1936] MAMMALS OF OREGON 73 



In 1916 Deputy Game Warden F. W. Triska, of Burns, estimated 

 about 1,200 antelope in the country lying between the Warner (Hart) 

 and Steens Mountains, an estimate agreeing well with that of Jewett 

 2 years before for a part of this same area. Other estimates, running 

 up to 5,000 and even 10,000 antelope in this section seem to have been 

 mere wild speculation. 



In 1915 Preble made a trip through the southeastern part of the 

 State and reported antelope in the vicinity of Crooked Creek, Owyhee 

 River, and in the Cedar Mountains. The same year L. J. Goldman 

 reported 25 or 30 in the Mahogany Mountains of eastern Oregon. 

 Also that year, J. C. Bartlett counted 72 antelope in Barren Valley 

 (Oreg. Sportsman 3: 85, 1915), and the following year E. F. Mickey, 

 of Jordan, wrote to the Biological Survey that while riding the range 

 for 2 weeks in late winter he had counted 186 antelope between 

 Barren Valley and Crooked Creek. During the previous winter, 

 Mickey estimated a possible 600 or 700 antelope in southeastern 

 Oregon. 



In a letter of January 8, 1916, K. N. Dahle wrote to the Biological 

 Survey as follows : 



I think I can give you a fairly accurate account, as I am riding nearly all 

 the time and know nearly all of the antelope. Between the head waters of 

 the south fork of Malheur River and Harney Valley, 50 head ; Stockade Moun- 

 tain, Soldiers' Springs, etc., 250 head; Piute Lake region and Saddle Buttes, 

 300; Juniper Mountain, Bull Creek, and Rhinhart ranch, 325; Crowley to 

 Willow Springs, 75; Star Mountain and Rooster Comb, 100; Willow Springs, 

 Antelope Flat, and Dry Creek, 250. In fact, 1,500 would be a safe estimate in 

 the territory covering a scope of country 75 miles long by 65 wide. The 

 antelope are noticeably fewer than when I came to the country nine years ago. 

 Since the sheep got so numerous on the Lava Desert, the antelope have been 

 robbed of their main winter browse, and are forced to subsist largely on sage- 

 brush and dry bunch-grass. 



Along the Malheur Eiver Valley, Jewett, in 1910, reported a few 

 antelope occasionally seen by cattlemen and sheep herders. He saw 

 one fine buck about 20 miles north of the Cedar Mountains and was 

 told that about 14 antelope were living in that general section. 



In 1916 the writer was told that there were still a few antelope 

 scattered over the more inaccessible mesa tops back from Riverside. 

 A few were also reported that year in the Malheur Valley, but they 

 were very scarce and hy. A few were reported that year also on 

 the mesas along the northern and western slopes of the Steens 

 Mountains. 



In August 1916, Olaus J. Murie made a trip from Warner Lake 

 through Cjuano Lake Valley north to Desert Lake which was then 

 the main watering place of the principal antelope herd. He says 

 the lake is a shallow basin surrounded by lime hills and rimrocks. 

 There was still a little water in it, but completely hidden .from view 

 by a kind of aquatic plant on which it is believed the antelope feed. 

 The lake is said to go dry usually in summer and then the antelope 

 go to desert springs for water. These springs are in a box canyon 

 not far from the lake, forming a series of pools and ledges of rock. 

 There were 4 or 5 containing water when he was there. He counted 

 75 antelope in sight at one time and presumed it was the same herd 

 which came each day. While not with the antelope enough to make 

 a reliable estimate of their numbers, he considered the previous esti- 



