242 THE OX FAMILY 



the ground, it is impossible to approach the game 

 under cover, nothing remains but to wait until the 

 game moves, taking care not to alarm it. If it is feed- 

 ing toward higher ground or cover of any kind, such 

 as a patch of sage-bushes, a ravine or draw, or, better 

 3^et, the bed of some water-course, many of which are 

 dry, excepting in rainy seasons, the sportsman makes 

 a long detour and gets in a position where the game, 

 if it holds its course as it walks along feeding, will 

 come within range of his rifle. It is exciting sport 

 with a glass to watch a prong-buck or band of antelopes 

 approaching, but it requires much patience. If the 

 game moves too slow or stops out of range, the experi- 

 ment of flagging it may be tried, but the antelope of 

 to-day is a different beast from the antelope of a few 

 years ago. He has gained experience with the years, 

 which has become, no doubt, a matter of heredity. 

 He takes the alarm easily, and flagging will, I am 

 satisfied, more often fail than be successful. When 

 the game is discovered near good cover, such as a 

 ridge or depression, the approach is a simple matter. 

 The utmost care must be taken not to make any noise, 

 not to be seen, and, most important of all, not to be 

 smelt. Go slowly. As a rule there is no hurry. The 

 grazing animals will usually remain about where they 

 have been discovered long enough to enable the hunter 

 to get within range. 



The riding on the vast plains in the autumn is delight- 

 ful. The camps, however, are not so picturesque as the 

 deer, elk, or moose camps, being often by a little spring 

 or water-hole far from the timber. At the edge of the 

 range, however, the camp may be made in the forest 



