Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-07-14
ONLY A FEW BUFFALO
AND ANTELOPE LEFT
They Grow More and More Scarce
as the Years Go
BY.
HUNTING IN COLORADO wlLDs
Some Fine Specimens Killed for
Meat In Montana i~seccntIy---
Pronghorns Giving Way
Before Hunters.

Pronghorns Giving Way
Before Hunters.
The passing of the buffalo is the
hardest blow American nimrods have
been forced 10 bear. Only Il few years
ago there were myriads OF them II
now it is estimated that not more
than 200 or 800 are To be found wild
and free i'm the whole land. Within
the limit of Il quarter of century no
such terrible and thorough exterfnina-
ton of Zig game is recorded IN the
history of any land. And even now
the stories OF the buffalo days are
limited III the telling to but a scant
minority of the lucky ones who ems
joyed the stirring incidents OF those
wild times. When these arc gone the
sole remaining link which indefinably
connects the present with the past IS
broken. Then only by Historical fel-
erencc can W. recall or rscollect The
legend of the bison'sSpasssgc.A
During the past year a lew OF The
remaining stragglers OF the once
mighty race have been most jealousy
guarded in the widest tracts of Colo
radios hunting country, Official re-
ports claim that in widely scattered
bands a few-a very few-n their
haven of refuge aud far from those
| disturbing elements which in the past
have proved so fatal still fight against
their fate in that invaluable domain,
the Yellowstone National park. Out
of the millions of but a generation
gone these remnants remain to keep
before the present the pitiless lesson
Of a rocking past.
Eit Specimens OF the Race.
So when not long since six strong
and healthy buffalo were %butchered
for meat in Helena Mont, some
sportsnen thought that more than To-
cal attention should have been attract
ed TO SO unusual and, TO some, unlaw-
full event. However, but little com
ment was caused thereby. u few paid
the price demanded and enjoyed the
now rare delicacy of "boss-rib" and
''bufralo-hump" at 50 cents per pound.
Several carcases were disposed of at
different points both inside and with
out the limits of the state. The bal
ancc was sold in Helena, all as COM
mon meat.
The heads and hides, now relics OF
almost priceless worth, have been
carefully preserved and will, in time,
be mounted, two or three, at least,
life size. All OF the buiralos were in
their prime strong, heavy beasts,
from 4 to s years old. Each dressed
about 1000 pounds. The humps were
high and heavy, and the hind quarters
light and sloping. On all the long,
dark names hung pendent from mass
| ,NHN Ghnttll,,a. ,,I 4hf,l. tan.lyp. LA.
longer hair, draping almost 10 the
ground, in part concealed the sturdy
forclegS and the black. ponderous
hoofs, which made tracks second 10
none Of any kind OF cloycn foot. The
great, hanging necls and massive
heads were but a mass OF matted
bristling hair, out Of which the brighl
eyes somber SHOE, and jus. above
sloped out the ebon-polished horns
The longer hairs from the bewhis
kered lower jaw olttimcs trailed tho
ground. From the shoulders back the
hair was shorter and lighter in color
: but so thick that most persistent ef
fort failed to show the skin beneath
In all they were most noble beasts.
, A%rtelopcs Not Easily Rcached.
Another western animal is yearl,
> becoming scarcer and more shy be
: cause of constant h~arassmcnt. This
. is the antelope, of which an old hunt
5 or says: "NNhat a live antelope don
see between dawn and dark isn't Wis
iblo from his standpoint; and Will
c you're a-gawkin' at him through tina
Y glass to make out whether he's n roc
or goat he's counting your cartridge
s and Aying's and making up his min,
@ which way he'll scoot when you draw
{ for a bead on i'm, and don't ever yol
i forget it." II does not take the anna
teur antelope hunter very long to fin
out the acutcness of that animals eye
sight. The deer is simply nowhere /
this respect, and some hunters of eA
r p%ericnce declare that the pronghor
antelope possesses ever a keener eye
- sight than the ostrich or giraffe, bot
y Of which are famous for their keer
n ness of eye. And he is almost equa
~ keen Of scent and hearing. Fo
G these reasons the antelope hunte
l. must be a persistent, ~tirelcss hors,
F." man and q good shot. AS civilizatio
~encroaches upon the animals teri
t tory his senses became keener and h
suspicion of human being intensifiet
1t is exceedingly difficult to a
proach within 500 yards of n band {
v antelope unless II is favored by tt
character Of the country and observe
l. all the nicer rules of intelligent SIT
u hunting. II is better to select a TO
ing, broken bit of country, where OF
can take advantage of the natural ri
and fall of the land, though the gam
g preferring the iatter prairie, may II
,r be so plentiful there. tut your su
d cess will be thereby more certain.
le Cautious Approach Needed.
p The approved method of huntiI
IS the pronghorn is from the saddle al
d the most important point to be O
served is TO keep out Of sight, wi
the wind well in your face il possib'
p The antelope seems to be able TO fe
p the vibration impaired to the groul
10 by your horses hoofs, and to be pa
ticularly shy of d horses neigh or &
ID sound OF his shoe striking n piece
f. stone, so it is well to leave your hor
e picketed in the bottom of the dra'
y and make your way hatless to the {
re Of the ridges and take a careful 10
over. The greatest caution is he
necessary, for these little fellows a
not often caught off their guard a
n take alarm at the slightest SUSPECT
O. of danger, starting off with the spe
E. of a railroad train to a safer localit
After that it is like following a viii
Re Wind to attempt to overtake them.
r He likes the tender grass in the b'
" tom of some swale where there j
been the slightest suspicion of mo
10 ture earlier in the summer and IL
= we'll to approach such places with [