Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1914-07-01
GOT HIS ANTELOPE
Young Hunter Captured Quarry
in Peculiar Way. 49,
Probably the Only Incident on Record
II Which Fleet Animal Was Rid
den Down and "HootIed" by
Daring Horseman. s.s.

den Down and "Hootied" by
Daring Horseman. =
An old-ttmer in the San Luis valley
Of southern Colorado tells the follow
Ing story Of the day, now long past
when antelope grazed In great mum
bers in the beautiful natural meadows
along the Alamosa, Conejos and Rio
Grande: 7$Sys
A young school teacher named Paul
Brown. came out from Ohio to spend
b. summer at my ranch. He was a
lover of hunting. but had never had a
chance at any kind Of big game. No
sooner did he learn that there were
antelope in our neighborhood than he
made up his mind to get one.
gave him an old buckskin broncho
COW pony, not much for looks. but with
an amazing amount of wind. He
could gallop IL hours with almost no,
rest. and be none the worse for it the
next day.
As Brown rode along the Conejos
r1ver one morning, he jumped a buck
out Of the tall grass almost under his
horses nose. The antelope ran, and
Brown was so startled that he en-
stlrely forgot his rifle. But the pony
laid back his ears and started In pur-
suit of the fleeing antelope. At the
first jump, his hind leg struck the end
Of the rife barrel, and knocked 1t out
OF the saddle scabbed. Brown was too
busy keeping the antelope in sight
to notice its loss.
b antelope soon got out Of the
tall grass, and settled down to a steady
run on the .opeh prairie. with the
plucky little COW pony about a hun
dred yards behind. Brown then re-
memberd that he had a rife. and
reached down for 1t. The gun was
gone, and he had no time to go back
and hunt for it, 30 he made up his
mind to run the antelope down and
capture It alive.
The buck ran In a great circle, and
at end Of an hour or a little more had
finished the first lap. The gap be-
tween himself and the pony was about
the same as at the start. Whenever
the antelope sprinted, the buckskin
was equal to the occasion, and held
his own. Both animals showed signs
of weakening at the end OF the second
hour.
Then Brown had q happy thought,
saddle weighed about 40 pounds.
The pony would last longer IL he could
get rid Of the saddle. So leaning
down, Brown loosened the cinches.
When everything vas loose. he slipped
over the horn to the pony's shoulders
and pushed the saddle on behind him
Relieved Of that weight, the pony be-
gan to gain slowly, and at the end OF
another half hour was less than so
yards behind. The antelope was pref
II thoroughly exhausted. and the pony
breathing hard. but he laid back
his ears for q final squirt, and at the
end OF five minutes was running neck
and neck with the antelope.
Brown then realized that he should
have kept his rope when he threw
the saddle away. He did not even
have a pocket knife. He did not know
what TO do
Then he had Al inspiration. Pulling
Of his coat and holding 1t under his
arm, he climbed on the pony's shout
1ers and made . flying leap on top Of
he antelope. By chance, he landed
'quarely astride the bucks back. The
antelope was pretty well worn out, and
With the additional weight OF ! rider. 4
,e tired rapidly. Brown then threw
liz coat over the bucks head and-tied : :
he sleeves together under his throat. :
rhe blindfolded antelope stepped into :
] hole and fell. Brown went on over$d
he .antelope's head and landed unin. Y
ured Just In front OF his horse, who !,
lad come+tosa standstill. Jumping up.
Brown unsnapped one OF the Bride :
eins, and before the exhausted buck I
ould regain his feet the man had him
ecurely hogtied. NH hun
Leaving the antelope tied and blind :
olded. Brown started home, and :
cached the ranchhouse Just about
ark. He told me his experience, but
had plenty Of trouble making me
elieye his story. The next morning, :
owever, 1 hitched q team to the
,agon and started out with him for
he place where he; said he had left his .
anne. I had to believe his story
hen we reached theplace, and found
1e antelope tied and blindfolded., We
,aded the buck into the wagon and, !
tier using up the rest Of the day and
lg Browns gun and saddle. drove
ack to the MISUNDERSTANDING Com
anion.