The Dillon tribune. [volume] (Dillon, Mont.) 1881-1941, 1886-10-01

Frightful Leap.
OF all the game animals in tn. north
west, and particularly Montana. the Big
Horn or Rocky mountain sheep furnishes
the most sport to hunts.nen. Chasing the
buffalo across the plains on horseback and
killing them with Il revolver. which was
at one time the favorite method Of hunt
ing the big bison, used u be the ne plus
ultra of Nimrodic amusements in Mon
tana, but since the buffalo have disap-
peared hunters have dr.fted back into the
mountains. where the "Ovs Montana
IRE to be found during late years i'll great
abundance. There must be lots OF fun
Ecampering over the prairie afteru 800
pound bull. but there is tne heat and vio
lent exercise, not to speak OF the danger
of your horse plunging into Il prairie-doy
holeand sending you downward to grass at
m angle of Is to 20 degrees. The mountain
sheep is always found among the peaks
and cliffs in cool altitude and pretty near
the timber or perpetual SHOWN line. The
Big Horn sheep of the Rocky mountains
is most difficult animal to bag. They
are usually found in pairs often in hocks
OF from four to forty. and sometimes in
bands Of Il hundred or more. One old
sheep-hunter living on Prior's fork, near
here relates that he saw not long ago a
flock OF eighty-one sheep in the Bitter
Root range, and about five years ago,
w.lile scouting through the Teton basin,
In northern Wyoming, near the southern
boundary of the Yellowstone National
park, he ran upon II band that must have
numbered over 800
EXCEEDINGLY SCARCE.
These animals range all the way from
Rio Grande to the Mackenzie. but at the
Ii hts named they are exceedingly scarce
and most difficult to kill. Their natural
home is among the mountains OF the up
Pr Yellowstone and Missouri rivers
Some few are found in Washington terri
tory, Oregon, and California, but the cen
ter around which they revolve is the
Y Yellowstone National park and the bor-
bordering counties of Montana, Idaho,
and Wyoming. Particularly are they
plentiful III the mountains from which
they take their name-viz, the Big Horn.
Very little is known of the habits of this
rare game animal. even by those who
have written Oh this subject. They range
winter and summer alike in the
same ATTITUDES and attitudes, only in
summer they wander farther away than
In the opposite season. During the cod
months they stay on the southern slopes
Ut the mountains SO as to catch the sun.
In the summer they are generally found
Oh the higher benches. where the bunch
grass and mountain clover are abundant.
Among the peaks where they habituate
one OF the first things to appear in the
spring is the wild onion or leck, which is
eagerly sought out aud devoured by
the,A. This wild plant imwarts to the
flesh delightful flavor, and makes the
meat OF the Big Horn the most delicious
In the mountains. Their create est enemy
Is tho mountain lion. In fact, the prin-
cipal diet of the mountain lion is the
tender offspring of the "Ovis Montana
When lambs are not to be had, the fierce
North American panther Goes not objc.
to feasting on the rarents. These rare
sheep are also subjec to sort Of scab
disease, which, when it becomes er-
demic, sweeps OFT at hort notice scores
them. young and ol. alike. The lanl',s
are brought forth from the 18th to the oOtll
Of May
The "Ovis Montana" is adorned with the
most remarkable headgear imaginable in
the shape Ut monstrOllS horns. These ;,r.
used by them for various purposes BIZ
principally as a means of defense. Aston
1shlng as 1t may seem, they also use tlle.
immense horns to assist them in descend
in from one lofty elninence to lower.
II IN skipping from crag to cray and from
Ri &c to ridge it should become necessary
To make Il jump downward, no matter
what the height, the roll themselves ,,D
m-Oa kind OF ball, Vault ont intu the ar.
and. turning Il succ, sion vi >onlrrsaul
keep the ball rolf. - SO to speak unit!
they strike On their powerful horns be-
low.
VERY HARD TO KILL
The shock would kill an ordinary ami.
NAL. but these hardy uenizeus Of the
III 'untains don't seem to mind it nuci.
for they spring to their feet ;.n,! ~ lmuni.
ing over impossible clE,slls and i,wu, t,
rocks until it becomes ,,ec.~ ,;,ry to- :,nI
another descent, when the same t.tc,i,>
are repeated.
w. B. Dow, of the Green Mountain Cat.
tie company. relates that lie saw near hi,
ranch ON Powder river, not long ago
band OF BOO mountain sheep. They we,
browsing ON lofty Gill, when fox some
unaccountablc reason the flock brcam.
stampctled and rushed away like the
VI lrlwind. On they came pcll nell 70
the edge ut the cliff. which was cut sharp
into II perpendicular decline Of fully l,5W
feet. The leaders paused, but there was
no help for it. The rear guard crowded
them over. aud the cntirc flock went neck
over heels down into space 1t was no
doubt II curious sight to see 300 mountain
sheep doubled up into balls and falling
over such lofty preclpice. Down they
came, one after another, until the whole
band had made the awful jump AS this
was such frightful leap for any breath.
ing creature to make and live, it Is not
surprising to know that thirteen out Of
the 800 were killed by the conclusion. The
cowboys Of the ranch secured the meat,
which they declared far superior to their
choice Montana sfeerS