Where the Antelope Play

The Western Pronghorn Antelope (Antilocapra americana) presently numbers an estimated 500,000 to one million animals that range across most of the western and many mid-western states. They are indigenous to this area. They appear to be most abundant in Wyoming, by our observation, which is where this male was photographed.

Pronghorns are the fastest land animal in the western hemisphere running as fast as 55 mph and able to sustain high speeds for a greater length of time than a cheetah, due to their enlarged windpipe, heart and lungs. They were a staple food for many plains Indians. Adult males may weigh as much as 145 lbs., and females tend a little smaller. During winter months they gather in mixed herds, but in spring and summer, the adult males live solitarily while the females gather in “harems” and the young, bachelor males gather in groups. Breeding occurs in September and gestation is typically 235 days. Pronghorns usually feed on forbs (herbaceous flowering plants), shrubs, grasses, and even some cacti. Some of the plants they eat are toxic to domestic livestock making them somewhat useful in ranch country.

We photographed this specimen while on a trip to the South Dakota Badlands and returning through Wyoming in May of 2021. We spotted this particular buck alongside the highway. He seemed to know exactly what we wanted as he patiently posed for us, striking several stances as we took various shots. With many other pronghorns nearby feeding on spring grasses, we couldn’t help but think of the song lyrics, “Home on the Range, where the deer and the antelope play.” Cliché? Well yes, but it’s the only song we know of that includes a reference to antelope.