Arizona republican., 1899-04-29
HUNTING THE ANTELOPE.

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 Lazy man who were good riffs shots made the mCzt successful hunters Of antelope in the days when that pie turesque animal rcamed the we1-ern | prcirie5 in cnormcus herds. A good | huntsr earned a fat salary with his | gun in the fall months, and enjoyed the feeling of being his own master. An antelope hunters outfit was sim pie Ordinarily he rode a fast walking horse, who would stand fire, and led l pack horse on which to lead his game. Acioss the saddle. pommel the hunter carried his gun, which was general 7 Sharp or Winchester 45 caliber, with telescope sights, that would kill at l, ; 2000 yards. The weight of the rife. some twelve or fifteen pounds, would not permit off-hand shooting, so a pair Of rest sticks also hung from the saddle hem. These were two slender rods, sharpened at one end, and joined by thong about six inches from the other extreme. In use the sharpsned ends were spread and stuck into the ground, forming crotch on which the heavy rife could be rested. A couple of keen skinning knives and steel hung from the broad belt that carried the gun cartridges.
 Thus equipped the hunter trotted over the prairie in search of his prey. When he sighted a bunch of antelope he immediately sought a position to the 1eeward of the quarry, when he would eau COusly approach as close as possible without detection. At the first sign Of uneasiness in the grazing h5:'d the hunter would dismount and prepare for action. His "rest sticks" were placed, cartridges laid on the ground within reach, and then, squat ting cross-legged he preceded to take his sights. His horses took advantage of the opportunity to crop ths grass entirely indifferent to coming events. If the hunter hod Eeen seen by the big bucks of the herd these would gather the doss about them, and as a general thing slowly draw ths. entire bunch nearer the hunter, fer antelopes are intensely curious. Givining al most the exact spot at which the brown ard white b-au,-.es would stop. the hunter fired as they reached it. and then popped away as f11t as he could draw the beads. At range ct 400 yards the bullet, if well aimed. would pass through two antelCps and probably wound third. A cloud Of dust marked the course of the terrified herd. but as fasi. as the rife could be worked the deadly bullets would hurtle among them, and pccstrate forms O. limping straggleTs becams tokens of the hunters accuracy.
 Ds sWildered and panic stricken, their speed would soon have placed the sur vivors beyond the reach of the brown, lean rife did not the hunter. realizing th's, plant a couple Of bullets just ahead of the fleeing herd. The dust kicked up by these leaden messengers would cfteI1 turn the terrified animals back within close range, when more would drop to bl5ed their lives away.
 When at last the herd had passed out of range the hunter would be kaps busy fer hours running dclTn his wounded game and skinning and pre- Paring the dead antelope fo- marker. Only the hindquarters and loins could be sold so the foTequarterS provided the hurter with meat for his camp. Thrn the quaI,aTs would be loaded on the pack horse, and if he had had a good day frequently on the saddle horse as well. and taken to the nearest railroad station for shipment.
 When antelope were plenty the hunter only get 75 cents for a pair of hindquarters. Now they net him 8 a pair.-NeW York Press