Tidbit 3

Blowing horns for hunting dogs

Hunting horns arrived in America during colonial times.  Although not used as much today, some hunters still practice this tradition.  Dogs help hunters find their game or bring game back to them. Whether rabbit, deer, fox or coon hunting, the unique sound of theses horns alerted the dogs.  They were usually made from cow horns and were used to start and end hunts.  Dogs were then trained to recognize these sounds.  The horns were also used to alert hunters.

I grew up hunting with my father and grandfather These were carried and used on every hunt, especially if the dogs ran off on a deer. We mainly hunted coons and rabbits, but my grandfather used to fox hunt.  At the end of each hunt they would sound off on the horns to call in the dogs.  They make an erie sound on a delta night but are part of the history of this unusual place.