bag question

[Daniel]

My family was in North Carolina in the 18th century, Kentucky , Tennessee in the 1820s. Then Missouri in the
1830s. What would the style of hunting bags looked like in this time span? We were common working poor.
I understand there is not many originals left. I want to put together a progressional  series of bags and horns to fit the spans
of time, and possibly the firearms I have will fit each.  Thank you for your help.

Daniel

[crowbarforge]

For the common working man (as most were then) bags will generally not change a whole lot from what we know from examples and drawings/pictures.  A small rectangular bag, more wide than deep (say 7" wide 5"deep, vegetable tanned or brain tanned would fit the bill from what I have read and seen. No internal/external pockets. Might have had a gusset, maybe a welted seam, sewn inside out and turned right side out for use. Maybe some of the real experts will chime in and post some pictures.

There may be a need for a pouch to go with a smooth bore for your earliest (18th century North Carolina) relatives, and possible a move to a rifle gun after that. The majority of long arms were smooth bore early on, especially for the common man.

Best of luck.

[Daniel]

Thank you. Looking for any pictures or other descriptions.

[Pete G.]

I made one from a feed sack with leather for the flap. You could probably used a heavy canvass also, like an old tarpaulin. Bag was a small rectangular shape. Used old harness for the strap.

[HAWKEN]

I have a stack of old lead shot bags I saved.  I have been thinking of making a hunting bag out of them.  Any idea where I can find a pattern?  Robin   

[alyce-james]

Hawken: Sir, listed are (2) two very fine books you will find most helpful for your bag questions. 1) "Recreating the 18th. Century Hunting Pouch", by T. C. Albert. and 2) "The Kentucky Rifle Hunting Pouch", by Madison Grant. Enjoy the reading. AJ.

[Oldbow]

A simple square or rectangle bag in the 6" x 6" or 7" x 7" range, made of 3 to 5 oz. leather or heavy grain sack, is always right for ANY time period.
  With or without a flap,  simple and PLAIN was always in style.
  Simple 1/2 to 3/4" strap with or without a buckle

  Leather = calf, pig, goat, deer, groundhog.......... Just about any varmet with leather. thick enough to last.

         THINK Simple..........

           Ernie

[Daniel]

simple is good. Less is more.

[Micah2]

I don't recall what name or type this is, but imagine the top side of a pair of boots with the sole cut out or worn out.  These these pieces of leather uppers sew together nicely for a common pouch and would fit the bill for a Carolina plain shout pouch.  I imagine many shot pouches were made from these two odd shaped pieces of leather once the soles wore out.  In fact the shape many old shot bags suggest it.

[Daniel]

I have seen them. The leg or top of a boot . Makes an interesting bag.

[Micah2]

No I meant the toe. The two toes of shoes or boots sewn together.

[Curt Lyles]

    Daniel
  I have made a few out of 3 tanned squirrel hides and they make a nice sized pouch that you wont carry no more than what is needed to make a rifle work. or you could try catchin a wood chuck and make one out of that as its good for the task.I think they would have been common to the Carolinas or at least the backwoods.
Curt

[Daniel]

I have a ground hog hide.  I just need to work it. It's a big hide too.
Just finished one out of the bark tanned deer I got from you. From the neck.
You have any squirrel hides left ?

[Daniel]

I have T.C. Alberts book .

[Daniel]

I have 2 bags going. 1 bark tan deer for a rifle and an open top out of
old ticking lined for a fowler.
I will try to post pics when done.

[JBJ]

I have this feeling that cloth/fabric bags were far more common than re may realize. But, cloth not being as durable as leather few have come down to us today. Just a hunch!
J.B.

[halfstock]

JBJ : The use of cloth for shooting bags needs be tempered with the realization that cloth of any type was very expensive then and leather was a very common thing. Kind of like a 180 deg thing from what we have in this day and age.

[JBJ]

Good point concerning cloth!
JB