Junior Downey saved two young moose at a lake near his cabin in central Newfoundland in late May. (Courtesy of Junior Downey)

A central Newfoundland man waded into a freezing cold pond last weekend to save two moose calves.

Junior Downey was at his cabin at Moccasin Lake, near Grand Falls–Windsor, when he spotted the young moose struggling in the water.

"One had its leg caught. So I took him out of it," said Downey.

"The other one was half in the water with her head down, eyes closed, and didn't even move when I picked her up. I brought them up and put them on the patio deck and dried them off as best I could with two blankets."

Downey said the mother of the pair was not far away and when the two calves recovered they rejoined their mother.

Downey, who is also a hunter, told CBC News that the last moose he carried was the one he shot last fall.