62 



BULLETIN" 1346, U. S. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE 



on this continent was recorded in an account of a great hunt organized for 

 the viceroy of Mexico in 1540, at a point near the present station of Cazadero 

 on the Mexican Central Railroad in extreme southwestern Hidalgo. 



The main herds of antelope in Mexico are undoubtedly located on the 

 broad arid plains of Coahuila, Chihuahua, and northeastern Durango. Other 

 herds occupy considerable territory in northwestern Sonora, some occasion- 

 ally ranging back and forth across the border between Sonora and Arizona, 

 and others are located in Lower California. From information received it 

 appears possible at this time that, in general, antelope may be holding their 

 own in Mexico. 



On October 1, 1922, a close season of 10 years on antelope, which had been 

 established by President Obregon, became effective. This should serve to 

 lessen the number of these animals killed and so favor their increase. There 



are great areas of sparsely 

 occupied plains on the 

 northern Mexican table- 

 lands where they might 

 find a home far into the 

 distant future. 

 • To assist in safeguard- 

 ing the antelope and other 

 game animals of northern 

 Sonora the Permanent 

 Wild Life Protection Fund, 

 through Doctor Horna- 

 day, has entered into an 

 agreement with the Mexi- 

 can Government whereby 

 it employs Ben Tinker as 

 game warden, with head- 

 quarters at Tucson, Ariz., 

 to work along both sides 

 of the Arizona-Sonora bor- 

 der to prevent poaching. 



It is conservatively esti- 

 mated that there are 2,395 

 antelope in Mexico, of 

 which 1,300 are estimated to be in Chihuahua, Durango, and Coahuila, and 

 500 in Lower California. The remainder are more definitely known in Sonora. 

 These numbers will serve as a working basis until there is opportunity to get 

 more complete information. It is probable that there may be many more on 

 the plains of Chihuahua and Coahuila than here estimated. The following 

 details of distribution are based on a letter received from Professor Lopez in 

 January, 1924, and from other information available on the subject. It is 

 grouped under States and the Territory of Lower California, as follows 

 (figs. 20 and 21) : 



COAHUILA 



Fig. 20. — Distribution of antelope in parts of Mexico — 

 in Chihuahua, Coahuila, and Durango, estimated at 

 about 1,300 in 2 areas (see also fig. 21) 



In the great Valley of La Encantada, to the west of Muzquiz, bands of 

 50 to 100 antelope occur. They are also about the Hacienda de San Antonio, 

 and are more abundant about the Hacienda de Paila and on the plains about 

 the neighboring mountain range of Espianzo. Most of the antelope in Coa- 

 huila are located west of the railroad which runs south from Eagle Pass, 

 Tex., to Saltillo, and north of the railroad extending from the last-named 

 place westward to Torreon. 



