During the reindeer roundup, which can last anywhere from two weeks to two months, Arvidsjaur's Jim Hedlund often encounters moose this time of year.
– It's moose migration season now, and there are a lot of them on the move, says Jim. Usually, don't take much notice of them, but this bull was so majestic. Then I noticed something was off, it was lying on the ice in an unnatural position.
Jim initially thought the moose might be injured. As he approached on his snowmobile, he realized the problem: the moose was trapped on slippery, black ice.
– We've had a lot of rain in the border mountains recently which has led to an unusual amount of ice, he explains.
Faced with the situation, Jim had to figure out how to help the struggling animal. It was during this rescue attempt that the film clip was captured.
– I started filming to share with my family, but it turned into a longer video. The moose was flailing and thrashing, trying to get up. I just stood back to avoid getting kicked, he recalls.
A confrontation with the large bull could have been dangerous, especially in the remote mountain location. However, Jim, accustomed to dealing with large animals, saw an opportunity to intervene.
– When it tried to stand up and then fell over, it couldn't kick me with its hind legs. It was on its knees, so I grabbed it and pushed from behind. I'm not very tall, so I was at the moose's shoulder height, he says.
It took a couple of attempts, but Jim finally managed to push the moose up and onto solid ground.
– I could tell it didn't like my help because its ears were folded back, so it was obviously a bit irritated, Jim adds.
But the moose walked off anyway.