The Dickinson press., 1911-02-04
ANTELOPE
IN OKLA.
Animals Once so Plentiful in West.
ern North Dakota Will be Pre-
served i'm Wichita Game
Refuge.


Many readers Of the PRESS who recall
how plentiful the antelope were on the
prairies around Dickinson from 1881 to
about 1888 will be interested in the work
of the government in preser wing the
antelope. In the eighties people could
see antelope in these parts almost any
day and it was not an uncommon thing
for rancher's wife or child rem to have
pet antelope about the place. In
early fall the antelope would bunch up
in the Bad Lands, some times running in
herds of several hundred. In the spring
they would scatter out in pairs on the
prairie. They were shot for their meat,
and as civilization advanced the
antelope disappeared, there being almost
none left in the state now.
A Washington dispatch of February 4,
says:
Game Warden Rush. of the Wichita
Game Refuge in the state of Oklahoma.
has informed the Department of Agri-
culture of the receipt in good condition
of 10 head of antelope, which came from
the National herd in the Yellowstone
Park. Through the generosity Of men,
bers of the Boone and Crockett Club of
New York. funds we're furnished for
capturing and transporting these animals
from Wyoming to Oklahoma. The news
of the arrival of the antelope at their
destination has been received with
satisfaction by the Department officials.
who are much interested in the attempt
to preserve this interesting game animal.
The pronghOrned antelope is unlike
any other antelope on the face of the
earth, and has so many peculiarities
that naturalists class it in family by
itself. Formerly existing by thousands
on our open Western plains, it has now
been so reduced in numbers that its
absolute extinction is certain in the
very near future unless protection is
given to the few remaining. 1t does
not do well east of the Mississippi River,
and can not be successfully bred in
captivity: but it thrives if allowed to
roam practically free within large en-
closures and under conditions closely
approaching the natural ones.
In 1908 the Biological Survey esti-
mated that the total number of antelope
in the United States had been reduced
to $1,000. Of these about 10, 900 were
in Montana, Wyoming. and the Yellow
stone Park. and the remaining 1000
we're distributed in IL other states.
On the Wichita Game Refuge it is
hoped that the antelope will find them
selves in surroundings suited 10 their
increase. The Wichita is really
National Forest, and Game Warden
Rush acts as its supervisor and attends
to all the business involved in its ad-
minstration. But on the Wichita, which
was set aside by an Act of Congress as
National Game Refuge because of its
especial suitability to act as breeding
place for the wild creatures of the plains
and lower Rocky Mountain regions. the
Importance of the game work has over
shadowed the ordinary uses of a
National Forest. There are over $50
National Forests, but only two National
Game Refugees.
In the Wichita and the Grand Canyon
Game Refugees the Government has not
left the matter Of caring for game pro-
lection wholly 10 the States, but has
established National reservations on
which an attempt will be made to breed
game. The Wichita is notable for the
fact that it has small herd of buffalo
upon it, which the game warden regards
as the apple of his eye. They were
donated by the American Bison Society
and shipped from the New York Zoologi-
cal Garden in 1908. They then num-
bered IS. and have since been increased
by the addition Of 10 calves two of the
original herd, however. died in the first
year. To the buffaloes are now added
the antelope.
The antelope were shipped from
Yellowstone Park, and have been ]iber
ated in one of the buffalo yards which
had been prepared for them. They will
be Given more and better range us soon
as proper wire enclosure can be made.
Two additional head are expected to
follow the eight already received.
Since the antelope. once so abundant on
the plains, is in serious danger of entire
extinction. this attempt to establish the
species on the Wichita Game Preserve
will be watched with interest by all
who wish to see our native wild animals
given chance to perpetuate themselves.
] thouth surrounded by civilization.