Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-06-27
HUNTING THE BIc-HoRN.
The Animals Speed and Skill In Travers.
ing Places Inaccessible to Other

ing Places Inaccessible to Other
Animals.
IL started down the mountain the
next morning, and supposed had
reached about a mile from the level
country when / started big bowlder
that went rushing down the slope, and
looking over the edge 1 saw big ami
NAL thought was deer spring up
from the rock" writes a Pasadena,
Cal, correspondent of the New York
Times. cit stood a second and looked
at me, then dashed away and was out
sight before / could unsling my rifle,
which in climbing I had put on my
back, little thinking / should find any
game among the rocks of the upper
range. In that second / recognized
the big horns and massive head of the
mountain sheep. and right then and
there got the fever. I would have
those horns or would never go home,
and to make long story short, there
they are. / followed the animal GER
tainly week before 1 got shot, and
then he was so far away across a big
canyon that it was the merest chance
that hit him.
what do you think of crawling on
your stomach for five hours, not dar-
ing to breathe or look cross-eyed,
worming your way over rocks and
around corners trying to keep down
the wind? But that old buck had my
measure he knew 1 was after him and
always kept just so far away. I final
ly saw him with several other on a
spur of the range, and by three hours
climbing got so that could see him
fairly, and when I had the chance I
shook so that it was miracle that hit
him."
The mountain sheep is thoroughly
game animal, and the sportsman who
bring down a buck may be said to
have earned his spurs and be rated as
a true hunter. The animal is instinc-
lively suspicious, cautious to remark
able degree and endowed with remark
able powers OF speed and skill in max
ing its way over places inaccessible to
other animals.
The horns are enormous, resem-
bling those of the European ibex,
though more graceful in their shape.
The size of the horns have given rise
to many remarkable stories regarding
their use. One old hunter, who un-
doubtedly believed what he said, in
formed me that he had seen a sheep
descend mountain by leaping thirty
or forty feet at time, striking upon
the horns at every landing, and that
this was favorite method. That the
capra does land upon its horns at
times in its terrific leaps or falls there
can be no doubt, and it is equally GER
tain that it is an accident The horns
are, as in all animals of the kind.
merely weapons of defense, and are
Clipped and worn by the males in their
furious battles with each other.
On the plains below = the rocky
Businesses of the mountain sheep
bands of antelope are still found, and
a party from Pasadena recently en-
joyed this most exciting sport. While
the mountain sheep requires great
strategy on the part of the hunter, the
antelope draws upon other resources.
The animal keeps to the open country
the great level tracts and rich val
leys near the borders of the Mojave
and Arizona deserts. 1t is there diff
ficult to approach them unseen, and a
cool hand at the rifle and good seat
in the saddle are the requisites. In a
recent hunt the antelope were chased
at least twenty miles before they were
run down, and afforded magnificent
sport. November is the rutting sea-
son, and then exceeding large herds are
seen; but in the warm season they sep
arte to greater or less extent, when
the bucks afford fine sport. Some
readily outrun the swifest horse and
hounds, though it is possible to wear
them out by continuous running.