Huntsville gazette., 1886-12-11

WlQQ. 1ne species are VlCIlmS VI IHs
tense curiosity and at times have walked
straight into death-traps, all the while
knowing and scenting danger, yet sc
unbounded is their curiosity to investi.
gate strange and unusual objects tha,
they are unable to withstand the tempta-
ton to look little deeper and satisy this
truly feminine instinct. A hunter in full
knowledge of this falling either flags
them or sticks weeds into his hat while
crawling So long as not seen and
particularly not understood, they will
not run, but merely bound few steps
at a time, then halt, or else run around
the strange object in circle. Even
if scented, though not seen, antelope
will want to know more about you and
the object of your visit before taking
to their heels. An excellent time to
hunt them is just before sunset and
when about to seek cover or bed. Get
to the leeward and between them and
the sun when the latter is about ia
drop behind the hills; then walk slowly
towards the game with as little motion
as possible. Unless scented there is
little danger of a disturbance or OF
flight, for this particular animal, gifted
with such keen eyesight, can not
see any thing that is between them and
the sun. / have often approached TO
within one hundred yards of band by
adopting the tactics named, and yet
they did not become alarmed. Buffalo
will also pass to the windward, like
their cousins of the antelope family,
but they will stand no such foolishness
as sun blindness. A red flannel shirt
is extremely fascinating to antelope;
also 4 red handkerchief or any thing
else of crimson hue. AS rule
these ANIMALS browse in small bands of
fifty or sixty, and if in large numbers
among the foothills, on the open
prairie. or elsewhere, a close examina-
ton will discover them to be congre-
gated in smaller groups of four or five
dozen, who, amid the multitude, keep
closely herded among themselves
They are neat, clean cut, handsome,
and as dainty as lady in their diet
feeding as they do on the tenderest
stalks of grass and the delightful
prairie clover. Astonishing as it may
seem, a crippled animal is, or appears
to be, the fieetest of them all, as be
generally takes the lead, the whole
band following whittier he goes.
once made an important discovery
in hunting which l have frequently
tried on antelope with marvellous sue
cess. 1t is to load with two ball in
stead of one. The method named is of
no service whatever except at short
range. At distances beyond two hun
dred yards and even a little less it
proves failure; but have found it to
work like charm at one hundred and
fifty yards and under. Antelope are
such everlasting flyers that after being
shot to death they run q tremendous
distance before falling; but in the ease
of catching two balls instead of one,
I have never known an ante
lope to run more than fifty
yards before going to grass.
For the Springfield breech-loader,
which I use on all my hunting trips,
besides the ordinary cartridge case
which holds the charge of powder and
the conical bullet, weighing five hum
dred grains, l also carry round ball,
the caliber Of the gun, which ] first in
sert in the breech and then shove the
metal cartridge in afterwards. At one
hundred yards the spread is not more
than three inches, and at one hundred
and fifty yards both shots are pretty
apt to catch the beast somewhere. 1t
is surprising how quickly an antelope
will come to halt with two bullets
shot through him instead of one.
Speaking of their tenacity for hold
ing on to this world, will relate cir
cumstance which occurred in this
country not long since, and of the
truthfulness of which there can be no
question.
An antelope was killed by a hunter,
who found imbedded in the flesh of the
animal knife nearly ten inches in
length, including handle and blade.
We often hear Of human beings carry
ing on their persons and in their flesh
an ounce or two of lead, which after
settling down into some quiet spot is
heard of no more and gives little
trouble thereafter. But who ever
heard of an antelope with half-pound
knife sticking in its body and none the
worse for it? The animal in question
when killed was in fine condition, fat,
and plump, and apparently in no way
disabled from its remarkable wound.
The knife extended on the right side
of the neck, just before the shoulder,
passing about half an inch from the
heart, the point sticking into a rib,
which evidently held it in place. The
whole knife was covered by the skin.
The wood part of the handle fell in
pieces as the knife was being taken
out, showing that it had been confined
for some time. Evidently it must have
been in the flesh for years, as the wood
had decayed and the skin of the animal
had entirely covered the butt OF the
weapon. How ever the instrument
came to be in such strange place
must forever remain mystery. Prob
ably some Indian came suddenly upon
the animal and, having no weapon
handy, threw the knife at the buck.
where it lodged as described. Ger
tainly the antelope suffered little from
the inconvenience, and made up his
mind, true to his nature, to live on in
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