HUNTING TRIPS ON THE PRAIRIE 



CHAPTER I 



A TRIP ON THE PRAIRIE 



NO antelope are found, except rarely, immediately 

 round my ranch house, where the ground is 

 much too broken to suit them; but on the great 

 prairies, ten or fifteen miles off, they are plentiful, 

 though far from as abundant as they were a few 

 years ago when the cattle were first driven into the 

 land. By plainsmen they are called either prong- 

 horn or antelope, but are most often known by the 

 latter and much less descriptive title. Wlrere they 

 are found they are always very conspicuous figures 

 in the landscape ; for, far from attempting to conceal 

 itself, an antelope really seems anxious to take up a 

 prominent position, caring only to be able itself to 

 see its foes. It is the smallest in size of the plains 

 game, even smaller than a white-tail deer; and its 

 hide is valueless, being thin and porous, and making 

 very poor buckskin. In its whole appearance and 

 structure it is a most singular creature. Unlike all 

 other hollow-horned animals, it sheds its horns an- 

 nually, exactly as the deer shed their solid antlers; 

 but the shedding process in the prong-horn occupies 

 but a very few days, so short a time, indeed, that 



(197) 



