adult males either defend a fixed territory that females may enter, or defend a harem of females. a pronghorn may change mating strategies depending on environmental or demographic conditions. where precipitation is high, adult males tend to be territorial and maintain their territories with scent marking, vocalizing, and challenging intruders. in these systems, territorial males have access to better resources than bachelor males. females also employ different mating strategies. "sampling" females visit several males and remain with each for a short time before switching to the next male at an increasing rate as oestrus approaches. "inciting" females behave as samplers until oestrus and then incite conflicts between males, watching and then mating with the winners. before fighting, males try to intimidate each other. if intimidation fails, they lock horns and try to injure each other. "quiet" females remain with a single male in an isolated area throughout oestrus. females continue this mating behavior for two to three weeks.