What to use to keep bugs away from horns

[Eterry]

I did a search, couldn't find anything.
What kind of critter will bore holes thru the side of your powder/ blowing horn?
And what can you do to keep them at bay?
I have a hunting (blowing) goat horn that's almost 150 yrs old, i used clear finger nail polish in the hole to fill it.

 

[Robby]

Horns that I haven't got to yet i keep in a cardboard box with mothballs. I don't do anything to the horns I have hanging, maybe they just haven't been found yet, but it has been years. If I did see some bug activity I would spray them with Raid, or Off and see if that solved the problem.
Robby

 

[Juice Jaws]

Once you see the holes the bugs are gone. You could put your horns in a box and sprinkle sevin dust on them and keep them there for a few days. I have been lucky and never had the problem. Once in a while wiping down with linseed oil might help also, but that is just a guess.

 

[Ames]

Worst manure on the planet! As a bee keeper, I would encourage you to use anything, ANYTHING besides Sevin for bugs, or Roundup for weeds.
Please reconsider. Think of it this way. The rest of us are all downwind of what you use. Even small scale, and you throw it into the trash.....to the landfill......
If you are having problems with the bugs, try putting your horn in a zip lock bag and freezing it for a week. Then, defrost it still in the bag, humidity etc, and see how the bugs feel about the arctic treatment. Please?

 

[Juice Jaws]

Sorry, I know where you are coming from, but I don't have bee's , so I spray round up to kill my weeds and spray sevin dust for the garden. It works great for me.

 

[Kansas Jake]

I had two horns attacked by bugs. I used both regularly for years with not problem. One of the horns was an old one from my great granddad and probably been around for 100 years or more without issue. I packed them both away for several years when I quit shooting. When I checked them, they were both very grooved from the bugs(larva?). My suggestion is to used them and check them regularly. If you don't want to spray keep them in a cedar closest or treat them like you would wool.

 

[Eutycus]

My old horn has some grooves, craters and "moth-eaten" holes in it from some bug. I've never even seen the critter. Haven't got a clue what I'm dealing with. But little by little I'm filling the damaged holes in with J B Weld. Then sanding the dried epoxy down. Luckily the horn is a black and gray color that somewhat matches the dark gray of the epoxy, so far its making a "not-so-bad" swirling pattern. When finished it'll have a unique pattern and be a horn with character. Anyone know just what sort of bug or insect we're dealing with?

 

[Juice Jaws]

They are carpet beetles, eat anything animal base.

http://www.bowsite.com/bowsite/features/articles/bugs/

 

[Eutycus]

In the provided article about carpet beetles that infest taxidermy and other mounts this sentence is found ...''at this time, we have no recommendation for treating your mounts".

 

[Eterry]

I used some clear fingernail polish in the holes... except for the ones all the way through...i used super glue for those.

 

[Juice Jaws]

I used some clear fingernail polish in the holes... except for the ones all the way through...i used super glue for those.

That's all you can do, once you see the holes the bugs are gone and have move on to bigger and better things.

 

[Brokennock]

They are carpet beetles, eat anything animal base.

http://www.bowsite.com/bowsite/features/articles/bugs/

Thanks. Interesting link.

Question, has anyone had insect hole problems on horns containing powder? I my head anyway, it seems each time I hear of this issue my impression is that the horn is empty.

I'm wondering if some permethrin can be worked into some softer beeswax then the horn waxed and buffed.

 

[Juice Jaws]

Thanks. Interesting link.

Question, has anyone had insect hole problems on horns containing powder? I my head anyway, it seems each time I hear of this issue my impression is that the horn is empty.

I'm wondering if some permethrin can be worked into some softer beeswax then the horn waxed and buffed.

I have only seen bore holes in raw horns, your idea about working some of the permethrin into the horn wax sounds like it should work. Also a good point about a horn with powder in it, maybe the powder might repel them. I have heard of guys using moth balls.

 

[Eutycus]

I've noticed that also. It seems they like the empty horn. Possibly the powder (sulphar maybe ) repels them
My horn is a work in progress. I forgot I used a cheap epoxy on it earlier. That explains the brownish colors.

 

[Eutycus]

 

[Eterry]

I can promise you the powder is NOT a deterrent to the bugs. My first powder horn was almost full of fffg when the bugs pulled up a chair. Thankfully they didn't eat many holes all the way thru. The tip of a toothpick inserted and superglued has held up.

 

[Eutycus]

If you could repair your horn with just a toothpick and superglue it must have been some very minor damage. Mine had alot of damage done to it. Most people probably would have just thrown it away and made a new one. I've already have several tubes of J B Weld invested in this project.

 

[Eterry]

It wasn't no where near the damage done to your horn, Euty, but seeing a few holes on the goat blowing horn that's been passed down, (I'm the 4th owner) made me decide to post this query.
My grandpa's horn for calling hounds, on the other hand, was a total lose. It practically fell apart in my hands.

 

[Eutycus]

It was pretty much "chewed" up. Do you think I did the right thing by trying to repair it or do you think I should have just tossed it in the trash can? It wasnt a complete loss. But several of the holes were eaten all the way through. And I already have an investment in it with several tubes of JB Weld. Good stuff but it isn't cheap.

 

[Brokennock]

I'm thinking further into the idea of mixing something into beeswax and then waxing the horn. My friend makes all natural handmade soaps and has one for combating bugs that includes some citronella and other known bug repellent plant oils. I'm thinking one could use the same with wax. Wondering if one can get cedar essential oil?