Old Hunting Horn

[beemer]

I picked up an old hunting horn today at an estate sale, its blowing horn for calling the hounds. I believe it is really old, it has a few worm holes, a lot of patina (or dirt) and shows a lot of scraping and shaping marks. It's about 14 inches long, 3 inches across the back and has a nice double curve to lay on your side.

I don't know what I will do yet but it would make a nice primitive powder horn. The spout would need very little work, shorten it a little at the back and fit a plug and secure with wood pegs. I could make a staple and of course leave the original patina.

I used to find a few horns around and the local slaughter house would keep a box full for guys to make horns but the owner passed away and that stopped. People now seem to think they are gold plated and or were all carried by Daniel Boone but I still pick up one occasionally.

Dave

[Winger Ed.]

That's cool. Sounds like that one was somebody's treasure and got used a lot.
If nothing else, it should look really good hanging on the wall in a man cave.

[Hickory]

When I was a lot younger, fox hunters around here used horns to direct hunters as to the direction that the fox was running.

[Hossfly]

I needed one back in my late 20’s called around and found a local older type store had them for $12.00. So I bought 2, still have them, love to watch kids try to blow em. Tell em you got to buzz your lips, like a bugle. Really funny watching them.

[mazo kid]

I made a couple back in the '70s, we had a vet friend who would save them for us when he de-horned cattle. The supply kind of dried up because of the polling process for young calves. Still have one horn, think (hope!) the core is out. That is a job best done by boiling out doors!

[beemer]

I had one back in the 60's, my Dad bought a dried raw horn and carved out a mouth piece. Someone borrowed it for a school play and I never saw it again. They were used for fox hunting around here too. It does have a lot of character, I might just leave it as is.

Funny story, Both my buddy and I had a horn, he had his Grandfathers. We were up above the road about half a mile from here one evening close to dark. The pulpwood had been cut and there were a lot of dry brush piles. We were about 50 yards apart and waiting for someone to drive up the dirt road. A car came up the road real slow, I blew my horn and he stopped and got out of the car and started looking around. My buddy blew his and started jumping up and down on a brush pile and I did the same. Never saw anybody leave so fast, he was still spinning when he went out of sight. It was great fun for a 12 year old.

Dave

[bedbugbilly]

Your horn . . . but if it is an original old blowing horn . . . I'd leave it alone. It's a piece of history and for every original hunting horn I've run across over the last 50+ years of collecting, for every hunting horn there are hundreds of original powder horns. IMHO . . . it would be like taking a Brown
bess and converting it in to a trapdoor because I needed/wanted a trapdoor. If you alter the original hunting horn, you'll be destroying a historical object of which there will be one less. It's just my point of view . . but I have had many original Civil War items as well as other military items and civilian items . . . I may own them "legally" . but in reality, I'm just the "caretaker" of them for future generations. I have purchased a number of original powder horns over the years and they are out there if you look for them . . . and some very reasonably priced . . . and there are a number of places to get horns to use to make powder horns . . . . . . please give it some hard thought before altering an original powder/blowing horn.

[DIRT Farmer]

As above, Do not butucher a blowing horn, they are just if not more valuable than a powder horn. You may very likely trade it for a nice custom powder horn

[beemer]

Thanks for the reply. I think you are right, it will be left as is. It is nothing fancy at all but it does have a lot of character. I think it will look right at home with the rest of my ML gear.

Dave

[waksupi]

I agree with others, treat it like a sore pecker and don't screw with it. It may be pretty valuable as is. Not many old original blowing horns around.

[dondiego]

I agree with others, treat it like a sore pecker and don't screw with it. It may be pretty valuable as is. Not many old original blowing horns around.

You sure have a way with words! Paints a very clear picture. I happen to have an old blowing horn and don't plan to screw with it now!

[pietro]

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My old horns are Russian drinking horns...…



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[TNsailorman]

I have my Dad's old horn and it is just the way he left in in 98. It will stay that way too. james