Call Maker - Walter VanHorne

Photos

Additional Images:

Name: Walter VanHorne

City: Northwood

State: Iowa

Country: USA

Born: 1896

Died: 1978

Description

Walter H. VanHorne was born in Northwood, Iowa probably between the late 1800 or very early 1900’s, and he grew up there.  He lived to be in his early 80’s.  Walter was a World War I veteran serving overseas in France and Germany.

Walters’s occupation is what you would call a lithographer.  The days before the photographic printing process, Walt’s job was to copy (etch) onto specially coated printing stones, images of bank and corporation buildings.  These eventually were used for bank notes and official corporate documents.

He was truly a gifted artist in every respect, always striving for precise accuracy.  This talent was easily transformed to his love of the outdoors in hunting and fishing.  He was a master craftsman when it came to designing and constructing tools for hunting and fishing.  He was highly regarded for his hand made bamboo fishing rods.  He designed many of his own casting plugs. He was an avid fly fisherman.

Walter was an ardent waterfowler.  He hand carved, from balsa, and accurately painted, his own decoy spread.  His true craftsmanship was his duck calls.  He designed and developed his own production jigs in order to produce consistency in the end result product.  He produced the high pitched “Highball” call which was very effective on the open prairie marshes of north central Iowa.  Later he produced a Glodo style call more commonly used in wetland marshes and river bottoms.

In 1959 one of his Glodo style calls, blown by Ken Formanek of Britt IA, took the Iowa State Duck Calling Championship.

Walter was a true gentleman sportsman.  His sense of humor was always enjoyed amongst his many friends and acquaintances.  He was always invited to accompany hunting and fishing trips with fellows he knew.  It wasn’t only because of his great personality, but he was outstanding in shooting and fishing.

An Interesting side note:  Walter never owned an automobile and never drove one.  Yet he won trophies as a speed boat racer on the Des Moines River in his younger days.  One might think he was an eccentric person, be far it from that notion.  For everyone that knew him held the highest regard for this man.  It was because of this that Walt was able to travel to many excellent hunting and fishing sites thru out the Midwest.  His hunting consisted mainly of upland game and waterfowl.

Write up provided by John Braun.