History was made in Moose Jaw on Wednesday. 

Mac the Moose will now spend the summer without a rack after a successful antler-ectomy on Wednesday afternoon. The procedure was performed by Team Mac, a group of local professionals who are donating their time, machinery and materials towards the project. 

"Wow there he is, he looks like baby Mac except he kind of looks like an awkward little teenager now. It hit me hard, 35 years he stood the way he was," said Tourism of Moose Jaw Executive Director, Jacki L'Heureux Mason. "I don't

The procedure was performed by Team Mac who is a group of professionals from in and around our city donating time, machinery and materials towards this project.think if you would have asked me when I stared my job almost three years ago if I would have be spearheading this type of campaign, I would never have believed you but I think it's going to be super awesome to see him in his new world's tallest moose size, it'll be awesome."

Mere moments after the second antler came down, groups of people began to walk over from what seemed like out of nowhere to see Mac in his new state. L'Heureux Mason and a few other Tourism staff members were nearby conversing with the crowds and she said there was mixed reactions coming in. 

"Some people were a little disappointed that he didn't have his antlers, some were mystified thinking this is the coolest thing they've ever saw, and some others were like 'oh we thought he'd have his new antlers on right away' and I think that's going to be the ground work for the entire summer. We're going to have those range of emotions, but most of all having that attention. That's his big job, bringing that attention to Moose Jaw."

It was five months ago when this whole endeavor began. It all started with a simple video on social media and now this story has been heard on, what feels like all corners of the earth. She said that Mac's friendly fight for his title was even published in the world oldest newspaper, adding that you can't buy or put a price on publicity like that. L'Heureux Mason said the proof is in the pudding or in this case, the numbers. 

"We've already seen, in May, a 31% increase in numbers in our tourism office. Now that translates to about 750-800 people, we only see about 1 out of 10 or 12 visitors that come to Moose Jaw. If this is representative of what, again we're still only getting about one of every five visitors outside coming in, those numbers are huge."

One of the two gentleman lifted to the air to cut out Mac's antlers was Brysen Bert of Steady Metal Works in Moose Jaw. He and Rion White of Orion's Taxidermy were securely harnessed thanks to Evan's Excavating during the removal process. 

Bert said there was about four or five planning meetings that took place before they even ventured to the top of Mac.

"A month or so ago we actually cut him open, we were inside to see his structure and what he was made of. We had a pretty good idea of what we were working with but not too sure how the antlers attached to his head," Bert explained.

He agreed with L'Heureux Mason, the team was stacked and the members that sat around the table during planning session was the reason why Wednesday’s procedure went so smoothly.

"We've got a really good group of guys that kind of come from all areas of the trade, like Brent Evans providing all of his equipment and lots of good labour to help us rig us the cranes. We felt like we were pretty prepared to make it happen."

This project hits close to home for a lot of people including Bert, noting that he was born and raised here and now will forever be etched in Mac's heart for being apart of this once-in-a-moose-lifetime opportunity.

"I grew up in Moose Jaw, went to school here and this is where all my friends and family are, it's kind of cool to be apart of this story. Mac's apart of Moose Jaw's history, I don't plan on going anywhere either, it'll be cool to tell the kids or the grand kids that we were part of giving Mac a bigger rack and making him the tallest moose."

All of Moose Jaw and those planning to visit will have to hold tight in their seats throughout the entire summer of 2019 as we await Mac's new antlers to be mounted and brought forward by the man who is creating them, Rion White. 

The new rack isn't expected to be in place until the middle of September to coincide with a new festival that will celebrate the notorious theme of our city.