Pronghorn
antelope are native to the prairies of North
America. At one time they numbered in the
millions and were found on the open plains
from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains
and from Mexico to central Canada. With the
European settlement of the plains, the population
was reduced nearly to extinction. In Arizona,
antelope are found primarily in the northern
plains. They also inhabit high elevation
meadows between forested areas, and scattered
herds are found in the grasslands of southeastern
Arizona. The endangered Sonoran pronghorn
occurs in Mexico and southwestern Arizona.
Life History
The name pronghorn comes from the pronged or sharply pointed horn of the
male antelope. The females' horns are smaller and more slender. Antelope
have true horns in that the horny tissue is composed of fused hairs which
form over a bony core. Horns reach their maximum size during the summer
and the sheaths are shed annually, usually in the fall.
Antelope have exceptional eyesight, often compared to high-powered binoculars,
and are one of the fastest of the animals, being able to run in excess
of 60 miles-per-hour. Despite their speed, antelope are reluctant to jump
over objects, preferring to crawl under or through fences.
A conspicuous characteristic of the antelope is the white rump patch. When
alarmed, the hair stands erect and appears as a white flash that can be
seen for miles. Tan is the dominant body color, with sharply contrasting
white markings on the head and neck. The top of the buck's nose is dark
and there is usually a triangular black patch below the ear. The doe does
not have this black cheek patch. A short mane is present along the top
of the neck. Shedding is continuous with the individual hairs being loosely
attached making antelope hides worthless as rugs. Since the hairs are hollow
and can be erected at will, pronghorns are able to adjust to temperature
changes.
Adult male antelope weigh 90 to 120 lbs. Females are about 20 lbs. lighter.
Antelope are primarily browsers, especially on sagebrush, with grass being
only a minor food source. Wild antelope usually reach ages of 6 to 8 years.
Hunt History
Once second only to deer as a game animal, Arizona's antelope were first
given a closed season in 1893. The response must have been less than satisfactory,
however, as the season was completely closed in 1905. By 1922, the state's
antelope population was estimated to be less than 1,000 animals.
Then, for reasons that still are not fully understood, pronghorn antelope
began to make a comeback. Aided by a closed season, government predator
control programs, and the abandonment of numerous homesteads, pronghorn
numbers steadily increased until fears were expressed that some northern
Arizona populations were in danger of exceeding their food supply. Accordingly,
a limited hunt of 400 buck permits was authorized for northern Arizona
in 1941.
After a closed season from 1944 to 1948, antelope hunting in Arizona recommenced
in 1949. Hunts were liberalized gradually, until 1954 when 1,600 permits
were issued and 1,146 bucks were taken. Despite the issuance of a number
of antlerless antelope permits between 1961 and 1975, this level of harvest
has never again been equaled. Annual harvests since 1990 have varied between
500 and 700 bucks, with archers taking a proportionally larger percent
of the harvest in recent years. Plagued by encroaching subdivisions, increasing
highway construction, and other land-use changes, maintaining even the
present number of antelope is dependent on citizen involvement and an aggressive
translocation program. Approximately 10 percent of the 1998 antelope harvest
was in areas having reintroduced herds.
Behavior
Antelope are gregarious. They are found in mixed herds most of the year;
except in the spring when the bucks are alone or in small groups. In the
fall, bucks collect harems numbering up to 15 does, which they then defend
from other bucks. Antelope breed in August and September and the young
are born in May and June. The gestation period for the antelope is the
longest for big-game animals in the United States. About eight months after
mating, one or two fawns are born. The young are not spotted like the fawns
of the deer family, but instead have markings similar to the adults. The
fawns remain hidden, with the doe feeding them several times a day until
they are strong enough to travel with the adults.
Summary
Breeding
Period: August-September
Young
Appear: May-June
Average
Number of Young: 2
Distribution: 1K-8K
ft, grasslands of northern
and southern Arizona
Habitat: Open
grass and forest parks
Food
Preference: Grasses,weeds,
cacti, juniper, winterfat,
and chamiso
Habitat
