STATUS OF THE PBONGHOENED ANTELOPE, 1922-1924 



31 



is seen in the higher elevations, even up to 8,000 feet. Mr. Olsen states that 

 at one time he counted 104 antelope in this band. 



2. Forest Supervisor Olsen states that three years ago a band of 12 adult 

 antelope made the Sulphur Creek ranger station in Pahsimeroi Valley, Lemhi 

 County, their headquarters. They became very fond of alfalfa, which grows 

 plentifully there, and have remained there ever since, except that they some- 

 times go back into the hills a couple of miles or so during the winter season. 

 They have been carefully protected by the forest rangers and have increased 

 until the band now numbers 62. 



Forest Examiner S. B. Locke writes that at this time antelope in the 

 Pahsimeroi Valley have become a nuisance at several ranches. At the ranch 

 just about the ranger sta- 

 tion 20 to 40 antelope 

 enter the fields' during the 

 summer and consume ap- 

 proximately one crop of 

 alfalfa. While the hay is 

 tall they do not cause 

 much damage but feed on 

 it intensively soon after it 

 has been cut. Some of 

 the ranchers keep them 

 away from their fields by 

 the use of dogs and shot- 

 guns. Any increase in the 

 numbers here would in- 

 tensify the losses of the 

 farmers. 



3. A band of 9 is lo- 

 cated near Goldburg, in 

 Custer County. 



4. A band of 25 is re- 

 ported in Lemhi Valley, 

 in southern Lemhi County. 



5. About 25 live on 

 Medicine Lodge Creek, in 

 Clark County. 



6. About 60 range on 

 Birch Creek, in western 

 Clark County and adjacent 

 parts of Jefferson and 

 Butte Counties. 



7. About 75 are reported 

 as ranging in Little Lost 

 River Valley, in Butte and 

 Custer Counties. Antelope 

 from this area are said to 

 range sometimes far out 

 on the Snake River desert. 



8. In July, 1924, a band 

 of 4 was seen on the Snake 

 River desert at Arco, in 

 Butte County. 



9. A band of 26 was counted in 1923 in the Copper Basin, near Mackay, in 

 southern Custer County. 



10. A hand of 7 exists near Chilly, on Big Lost River, in Custer County. 



11. About 13 are reported to range about Horse Heaven Pass, at the head 

 Of Pahsimeroi Valley, in Custer County. A long-time resident of that section 

 States that a few years ago this herd contained about 100 animals. 



12. A band of 25 is reported as ranging on Succor Creek, in Owyhee County. 

 V-',. Southwestern Owyhee County is the must. Important area in Idaho for 



antelope. Reports state that two separate hands occur, one ranging from the 

 Juniper Mountains tn Owyhee County to th* 1 Nevada line, and the other 

 Occupying the country from the cresl Of the same mountains westward to the 

 confluence of the Owyhee River and Soldier Creek- in Oregon. L. .1. Ooldnian, 



in charge of the predatory-animal work- of the Biological Survey in Idaho, 

 wrote thai he had reports from authentic sources of from 000 to 1,000 occupy- 



Fig. 6.- 



-Distribution of antelope in Idaho, estimated at 

 1,485, in 14 areas 



