THE WICHITA ANTELOPE 



In a letter to Dr. T. S. Palmer, of the Biological Survey, Wash- 

 ington, D. C, dated June 20, 1923, the District Forester of the Wichita 

 National Forest writes as follows concerning the antelope situation 

 on the Wichita National Game Preserve: 



"We have just received word from Mr. Rush that there is but one survivor of 

 the six antelope shipped to the Wichita last fall. This survivor is a buck. Two 

 of the antelope died from the effects of ticks and two have disappeared. Mr. 

 Rush surmises that the coyotes got in and killed them while they were in the 

 little bull pasture. Later they were moved into the buffalo yard and the only 

 female left ran headlong into the gate and broke her neck. Of the antelope shipped 

 two years ago, one two-year-old buck and three two-year-old does remain. This 

 reduces the band to five adult antelope. 



'"Mr. Rush reports that the three does now have two fawns each. This brings 

 the band up to eleven head and Mr. Rush says that he had excellent luck with 

 them. It is to be hoped that the fawns born in captivity on the Wichita will 

 survive the vicissitudes which have decimated the original shipment that was 

 made by the American Bison Society. Since we have eleven antelope on the 

 Wichita it does not seem necessary at this time to seek further assistance from the 

 American Bison Society. We will, however, take our best care of the remaining 

 antelope. We are satisfied that Mr. Rush has done his best and it seems that we 

 have a fighting chance to secure a band of antelope on the Wichita." 



UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



FOREST SERVICE 



WICHITA NATIONAL FOREST 



Cache, Oklahoma, June 30, 1923. 

 Mr. Edmund Seymour, 

 45 Wall Street. New York, N. Y. 

 Dear Mr. Seymour: 



Your letter of June 21st is received. 



The six young antelope are all alive and doing fine and I hope we shall be 

 able to treat them successfully for ticks when they appear on them this fall. 



I am enclosing herewith some pictures of the baby antelope. I photographed 

 these while they were too young to be afraid of a person. 



Very sincerely yours, 



Frank Rush, 



Forest Supervisor. 



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