The Old Swede: September 26, 2025
A timeless signal from the field — the gamekeeper’s horn, a small instrument with centuries of tradition and meaning behind its sound.
The Gamekeepers Horn
I was not familiar with a gamekeepers horn until I went to England for the first time on a driven pheasant shoot in North Yorkshire some years back. The sound of the horn represents the start and end of a drive although it seems that many drives start on the sight of first birds. The end of the drive, when beaters have flushed everything in front of them and the guns are in close proximity always ends with the sound of the horn. The blown horns sole purpose is for safety, for the team of beaters pushing forward, but it is also signals the end of the drive and the work can begin for those helping pick up, dogs are loosed from their leashes to join in the task at hand. I have shot on grouse moors where the drives do not end with….
The history of the gamekeepers horn is interesting, dating back to the 18th century. I have had these two in my home office for awhile now. Neither my wife nor the dogs much appreciate the sound they make, especially when blown inside the house.
