Wilderness Reserves 



favorable circumstances. To deer and mountain 

 sheep the cougar is a most dangerous enemy — - 

 much more so than the wolf. 



The antelope we saw were usually in bands of 

 from twenty to one hundred and fifty, and they 

 traveled strung out almost in single file, though 

 those in the rear would sometimes bunch up. I 

 did not try to stalk them, but got as near them as 

 I could on horseback. The closest approach I was 

 able to make was to within about eighty yards of 

 two which were by themselves — I think a doe and 

 a last year's fawn. As I was riding up to them, 

 although they looked suspiciously at me, one 

 actually lay down. When I was passing them at 

 about eighty yards distance the big one became 

 nervous, gave a sudden jump, and away the two 

 went at full speed. 



Why the prong-bucks were so comparatively shy 

 I do not know, for right on the ground with them 

 we came upon deer, and. In the immediate neigh- 

 borhood, mountain sheep, which were absurdly 

 tame. The mountain sheep were nineteen in num- 

 ber, for the most part does and yearlings with a 

 couple of three-year-old rams, but not a single big 

 fellow — for the big fellows at this season are off 

 by themselves, singly or in little bunches, high up 

 in the mountains. The band I saw was tame to a 



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