swimmers, paddling several miles at a time. They can even submerge completely, staying under for 30 seconds or more. On land, they can run up to 35 miles an hour over short distances, and trot steadily at 20 miles an hour. They only have one or two calves per year. There are so many interesting things to learn about this animal.
The antler was already very beautiful so I was not sure if I could do the natural canvas justice. Once you begin a painting, you cannot go back. I felt as if my choice were really to stand firm or flee in the face of a moose...fun fact being, if you see a moose, your instructions are to RUN. However, I pushed through the nerves and decided to not be intimidated.
Many painting sessions were spent approaching very small sections of the antler as I learned how to paint on this unfamiliar surface. It was not anything like textile or canvas. It required different skills and was thus challenging. Many layers later and I still only had a rough resemblance of what I wanted. However, with patience and perseverance, as well as having to invest in some new types of paintbrushes, the painting slowly and surely came to fruition.
Now, its natural beauty will have extended purpose - once used to help a bull survive when jousting others for a mate, now a symbol to remind us of nature's many beautiful wonders, and the value of protecting the living things within it.
10% of the proceeds of the sale of this item will be donated to the Nature Conservancy of Canada. Since 2012, the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) and partners have protected 182 hectares (450 acres) of woodlands located along Highway 197, between Forillon National Park and public lands. The properties owned by NCC jointly with the governments of Quebec and Canada ensure the vocation of ecological corridor on 75 per cent of a section of 2.2 kilometres along Route 197. Located about 15 kilometres from downtown Gaspé and five kilometres from Rivière-au-Renard, these lands provide continuous forest cover dominated by balsam fir, white spruce and red maple. The area’s woodlands and streams are home to mammals with large home ranges, such as moose, white-tailed deer, bears, fisher and American marten.
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