12 RAISING DEER IN THE UNITED STATES. 



antelope until 1915. Two other States — Montana and Nevada — 

 passed laws in 1909 protecting antelope indefinitely. Washington 

 still has an open season, but the animals are practically extinct in 

 that State. Three Canadian Provinces — Alberta, Manitoba, and 

 Saskatchewan — have open seasons; and of these, Manitoba has had 

 none of the animals for more than twenty years. 



In the United States antelope are now protected in every State 

 in which they occur. The close season in Arizona expires March 1, 

 1911; in Colorado, September 25. 1912; Kansas, March 13, 1918; 

 New Mexico, March 18, 1914; North Dakota, January 1, 1920; Okla- 

 homa, November 1, 1914; South Dakota, January 1, 1911; Texas, 

 July 1, 1912; Utah, March 11, 1913; and Wyoming, September 25, 

 1915. 



Experience shows that the antelope does not do well in close con- 

 finement. In zoological gardens it is short lived and seldom breeds. 

 Judge J. D. Caton made a number of efforts to raise antelope in his 

 park at Ottawa, 111., but the animals died within a year. Other 

 breeders have had similar experience. The difficulty seems to be that 

 of providing a natural environment. Judge Caton stated that the 

 antelope loses its timidity sooner and more completely than any 

 other wild animal whose domestication he had attempted. "When 

 taken young it soon acquires the attachment of a child for the human 

 species, and when captured adult in a short time becomes so tame 

 that it will take food from the hand, and follow one by the hour 

 walking through the grounds." None of Judge Caton's antelope 

 bred, and he concluded that the climate was too humid, and that his 

 pasture lacked the vegetation essential to their health. 



The experience of those who have tried to rear the antelope outside 

 its natural range should not deter those who are favorably situated 

 from undertaking further experiments with it. Visitors to Yellow- 

 stone National Park have been greatly surprised at the tameness of 

 the antelope herds. Many western ranchmen have successfully reared 

 the young. The animals were allowed perfect freedom, but could 

 not be driven from the premises where they were fed. Eeared in 

 natural surroundings, unconfined, and with sufficient range, they 

 would undoubtedly thrive and increase. In a few years by careful 

 and continued taming of the young, one might secure a herd of abso- 

 lutely tame antelope. Antelope require only a slight fence to con- 

 fine them. They run very swiftly, but unless closely pressed will not 

 jump an ordinary fence. 



The flesh of the young antelope is said to be much superior to ordi- 

 nary venison. That of mature animals, particularly the males, has 

 a strong flavor; but this might be greatly improved under domesti- 



°American Naturalist, X, 197, 1876. 



