Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-11-25
CHASING THE ANTELOPE.
Wild sport for Montana Huntsmen-
swiftly Running Animals.

+,is is the best season for antelope
49, Montana has seen for years. Where
- come from it is hard to tell, for 1t
os sunposed that the herds of domestic
sa,t,a mad driven them away with the
S',FsIo. who a few years ago retired to
S,nro remote pastures. But the antelope
ore here this season and no mistake. 1t
&c nrobable that they have migrated south
.roIn British territory, where the Geld has
nInnadv set in rather early. Probably the
tavorite stamping grounds OF the buhalo
80 +ha nresent writing are the Saskatche-
.ron plains, and it is also probable that
,ba antelope are not far from the buffalo.
Nevertheless, while but few bison are to
bo found in Montana this year, the ante
lane are back among us in nearly ss great
Numbers as of yOre. Paymaster w nipple,
nj the regular army, returning few DAYS
500 from an overland trip to Fort Magin-
MS on the Musselshell. reports seeing
numerous bands of antelope along hls
Ute of travel, some of which ran up into
4bo thousands All the deer and antelope
bngged this season appear TO be IN the
80 finest condition. Certainly, the
bouncbes of venisou and ribs OF antelope
bronCht into this post by Indians to sell
are exceedingly fat, rich and juicy.
HUNTING THE ANTELOPE.
III hunt the antelope successfully re-
nuires more than ordinary skill. With the
execution Of mountain sheep, antelope
ore inc most difficult game animals of
annroach on this continent. A bear VIII
sand ND and actually seek fight; buffa-
10 mil will run at first, but once wound
OIL a stand-up fight to the bitter end is
me nroba BILE outcome; an elk can be ap-
nroached and slain without exercising
extraordinary precautions. aud deer is
sometimes as dangerous and beillgerent
"a mountain lion. On the other hand,
the antelope first, last and all the time
dapands upon his legs for safety, and it is
fsir to say that they are the fieetest, as
,bey are the most graceful, OF quadru-
neds. There is no fun in store for the
1reenhorn who attempts to hunt this ami
nal without understanding its ways and
habits. Anybody can hunt and kill
bison, a bear and many other OF the large
game animals; but the antelope demands
Inc most skillful of huntsmen to compete
with its keen senses OF sight and smell,
not to speak of that OJher important ad-
iuuct. extreme feetness of foot. The
rower OF scent is wonderfully acute in
inem for it seems that they can ''smell
man" at six hundred yards and beyond
with the most astonishing eXactness.
Their tenacity of life is beyond all con-
ception. l have frequently seen ante
lCpe. with one leg shot away and hanging
by the tendOns alone, outrun and escape
from the fieetest plains ponies. Their
Iace is not long one (not more than six
or seven miles }, and it is possible that an
American horse might run them down;
but as rule nothing on the pralries can
eaten them, and the greyhound is about
the only four-tOoted beast in existence
that can De depended upon to keep pace
with and possibly outrun them.
THE EYE OF A HAWK.
No animal in the world possesses a
keener sight excepting the giraffe. In
stalking antelope the principal point is
10 keep out of sight, and next TO keep out
of smell. Don't imagine because band
is a couple of miles away apparently feed
ing and all with heads down that none are
on the lookout. The chances are ten to
one you are seen first, although they may
not move. Always hunt over broken
ground and undulating prairie. If on
horseback dismOunt and skirt the ridge
ahead, as yeur hOrse's head always comes
into view before you do, and take off your
nat, which becomes visible before you
yourself can see beyond. Do all the crawl
ing possible. Such is the red mans meth
cd, and he generally bags three times as
much game as two white men, unless the
latter adopt the same tactics. Ninety per
cent. OF all the game secured by Indians
is Shot within three hundred yards. They
are everlasting crawlers and simply no
good at all beyond the three hundred yard
limit. On the other hand, white man
plurges ahead in his natural happy-go-
lucky fashion, scares the game, thus CIV
ing it good send-Of, and then blaZes
away while the animals are on the dead
run. L have discovered many valuable
pointers as the result OF long experience,
and note lew OF them for the benefit of
those who Eave a notion to try their hand
at stalking antelope, When band scents
or sees you they run across the wind for
about nine hundred or one thousand yards,
and then turn and run straight up the
wind. The species are victims of intense
curiosity and at times have walked
straight into death-traDs, all the while
knowing and seeming danger, yet so un-
bounded is their curiosity to investigate
strange and unusual objects that they are
unable to Withstand the temptation to
look little deeper and satisfy this
TRULY FEMININE INSTINCT.
hunter in full knowledge of this fail
ing either flags them or sticks weeds int
his hat while crawling. So long as mo-
seen, and particularly not understood
tley Will not run, but merely bound few
steps at time, then halt, or else rur
around the strange object in circle
lope VIII want TO know more about you
and the object Of your visit before taking
10 their heels. An excellent time to hun
them Is Just before sunset and when abou
10 seek cover or bed. Get TO the lee
ward, and between them and the sun
when the latter is about TO drop behind
Inc nils; then walk slowly toward tht
game with as little motion as possible
unless scented there is little danger OF 1
disturbance or flight, for this particular
animal, gifted with such keen eyesight
cannot see anything that is between then
ana the sun. | have often approached Il
within one hundred yards OF a band by
SuOptlag the tactics named and yet they
ana not become alarmed. Buffalo viii
also pass 10 the windward, like theil
cousins of the antelope family. but they
WIN stand no such foolishness as SUI
blindness. A red flannel shirt is eX
uemely fascinating 10 antelopes, also
red handkerchief or anything else OF q
crimson hue. AS rule, these animal,
browse In small bands of fifty or sixty
ana II IN large numbers among the foot
Hllis, On the open prairie or elsewhere, o
SIose examination will discover them L
ee cOhGregated in small groups Of four Of
uVe uo1en. who, amid the multitude, keei
closely herded among themselves. Thel
are neat, cioan-cut, handsome, and Al
ualhty as lady IN their diet, feeding, al
lney 90, on the tenderest stalks Of gras
ana the delightful prairie clover. Aston