THE RANCHMAN'S RIFLE ON CRAG AND PRAIRIE 



danger, which are doubly curious as existing in an animal normally as 

 wary as that wildest of game, the mountain sheep. They are fond of 

 wandering too, and appear at times in very unlikely places. Thus once, 

 while we were building the cow corral, in an open bottom, five antelope 

 came down. After much snorting and stamping, they finally approached 

 to within fifty yards of the men who were at work, and, as the latter had 

 no weapons with them, retired unmolested. 



In winter the great herds consist of the two sexes; and this is true also 

 of the straggling parties that come back to us in spring, soon to split up 

 into smaller ones. During early summer the males may be found singly, 

 or else three or four together, with possibly a barren doe or two ; while 

 two or three does, with their kids, and perhaps the last year's young, will 

 form the nucleus of a little flock by themselves. With the coming of the 

 rutting season they divide into regular bands, for they are polygamous. 

 Every large, powerful buck gathers his little group of does, driving out 

 all his rivals, though perhaps a yearling buck or two will hang round the 

 outskirts at a respectful distance, every now and then rousing the older 

 one to a fit of jealous impatience. More often the young bucks go 

 in small parties by themselves, while those older ones that have been 

 driven out by their successful rivals wander round singly. The old bucks 

 are truculent and courageous, and do fierce battle with each other until it 

 is evident which is master, when the defeated combatant makes off at top 

 speed. One of these beaten bucks will occasionally get hold of a single 

 doe, whom he promptly appropriates and guards with extreme watchful- 

 ness ; and, not being overconfident in his own prowess, drives her off" 

 very rapidly if any other antelope show signs of coming near. A success- 

 ful buck may have from four or five to ten or fifteen does in his harem. 

 In such a band there is always an old doe that acts as leader, precisely 

 as with deer and elk. This doe is ever on the alert, is most likely to take 

 the alarm at the approach of danger, and always leads the flight. The 

 buck, however, is prompt to take command, if he sees fit, or deems that 

 the doe's fears have overpowered her judgment ; and frequently, when a 

 band is in full flight, the buck may be seen deliberately to round it up and 

 stop it, so that he may gaze on the cause of the alarm a trait the exer- 

 cise of which often costs him his life. The bucks occasionally bully the 

 does unmercifully, if they show symptoms of insubordination. Individual 

 antelope vary very widely in speed. Once I fairly rode one down, but this 

 is generally an almost impossible feat. Among deer, the fat, heavy ant- 

 lered bucks are usually slower than the does and the young males; but 

 there seems to be little difference of this sort among prong-horns. 



With the first touch of sharp fall weather we abandon the chase of the 



