Horns vs antlers

[swamp monkey]

This may be a hair splitting question but I am going to throw it out there respectfully.  What do we consider horn?  Zoologically horns are a keratin shell with a bone core.  Buffalo, cows, ox, musk ox, water buffalo and all kinds of ungulates in Africa.  Horn is not shed.  Antlers are modified bone that is shed annually. 

So do we consider elk and caribou antler "horn" bow material? It is common to hear antlers referred to horn.  Just asking. 

[Pat B]

There have been bows made with elk antler and sinew but the term "Horn bow" refers to actual horn, keratin and not antler, which is bone.

[tipi stuff]

I agree with Pat B. There is a distinction between horn bows and antler bows. North American antler bows were typically elk down here in the lower 48. North American horn bows were mostly, if not all, made of sheep horn. People have been making buffalo horn bows for years, claiming it as a traditional style of American Indian bow. I know this would actually be bison horn, but I have never seen an old original bison horn bow. Anyone know of an old original?   CC

[IndianGuy]

An explorer named Russell refers to a bison horn bow, and I've made over 20 of them even winning bow the month with one, so they are practical and easy go make with basic tools. As for sheep horn yes that's a true American composit bow that's documented. Now the great American horn bow thats forgotten is the ones made of longhorn cattle horns. The smithsonian has several in their archives, several sheep horn bows are thought to have been mis-identified and really be longhorn cattle horn..very interesting because mst horn bow makers say cattle horn won't work.

[loefflerchuck]

It was Dr Wedel who said he thought the horn must have been cattle because it did not look like bison. Dr Wedel was curator of all of the Division of Archaeology. Not a noted expert on bows. Would be nice to examine these in person to make the call. Some bighorns are full of dark stripes that make them look like cattle horns.

[IndianGuy]

Well chuck I guess we need to make a bow from longhorn horns and see how she stacks up against the sheep horm?
E

[tipi stuff]

Chuck and Eric,
     Do either of you know Bill Holm? He measured a number of original horn bows quite a few of years ago. Somewhere I've got a sheet of horn bow dimensions that he typed up. Reginald Laubin gave up on replicating an antler bow, writing that they must have just been show pieces. Bill made a shooter. I don't remember when he did this, but it must have been in the late 50's or early 60's.     Curtis

[IndianGuy]

Tipi, the first elk anler bow I ever made is hanging on my parents mantel, it turned out fairly well. The ones I've made have not held up to my sheep horn bows but would be deadly enough to harvest game.
E

[tipi stuff]

Pretty cool to have made just one horn or antler bow. There's just not that many people who've made them. Hat's off to you guys.  CC