Antilocapra Americana (Antilocapridae)

The American Pronghorn (Antelope) is the last remaining member of its family and species. Its headgear is unusual, being made up of a bony core sheathed by an outer horn, unlike antlers which are true bone. It sheds annually, the only horned animal to do so, and does not have dewclaws like other split hoofed beasts. Pronghorns are capable of sprinting up to 60mph, and can sustain speeds over 30mph over several miles. The greatest numbers of pronghorns roam vast areas of Wyoming and Montana, uncontained by any fence as they can leap as high as 8 feet, or jump over lengths of 25 feet.

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The following photographs were all taken in the Deer Lodge valley in Southwestern Montana. Several herds were spotted on one occasion over a distance of 5 miles, around lunchtime, unusual to see the antelope this time of day. These animals are regularly hunted so can be extremely skittish when approached. The final picture of a running pair of antelope was taken late afternoon. All photos were taken with a Canon 10D camera and 75-300mm zoom (effectively a 120-480mm lens)