The American Beagler Forum

“Hound Horns”

1) Does anyone know where is a good place to purchase a horn made for calling in hounds?
2) What kind of distance does the sound carry compared to the modern beadles whistles?
3) I know they are made in several different sizes. Does anyone suggest a certain size?
4) I hear some guys prefer goat horns over cattle horns. What is the reason for this?

Any other comments for or against “horns” for calling hounds would be greatly appreciated.

I know Bill Boatman sold them you can check on his site at http://www.billboatmancoinc.com

I would love to have some of those beautiful brass horns from England. But I know little of nothing about what would work the best for actual calling of hounds. This stuff is a little over my head. Any help would sure be greatly appreciated. I haven’t purchased anything on Ebay for about 4 to 5 years. So I’m not that up on how to find things there either.

I just ordered a goat horn for $45 off of "Jewels of the Horn/Libby Gates" in Louisiana.
P (318) 388-1638


I am very interested in a real nice brass horn. If anyone find one let me know.

Thanks guys!

I use a old copper and brass horn given to me by a good friend on my last trip over the pond.
I can tell you that no whistle can reach out as far as a good horn! I give a little call on it every feed time, by the time we hit the woods my dogs, hound or terrier know to come to its call.
Regards.....

I have used horns all my hunting carreer,cow,goat,artificial I've used them all.I prefer a goat horn because to me they are a little easier to blow and have a higher pitch to them than cow horns.I still make my own horns but only when I need one.I was playing around one day with different things to use as a horn and found one of those air horns off an eighteen wheeler,the long ones,Man that thing was easy to blow and sounded great and you could here it forever,I worked down the end of a goat horn and made the mouth piece fit right down on the air horn and it worked great for many years until someone took it from me.I now use a goat horn that my Dad made when he was still running foxhounds.

Jewel of the Horn - Mike and Libby Gates make them and advertise them in the classifieds of TAB. I'm away from my office right now. If anyone has the magazine handy, they can post the number, or I'll do it in the morning.

I've gotten a couple of the Beaufort Horns from Henry Keat in the UK.
One is copper with silver bands /w two lugs for fastening a landyard, and the other is nickel/copper.
I've been told by more than one beagle pack master, that the proper horn, is 9" in length and 2" at the bell. The note D' is what your after, as it resounds best through the woods and grabs the hounds attention quickest.
This is all long traditional stuff over there and has been work out over the centuries of hunting with hounds, so I'm willing to take their word on these things...
Shortly, we will have the chance to see first handedly how all this traditional hunting is done in Briton. Tho they are now forced by law to hunt a drag scent or flush rabbit to gun, there is a great chance the centuries of breeding will creep through and we'll see a wonderful riot of the full pack on hare... Of course, they must do their level best to stop the hounds off hunting the hare, but we all know how quickly hounds can "get away" from you...
I'll get some snapshots to bring back an show...Patch

Bev wrote:Jewel of the Horn - Mike and Libby Gates make them and advertise them in the classifieds of TAB. I'm away from my office right now. If anyone has the magazine handy, they can post the number, or I'll do it in the morning.

"Jewels of the Horn/Libby Gates" in Louisiana.
P (318) 388-1638

Mine prefer a Tuba, but the dern thing sure gets heavy.

I've often heard, the size horn used corresponds accordingly, to the size ego of the hunter...

I got one of the brass and copper ones from the U.K. thru the Englishman and it has already paid for itself a couple times over. When it is clear and quiet in the woods you can hear this thing for miles.....literally.

PATCH, IF THAT WAS THE CASE, SWING WOULD NEED 2 TUBAS. LOL LOL
MIKE

"Last edited by Keystone Kid on Tue Oct 11, 2005 4:35 am; edited 1 time in total"

Hey Kid, your a class act...


If you go to ebay, type in "hunting horn" in the search box.
Also, you can search for things solely in the UK by typing in "ebayuk", this will give you listings of items in the UK only.
There are lots of fake and poor quality horns out there. Swane or Keat are always marks of quality.
Happy ebaying...

If you chose to go 1st rate, the number for Henry Keat in the UK is, 011-44-1962-760210.

I have made several in my time. I use one that I made several yrs. ago out of a cow horn. My dad was a fox hunter for many years and I learned it from him. My horn has a beautiful clear tenor sound much like a cornet. I play the trombone and it helps to have a developed lip. You can hear a horn for a log way and it seems the hounds respond to a horn better.

Score this up to me being fairly new to beagling but, with the tone most collars have does anyone really use Hound Horns and why would you want to carry one in the field? No sarcasm intended just wondering.