200 Hunting Trips on the Prairie 



antelope are getting continually shyer and more 

 difficult to flag. I have never myself shot one in this 

 manner, though I have often seen the feat performed, 

 and have several times tried it myself, but always 

 with the result that after I had made my arm really 

 weak with waving the handkerchief to and fro, the 

 antelope, which had been shifting about just out of 

 range, suddenly took to its heels and made off. 



No other kind of plains game, except the big- 

 horn, is as shy and sharp-sighted as the antelope; 

 and both its own habits and the open nature of the 

 ground on which it is found render it peculiarly dif- 

 ficult to stalk. There is no cover, and if a man is 

 once seen by the game the latter will not let him 

 get out of sight again, unless it decides to go off at 

 a gait that soon puts half a dozen miles between 

 them. It shifts its position, so as to keep the hunter 

 continually in sight. Thus, if it is standing on a 

 ridge, and the hunter disappear into a ravine up 

 which he intends to crawl, the antelope promptly 

 gallops off to some other place of observation from 

 which its foe is again visible; and this is repeated 

 until the animal at last makes up its mind to start 

 for good. It keeps up an incessant watch, being 

 ever on the lookout for danger, far or near; and as 

 it can see an immense distance, and has its home on 

 ground so level that a horseman can be made out a 

 mile off, its attention is apt to be attracted when still 

 four or five rifle-shots beyond range, and after it has 

 once caught a glimpse of the foe, the latter might as 

 well give up all hopes of getting the game. 



