Bridger Antelope Trap facts for kids

The Bridger Antelope Trap is an archaeological site in Uinta County, Wyoming, associated with local American Indian hunting practices. The antelope trap was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.

Archaeological investigations, conducted in the late 1960s by Dr. George Frison of the University of Wyoming, indicated that the trap was likely in use before 1850; although its length of service is unknown, it is believed that the site is associated with Indians of the Late Prehistoric Period. The Indians' technique, when hunting antelope, was to drive a herd into the long entrance of traps similar to this one. The entrance, made of juniper wood, led to the trap proper, which was located at the base of a hill. This portion of the structure was circular; antelope were driven around the path until exhausted, at which time they would be dispatched by hunters. The circle was also constructed of juniper wood.

The Bridger Antelope Trap covers close to 26 acres (110,000 m²). Its entrance is arc-shaped, and is close to 0.25 miles (400 m) in length, extending in a northeast-to-southwest direction across a smooth valley. The trap itself serves as an extension of the entrance, and has a diameter of around 700 feet (210 m).

The site was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.