Wild Spirits of the Plains

(Antelope)

Native Americans called the pronghorn antelope the "wind spirit" because of its speed and ability to disappear quickly. But George Ord, a 19th century zoologist, provided the pronghorn's official Latin name, Antiopara americana, which literally translates into "American goat antelope." In reality, though, the pronghorn is unique -- a one of a kind species found only in North America.

During the 1800s, the ghosts of the sage, numbering between 40 and 60 million, inhabited the plains from theMississippi River to the Pacific coastline. As it was with many big-game animals, however, the pronghorn population plummeted with the human migration westward. Both the military and settlers viewed the prairie speedsters as easy targets for food and pleasure, and diseases spread by domestic livestock killed undetermined numbers of antelope.

By the start of the 20th century, the pronghorn had disappeared completely from the central plains, and only about 15,000 survived in the West. A major effort to halt the pronghorn's extinction eventually brought them to the current numbers. Today, about 1 million speed goats roam the western plains, with the bulk of them living in Montana and Wyoming. Although several other Rocky Mountain states have much fewer antelope, they still provide excellent hunting on a limited basis.

Compared to the more glamorous species such as elk and mule deer, the pronghorn offers a relatively inexpensive yet exciting hunt. The permit costs are generally reasonable, and hiring a guide for a public land hunt is unnecessary. Any hunting unit that offers permits will have habitat where the pronghorns hang out. So if a hunter does his homework, the chances of seeing a legal buck are high. In fact, few hunters will go through a season without seeing a shootable buck, and they normally see many.

Obviously, seeing a buck is no guarantee to filling tag. A successful hunt involves some skill, a bit of luck and plenty of patience.

With few exceptions, a buck with 14-inch horns is a decent trophy. A pronghorn's ear is six to seven inches high. So horns that are twice as long as the ears without the arc or the curl on the tips will measure 12 to 14 inches, and the curve will add a minimum of 3 or 4 inches to the length. Other factors, such as prong length and width, circumference and mass will all affect the total score, though. A side profile will provide the best view to judge these. If the prongs look long, heavy and seem to be above the animals ear tips, pull the trigger.

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