92 
JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY 
In the Yellowstone the range is restricted to the great open section 
in the north, comprising the Gardiner Valley, Mount Everts, Blacktail 
Deer Valley, the slopes on both sides of Hellroaring Creek, Junction 
Valley, the lower slopes of Mount Washburn on the north, the lower 
and upper valleys of the Lamar River, and Specimen Ridge. The 
whole area is below 6500 feet elevation except the table-land of Mount 
Everts, the upper parts of the Blacktail Deer Valley, the slopes of 
Mount Washburn (extending to 7300 feet), and Specimen Ridge 
(extending to 8000 feet above sea level). The total range includes 
about a hundred thousand acres out of the park’s two and a quarter 
million acres. Of this habitat the summer range of ninety-seven 
thousand acres is ample, but the winter range of only three thousand 
acres is far too restricted, especially when snows cover the larger part 
of it. Forty years ago, limited numbers ranged the Swan Lake and 
Hayden Valleys, but such is no longer the case. Probably in former 
days, before white men began changing the environment, prong-horns 
were more numerous in the park in summer and less so in winter. 
That our herds have suffered a serious depletion is evidenced by the 
following estimates from the Superintendent’s annual reports : 
1877 — “Thousands of antelope.” 
1880 — “Abundance of antelope.” 
1885 — “Several bands of antelope.” 
1886 — “Antelope are here in large bands.” 
1887 — “Large numbers of antelope.” 
1891 — ’“Numerous, and on the increase.” 
1892 — “Thriving and increasing.” 
1893 — “One herd of four to five hundred wintered on Mt. Everts, and one or two 
smaller herds elsewhere.” 
1894 — “500 wintered on Mt. Everts.” 
1895 — “800 wintered on flat near Gardiner.” 
1896 — “A great increase in number.” 
1897 — “500 wintered in valley and on Mt. Everts.” 
1898 — “Are yet numerous.” 
1899 — “Not more than 700-800 in the park.” 
1900 — “Increasing. ’ ’ 
1902 — “Number of bands of from 50 to 100 wintered on slopes of Mt. Everts. '* 
1903 — “1000 estimated.” 
190T-“1150.” 
1905— “1500.” 
1906— “1500.” 
1907— “1500.” 
1908— “2000.” 
1909 — ‘ ‘Increasing. ’ ' 
1910 — “600-700” (the balance reported to have escaped from the park). 
