ELK AND ANTELOPE HUNTING IN WYOMING 



of one man missing his animal. We immediately camped in 

 the creek -bottom and had a hearty meal of antelope ten- 

 derloin and steaks within three - quarters of an hour after 

 killing the game. I might add that while I enjoyed this 

 meal, I have never cared for the taste of antelope venison 

 since. 



Daylight the next morning found the two of us riding up the 

 ridge back of camp, scanning the distant swells with the field- 

 glasses for the sight of game. During the entire day we rode 

 leisurely through a beautiful, gently rolling, grass country. The 

 monotony of the short brown grass was broken occasionally by 

 green creek-bottoms and groves of quaking asp. Everywhere 

 were the deep-cut trails, wallows, and bleached skulls of the 

 former herds of bison, also the shed antlers of the elk which 

 occupied this range when the snow in the mountains became 

 too deep during the winter. Occasionally a flock of sage- 

 grouse would sail over the nearest swell, or a pair of skulking 

 coyotes would be seen in the distance. Antelope in bands 

 of from four or five to as many as forty were in sight con- 

 tinuously. At this season of the year they were migrating 

 to their winter range on the Red Desert to the east, where 

 the winds kept the ground comparatively bare of snow 

 during the winter. In spite of the number of antelope seen 

 during a day, owing to their keen eyesight and vigilance, 

 it was quite difficult to secure shots, except at very long 

 range. 



About three o'clock, returning to our horses from an unsuc- 

 cessful crawl after a band of about twenty of these animals, 

 we noticed a fine buck trotting along a parallel ridge, and 

 crouched down on the grass, hoping that it would come within 

 range. Fortune smiled this time, as it trotted up to within 

 one hundred and twenty-five yards, stopped broadside, and 

 immediately went down in a kicking heap at the report of my 

 rifie. While we were occupied in skinning the antelope, a second 



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