Prongbuck 241 



On the preceding day I had ridden alongside the Yellow- 

 stone, in the Park, with E. Hofer. Three Antelope were in 

 sight. By imitating the squeak of a young one, Hofer brought 

 an old one up near, and shortly afterward we found two of 

 the young close together. They were well grown — much 

 larger than the one seen the day after; yet they crouched 

 in the sage while the mother circled 200 yards away, uttering 

 her alarm bleat. When we got within a few feet of them, they 

 jumped up and ran away swiftly, but crouched again when out 

 of sight over the next ridge. I took them to be about three 

 weeks old. In this case the mother's alarm cry may have been 

 the sufficient order to hide. 



As soon as the young can follow, there is a disposition on 

 the part of the mothers to form little bands. In early July two 

 or three of the old ones with their kids may often be seen to- 

 gether. They unite for the sake of company and mutual 

 protection, so that this is truly a social gathering. 



By the end of July the kids on the Yellowstone are about 

 half grown and have now assumed the livery of the old ones. 

 Early in August the young bucks begin to join the bands of 

 their mothers and httle brothers. 



By September older bucks drift in, and the Antelope band septem 

 shows all ages, sizes, and sexes mingled together in a huge 

 happy family. As this is too soon for the sexual passions to 

 play their firebrand part, we have in this bright month of 

 September an ideal scene that is probably unique among our 

 horned ruminants. 



Many old hunters have described it to me. W. R. Mc- 

 Fadden, of Denver, in particular, has given me full details, 

 including those of a game that he witnessed about the middle 

 of September, 1882, in the head of Middle Park, Colo. 



He had crawled out after a band of Antelope on the plain, play 

 There was a fine big buck, and only one. McFadden got out 

 to a Buffalo wallow, and rising up to shoot saw the buck 

 playing with seven or eight kids. They were careering about, 

 he was leading. They would chase him, and caper and prance 

 around him. After about half an hour the little ones got tired 



