Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-06-28
HUNTING ANTELOPE.
ON THE PLAINS or NORTH
WESTERN TENAS.
Fhc 'Ficctncss. Bcauty and Grace
OF the Game and Their En-
DURANGO - Victims OF
Intense Curiosity.

The mountains of Northwestern Texas
md the branches Of the Sierra NIadra in
New Mexico, says II Fort Davis (rcxas)
ctter to the New York Times, now re-
main the only real game haunts in the
whole United States. Within few miles
d this fort antelope and deer can be
gagged in any quantities.
Antelope are the most difficult animals
20 approach on the North American Con-
'incnt. No game has quicker vision or
<ccncr scent, and us 10 speed, they can
kick their heels in the fncc of the best
ocom"tivc invented, beating the engine
'aSlly ut twrnty-milc run. Tho vast
'rcclcSs desert OF Western Texas is the
rue home OF the antelope Here he finds
'hcltcr and safety, simply because the
endless stretch of loneliness makes il easy
.or him Ia distinguish an enemy and get
beyond the reach ri powder and lead.
were he I" constantly hubituatc broken
country the hunter could lag him by
mill-hunting 60 the windward, hut by
adding To the open plains he avoids this
iangcr, ever keeping on the alert and
,rcr ready To take 10 his nimblc heels
when escape is necessary.
There is no fun in store for the green
lorn who attempts to hunt this ANNUAL
without understanding its ways and
habits. Any one can hunt and kill
olson, hear, and many of the other
large animals, but the antelope demands
The most skllful of huntsmcn to compr,c
With its keen sense Of sight and smell.
lot 10 speak of that other important nd
ll,sni
scent is most acute in them, for they can
'cadily "smcll II man" nj coo wards and
ocyond with the most astonishing exact
less. Their tcnacity Of life is beyond all
conception. have seen nm antelope with
)nc leg SHOT away and hanging bv the
cndons alone, outrln and escape from
he ilrcicst plains ponies. Their race is
ioi very long (ahout six or seven milcs). |
md II is possible that I'M American horse
might run them down, but, ms Il rule,
,olhihg on the prairirs can catch them, |
md the greyhound is, after all, the only
:our- footed brns, in existence that can he
depended upon To keep pace with This
beautiful gaHcllc of onr Western plains.
In stalking antelope the principal care is
% Keep onl III sight, and next TO keep out |
If smell
DO not imagine because IL baud is two |
niles away, apparently feeding and all |
with heads down, Tint none are ON the
lookout. The chances are ten Ia one tina,
iou are seen first, although they may moi
move
When u band of antelope scent or see
,on They run across the wind for about |
J0o yards, and then turn nn, run
straight mp the wind. The species arc
Victims al intense curiosity, and II; Times
nave walked straight into death trnps,
al the while knowing and sccniin.,
hanger; yet SO unboun,lrd is their curl |
>siiy !" investigate strange and unusual |
,blcciS That they are unable To withstand
hr temptation To look little deeper and
ailSiy this instinct. a hunter posscssr,l
)f This knowledge either iaps Them or
ticks weeds in his hat while CRAWLING.
80 Ions; as not seem, and particularly not
understood, they will moi run, but merely
pound a few steps and halt, or else run
ro'md the strange object in II circle.
even If scented, though not seen, ante
!opc will want To know more about Won
md the object Of your visit before taking
20 their heels.
An excellent time 10 hunt them il iusl
before sunset and when about to seek |
over or II bed. Get to tlIc lccwniu, be
wccn your quarry and the sun, near sun
sci, then walk slowly toward the game
with MS little motion ms possible. Unless
scented there is little DANGER of a disturb /,
ncc or of flight, for this particular ami |
nal, gifted with such keen cycsi.eht, can /
moi see anything that is between him and
The sun. have often approached to
within $50 yards by adopting the tnriics
lcscribcd, and yet they did not become
Harmed.
The buffalo will also pass TO The wind
ward like the antelope, hut ho will no,
,lhnh such loolishncss ms sun blindness.
A rcd flannel shirt is extremely rascinat-
InS to nnlclopc-that is not while worn
On the personnel course, but when waved
IN The air like IL flag. A red lnndkcr-
chief has also Il charm for tl,cm-in fact.
inyihng Of a crimson hue. ANY odd
motion or thing will do, so long as You
keep them puzzled.
AS Il rule antelope browse together in
bands OF fifty or sixty, and if in large
numbers among the foothills, ON the open
prairie, or elsewhere, close examination
will discover them congrcgatcd in smaller
groups OF four or five dozen, who, amid
The multitude, keep closely hcrdcd
imons themselves. They are neat, clean
:ut, handsome and as dainty ms IL lady in
their diet, feeding upon the tcndcrc,t
stalks Of grass and the choicest prairie
clover.