Evening star., 1899-04-07
o~----------
HUNTING THE ANTELOPE.
nerds Decfmated in Past Years a
the BufaIos Were.
From the Now York Press


Lazy men who were eood rtaa sb,,.s ,.,o,,,
tlle most successful hunters of anteIope in
lie Gays when that picturesque animal
roamed the western prairies in enorroouS
herus. good hunter earned a fair salary
with his gun in the fall months. and en-
JoSed the feeling of being his own master
An antelope hunters outfit was simple
orulharlly he rode a fast walking horse
VINO would stand fire, and led a pack horse
on whlch to load his game Across the
saddle pcmmel the hunter carried his gun
Whlch was generally a Sharp or Winchester
,,.S 80 Haiin5i' ,tI' with telescope sights that
Nouiu XIII at twelve hundred yards. The
weight OF the rifle, some twelve or fifteen
pounds, would not permit off-hand shooting
So a paif OF rest sticks also hung from the
sdddle norm These Were two slender rods
statpeheo at one end, and joined by
tilohS ABOUT six inches from the other ex-
IRENE, IN use the sharpened ends were
spread and stuck into the ground forming
a crotch on which the heavy rife could be
rested. A couple of keen skinning knives
ana steel hung from the broad belt that
carried the gun cartridges
Inus equipped the hunter trotted over the
prairie in search of his prey. When he
siShted punch of antelope he Immediately
sought position to the leeward of the
quarry, when he would cautiously approach
as close as possible without detection. At
the nrst sign of uneasiness in the grazing
neru lne hunter would diSmount and pre-
pare Tor action. His rest sticks" were
placed cartridges laid on the ground within
feach, ana then. squatting cross-legged he
proceeded to take his sights His horses
took advantage of the opportunity to crop
the grass. entirely Indifferent to coming
events III the hunter had been seen by the
Dig bucks of the herd, these would gather
tne does about them, and a general thing
SLOWLY draw the entire bunch nearer the
hunter, Tor antelopes are intensely curious.
owning almost the exact spot at which the
Drown and white beauties would stop, the
hunter fired as they reached it. and then
popped away as fast he could draw the
beads: At range of 400 yards the bullet,
IL well aimed, would pass through two ante
lope and probably. wound a third. A cloud
OF dust marked the course of the terrified
nerd, but as fast as the rifle could be
worked the deadly bullets would hurtle
among them, and PROSTATE forms limp
ing stragglers became tokens of the hunt
er's accuracy
Bewildered and panic-stricken. their
speed would soon have placed the survivors
beyond the reach Of the brown. lean rifles
did not the hunter. realizing this plant a
couDle of bullets Just ahead of the fleeing
herd. The dust kicked up by these leaden
messengers would often turn the terrified
animals back within close range. when
more would drop to bleed their lives away
When at last the herd had passed out of
range the hunter would be kept busy for
hours running down his wounded game
and skfnning and preparing the dead ante
lope for market. Only the hiBdQuarters
and loins could be sold. so the foreouarters
provided the hunters with meat for their
camps. Then the quarters would he 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 plentv the hunter
only got "a cents for pair of hndquarters.
Now they net him 81 a pair.