"But I should think that when the antelope ran, it would leave all
the wolves behind, those that were resting even more than the one
that was chasing it."
"It would do so if it ran straight away and out of the country, but
this it does not do. Instead, it runs in large circles. When three
or four prairie wolves decide that they want antelope meat for
breakfast, one of them creeps as close as possible to the animal they
have selected, and then makes a rush for it, running as fast as he
possibly can, so as to push the antelope to its best speed and to
tire it out. Meantime his companions spread out on either side of the
runner, and get on little hills or knolls, so as to keep the chase
in sight. They trot from point to point, and pretty soon when the
antelope turns and begins to work back towards one of them, this one
tries to get as nearly as possible in its path, and as it flies by,
the wolf dashes out at it and runs after it at the top of its speed,
while the one that had been chasing the antelope stops running, and
trots off to some near-by hill, where, while the water drips off his
lolling tongue, he watches the race and gets his breath again. After
a little the antelope passes near another coyote, which takes up
the pursuit in its turn. And so the chase is kept up until the poor
antelope is exhausted, when it is overtaken and pulled down by one
or more of the hungry brutes."
"Why, I should think the coyotes would kill all the antelope after
awhile," said Jack.
"Of course the coyotes do not catch every antelope they start," said
his uncle. "Sometimes the game runs such a course that it does not
pass near any of the waiting wolves, and only the one that starts it
has any running to do. Then the chase does not last long; the wolves
give up. Sometimes the antelope is so stout and strong that it tires
out all its pursuers. Yet they catch them more frequently than one
would think, and it is not at all uncommon to see coyotes chasing
antelope, although, of course one does not often see the whole race
and its termination. Often if a wolf running an antelope comes near
to a man, he gives up the chase and that particular antelope is
saved. It is a common thing for a single coyote to chase an old doe
with her kids, just after the little ones have begun to run about.
At that time they are very swift for short distances, but have not
the strength to stand a long chase. In such a case a mother will
often stay behind her young, and will try to fight off the coyote,
butting him with her head and striking him with her forefeet. He pays
little attention to her, except to snap at her, and keeps on after
the kids. Several times I have seen a mother antelope lead her young
one into the midst of a bed of cactus, where the wolf could not go
without getting his feet full of thorns. If the bed is small, the
wolf will make fierce dashes up to its borders, trying to frighten
the little ones, so that they will run out on the other side and he
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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