The Red Cloud chief., 1886-09-17
ROCKY SHEEP.
The Use They Make Of Their Big
Horns.


bAtibbS ItbtSeu UStboGC TSee
Of all tie game animals in the
Northwest. and particularly Montana.
the Big Horn or Rocky mountain sheep
furnishes the most sport 10 hunt,incN.
Chasing the buffalo across the plains
ON horseback and killing them with a
revolver. which was 1t one time the ia
voritc method Of hunting the big bison.
used To be- the ne plus ultra Of MN
rUiic amu-cmcn.S i'm Montana. but
since the buffalo have disappeared
hunter, have drif;.d back into the
mountains. whcr. the 'NDvis Montana
are 10 b. found during late year, in the
-reai->t abundance. There must be-
lots oi fun ScampcriEg over the prairic
after "A observation-disclosures bull. but
there j, the heat and violent EXERCISE,
not Ia speak of the danger of Your
hor,. piunging into a prairir-doy hole
and sending YOU downward 10 grass n
an an"lc of fifteen or twenty degrees.
The mountain sheep is always found
anon the peaks and elf, in cool a.tl-
tudrS and pretty near IN" timber or
pcrprtua'< z,w line. The Big Horn
sheep of u.< MAmoun,ainsi, a most
.I:nirnl, anin~ They are usual
!. s., :. ArI '"p @G,.. t,,cl, IF
shrcp-hunt.r living on Pryors fork.
near here. relates that he saw not long
ago a flock al cight-onr sheep in the
Hiti"r Rect range. and about five wears
ago, while scouting Through III. Teton
basin. in Northern Wyoming. near the
southern boundary of the Yellowstone
National Park. lie ran upon = band
that must have nambcrca over three
hundred.
1850 animals range all tn. WAY
fro". the Rio Grand- Ia IN. Mackenzie.
but AZ the limits named the, are cx-
crrdin"ly -.ar,r and most difficult To
kIli. Their natural home j. anon the
mountains "f the Upper Yellowstone
and Missouri rivers. Some few are
found IN Washington Territory. Ore
- "''A ~ IL but IHt center
around which they r~rvol,r fNhe yell
p">i"nr National Park and the Dor
'i"rlng counties of Montana. Idaho and
wyoming. Particularly are they plcn-
fiiui IN the mountains rom which they
iak" their nam" viz. the Biz Horn.
Very little is known of the habits of
fnl> rar,s .rlnt, -,nt.rnl ,r.. D., -,..
"h" ha'" written on the SuSic.i. !
ihrN range winter n summer alike
III 'hr same lati,udrs and attitudes.
ohil IN summer they wander farther |
away than IN the opposite season. Dur
'nC the cold months they STAY on the
southern slopes of the mountains SD
n ito catch the sun. In tn, summer
VIZ! are generally found on the higher
benches. where the bunch graSs and
mountain clover are abundant. Among
'ic prak> where thcy h..biiuatc one of
t"' hrs: things TO appear in the spring
i>the Wild onion or lcek. which is eager
4" sought "ut and dcvss,r.d bv them.
Las wild plant imparts To the flesh y
e'li@h'in! iiasor. and makes the meat
d 'hc hlE Horn th. most delicious i'm
ne mountains. Their creates. enemy
L. 'ar mountain lion. In fact the prin-
''PAi 1irt 81 the mountain lion is the
lender offspring of the ..Ovis Mon
tana- When lambs airs no, to be had
TIE fierce North American panther
Foes not object 10 fcastiny on the par
v"'> these rare sheep are also sub
i''' 10 a >or: Of >cab disease. which.
"hrh ii becomes epidemic. sweeps off
~ ,"ort notice scores Of them. young
And old alike.
LIE "ovis Montana" is adorned
WIN The most remarkable keadgear
in the shape of mons,rous
lorhS' These are used by them for :,
'aEiou> purposes. but principally rs = y
means OF defense. Astonishing as il :,
Hay seem. they also use their immense =,
i'rhs to assist them in descending \
one lofty emincnce to u lower. :,
: IN skipping from crag 10 crag and a.
rom ridge to ridge it should become b
eee>>ary TO make a jump downward. =,
o matter what the height. they roll =,
lemselves up into a kind of ball. :.
ault out into the air. and. turning .,
succession of somersaults. keep the ?,
ali rolling. 80 10 speak. until they So
rike on their powerful horns below. e.
ne shock would Kill All ordinary ami 8,
al. but these hardy denizenS of the =.
ountains dom seem to mind it much. J..
r they spring to their feet and go -
'unding over impossible chasms and 50
eyed rocks until it becomes neces- \;
~ to make another descent, when -.
e same tactics are repeated. tn
W. B. Dow, of the Green Mountain
title Company. relates that he
neal his ranch on Powder river. wi
t long ago. q band of three hundred ",
ountain sheep. They were browsing d.
a 1ofe~, ol:r ,-Lo, g. -.