American Big Game in its Haunts 



degree matched by but few domestic animals. 

 They were feeding on the brink of a steep wash- 

 out at the upper edge of one of the benches on the 

 mountain side just below where the abrupt slope 

 began. They were alongside a little gully with 

 sheer walls. I rode my horse to within forty yards 

 of them, one of them occasionally looking up and 

 at once continuing to feed. Then they moved 

 slowly off and leisurely crossed the gully to the 

 other side. I dismounted, walked around the head 

 of the gully, and moving cautiously, but in plain 

 sight, came closer and closer until I was within 

 twenty yards, where I sat down on a stone and 

 spent certainly twenty minutes looking at them. 

 They paid hardly any attention whatever to my 

 presence — certainly no more than well-treated do- 

 mestic creatures would pay. One of the rams rose 

 on his hind legs, leaning his fore-hoofs against a 

 little pine tree, and browsed the ends of the bud- 

 ding branches. The others grazed on the short 

 grass and herbage or lay down and rested — two of 

 the yearlings several times playfully butting at one 

 another. Now and then one would glance in my 

 direction without the slightest sign of fear — barely 

 even of curiosit\\ I have no question whatever but 

 that with a little patience this particular band 

 could be made to feed out of a man's hand. Major 



