200 GAME. 



when perfectly still ; and, contrary to the usual rule in 

 killing game, I am quite sure that I have bagged more 

 over 200 yards than within that distance. Their habit of 

 collecting in large herds in the late autumn, and the 

 knocking up of dust from the dry prairie by the bullet, 

 very greatly assists the sportsman in this kind of shooting. 

 Unless it strikes an antelope, each bullet indicates its 

 position on the ground, and the sportsman has an oppor- 

 tunity to rectify a previous error. The long-range rifle 

 of the present day will kill at incredible distances if it 

 hits, and is so quickly loaded that, after stalking a herd 

 of antelope, and getting one fair standing shot, the sports- 

 man has still the chances that six or eight running shots 

 may give him. 



I have already spoken of knocking over seven from 

 one herd. This was by no means a fair criterion, as the 

 animals were panic-stricken, and did not run away ; but 

 I have frequently bagged two, and many times three, even 

 when the herd went directly away from me at full speed. 

 On one occasion, after missing a fair standing shot at 

 150 yards, I yet bagged three antelope as they went off. 



Except the buffalo, the antelope is the most gregarious 

 of the plains animals ; yet in April they are scattered 

 singly in twos and threes. The does are alone, preparing 

 for their fawns, and can generally be found not far from 

 water and some little cover in which they can hide their 

 little ones for a few days, or until they are old enough to 

 escape their enemies by flight. The bucks go off alone 

 when shedding their horns ; but, as this process requires 

 but a short time, they soon collect again in groups. Un- 

 like the deer, the female antelope, after parturition, leaves 

 her fawns hid, and consorts during the greater part of the 

 day with the herd ; and, when they are strong enough to 

 keep up with the herd in running, she permanently joins 

 the herd with her little ones. 



As a rule, and for the whole year round, antelope are 

 in herds; but in September and October these herds 



