CHAPTER V 



HUNTING THE PRONG-BUCK ; FROST, FIRE, AND 

 THIRST 



AS with all other American game, man is a worse 

 foe to the prong-horns than all their brute 

 enemies combined. They hold their own much bet 

 ter than the bigger game; on the whole even better 

 than the blacktail ; but their numbers have been wo- 

 fully thinned, and in many places they have been 

 completely exterminated. The most exciting method 

 of chasing them is on horseback with greyhounds; 

 but they are usually killed with the rifle. Owing 

 to the open nature of the ground they frequent the 

 shots must generally be taken at long range; hence 

 this kind of hunting is pre-eminently that needing 

 judgment of distance and skill in the use of the long- 

 range rifle at stationary objects. On the other hand 

 the antelope are easily seen, making no effort to es 

 cape observation, as deer do, and are so curious that 

 in very wild districts to this day they can sometimes 

 be tolled within rifle shot by the judicious waving of 

 a red flag. In consequence, a good many very long, 

 but tempting, shots can be obtained. More car 

 tridges are used, relatively to the amount of game 

 killed, on antelope, than in any other hunting. 



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