Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1892-04-19
WHAT IL ir,


liable sources that there hsve been
seen at various times and places in
tne w'lds Of ldaho's mountains. q
species OF animals somewhat resem.
bling the Rocky Mountain goat. but
differing thcrefrom in color, shape
ana SIZE OF horns, and also in being
somewhat taller and longer legged,
one party states that the animal
very much resembles the European
'nex, and like that animal inhabits
the most inaccessible heights Of the
hills. The writer remembers that
only few years ago the mountain
goat, now SO we'll known. was con-
sidered by eastern naturalists mvth
emanstIng from the vivid lmagina-
ton OF the western hunters; and it is
barely possible that still another va.
riety Of mountain antelope is to be
found in the rocky fastnesses Of our
majestic mountains. We would be
pleased to receive communication.
from any one possessing information
upon the subject. What do you say
hunters and mountain men; is the
ibex or its FIRST cousin to be found in
this country?-Idaho Mining, Agri-
cultural and Stock Journal.
We can give the Journal the de.
sired information in regard to the an
imsl. Many old timers here have
seen and killed them. They inhabi,
the high, rugged and rocky regions
of Salmon river, and very much re-
semble the European ibex. They
have horns similar to the mountain
goat, but longer and larger and curve
backward from the head. The horn.
are fat and three or four inches acros.
at the widest part. The animal i.
simmer and more graceful in it.
movements than the mountain goat
The latter is very heavy and will
form and movements much the sams
as bear. In fact many people who
never heard of such an animal or
seeing one for the first time were
ready to swear they had seen a white
bear. Their horns are very smal
and cannot he seen unless one is yer,
near the animal. The ihex, like the
goat, has single horns-that is, horns
without "spikes" or prongs. If We
have been correctly informed, tn,
ibex, like the goat, is not found any
where outside of Idaho. The idaho
ibex differs in some respects from th,
ibex of Europe. They very seldom
leave the rocky regions of cen,ra
Idaho, but several years ago two wer'
seen by Charles Magee, on the Ban
ner road, two or three miles from thi
town. They stood by the side of thu
road, and Charley drove up to within
verv few rods of them before the,
showed any signs of fright. What
grand thing it would be for Idaho i
a pair of these animals could be cap
tured for the Worlds Fair. w
think there will be no trouble in get
ting the goats, as they inhabit man.
sections of the State, aud are -asil
captured-especially the kids. Their
are hundreds in this county. Man
of them were captured at Atlantis
and domesticated. Whether they ar
still raised there we do not know. Th
goat has wool, the same as a sheeE
and resembles a sheep really NOR
than a goat, with the exception c
head and horns. They are yer
large. The WORLD man killed on
at Silver Mountain few years ag
that weighed, dressed, 245 pounds
, Hunters claim they have frequentl
, killed goats weighing over 300 an
r that a few have been killed weighin
, as much as 400 pounds. What
, known as the Rocky Mountain shee
has hair like a deer and very muc
the same color. 1t is also larg
animal, with huge horns-the horr
of a full grown one weighing fort
or fifty pounds. Elk and other an
mails of the State will be taken to tn
> Columbian Exposition, but w'tho'
, the ibex, goat and sheep the IN
would be incomplete. The shee
!, however, is found outside of ldah
inhabi,ing nearly all portions of tt
| Rocky Mountain range.