Powder horn materials I had never considered

[Naphtali]

I put some item or other on my eBay WATCH list. I then clicked to view the person's other listings. I saw what I thought was a misprint - a hunting shofar. In my world shofars are something blown in synagogue a couple of times a year. While I still have no idea what on earth is a "hunting" shofar, I did an eBay search for SHOFAR and came up with a huge number of hits. Most were sheep horns. One was cow horn. And several were Kudu horns.

Have sheep or kudu horns been traditionally used anywhere to create powder horns? If they have, other than looking really neat-o, does either material offer advantages over cow horn?

What is a hunting horn? Would a hunting shofar be the same item by a different name?

[Ky-Flinter]

Here's a hunting horn by Tim Crosby. 




-Ron

[Naphtali]

I see the photograph, but I have no idea why this horn differs from a powder horn. A horn that uses a mouthpiece and makes raucous sounds like a sick bugle, or a horn one yells through to project voice long distances, I understand where these are different.

[Tim Crosby]

 Blowing/hunting/signal horns were used in many different ways. As a signal horn they were used to pass information between farms, such as a fire or Indian attack with short and long blasts, similar to Morse code. Also used in Deer and Fox hunting, to tell the direction the animal is headed, Fox is killed, yes/no answers, etc...
 These horns are still used in parts of the US today. I was contacted by a fellow from Louisiana, to make a mouth piece that he could get different tones from, I made him three and two worked for him. He must have been fairly talented because he said he could get 5 distinctly different sounds from them.
 Take a look at the link below from the HCHs site, you will see a number of articles listed on blowing horns.
  They are not toys or oddities but real tools used in the field or at the homestead.

   http://www.hornguild.org/the-horn-book/index-of-horn-book-articles/


  Tim C.

PS: It differs from a Powder horn because the bell end is open and it has a mouth piece.TC  

[Tim Crosby]

"Have sheep or kudu horns been traditionally used anywhere to create powder horns? If they have, other than looking really neat-o, does either material offer advantages over cow horn?"

 I do not know for sure but I would think the excessive curves/twists would prevent them from being used as a Powder Horn. I did see a small Goat horn, it was fairly straight, used for powder, small as in pocket horn.

  Tim C. 

[hanshi]

For me, a hunting horn is a smaller horn that holds, as mine do, maybe 3 to 4 ounces of powder; or enough powder for a typical day long hunt.  I also have a very nice, tiny deer-leg-bone "priming horn" gifted to me by a forum member.  I also have a couple of somewhat larger and slightly unfinished horns.  I've no need for a large horn; and in fact one of my day horns was made from a large piece of cow horn which I cut in half.

Leg bone primer.

A crude bamboo powder horn I made but don't use.

Two hunting horns or "day" horns.  THey are now attached to the straps of two of my hunting bags.  The pic makes them appear long & skinny when they are actually short & plump.

[Daniel]

 India, and the Middle East.

[Naphtali]

By George, I've got it!

Many thanks to all of you.

[moleeyes36]

For me, a hunting horn is a smaller horn that holds, as mine do, maybe 3 to 4 ounces of powder; or enough powder for a typical day long hunt.  I also have a very nice, tiny deer-leg-bone "priming horn" gifted to me by a forum member.  I also have a couple of somewhat larger and slightly unfinished horns.  I've no need for a large horn; and in fact one of my day horns was made from a large piece of cow horn which I cut in half.

Leg bone primer.

A crude bamboo powder horn I made but don't use.

Two hunting horns or "day" horns.  THey are now attached to the straps of two of my hunting bags.  The pic makes them appear long & skinny when they are actually short & plump.

Hanshi,

That bamboo horn of yours makes me wonder if some of the poorer old timers here in the deep south didn't make some powder horns from cane since it is everywhere here.  I've seen pictures of powder measures made from cane.  Have you seen pictures of any original powder "horns" similar to your bamboo one?

Mole Eyes