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 

 better than the bigger game ; on the whole even better 

 than the blacktail ; but their numbers have been wofully 

 thinned, and in many places they have been com- 

 pletely exterminated. The most exciting method of chas- 

 ing them is on horseback with grayhounds ; 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 escape 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 cartridges are 

 used, relatively to the amount of game killed, on antelope, 

 than in any other hunting. 



