Why is it called a "hunting" sporran?

[Spartan Tartan]

As the title suggests...why is a hunting sporran called a "hunting" sporran? And is it "traditionally" to be made without tassles? Is that for stealth because it would have been worn hunting?

I get that a dress sporran is used for dressy events. And that a day sporran is used for casual/day outings...so it would seem that hunting sporrans would be used for hunting.

Am I over thinking this?

[Dale-of-Cedars]

Yes, as far as I understand it, the lack of noisy bits thumping about and the minimizing of 'flash' to be more stealthy in the woods.

(Do the Buchanans EVER go hunting?)

[JSFMACLJR]

(Do the Buchanans EVER go hunting?)

My wife, whose maiden name is Buchanan, hunts; alas, she doesn't shoot.

Sorry for the hijack!

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Highland attire used to be divided into the following categories:

Hunting; Morning; Semi-formal; and Formal.

Today "Hunting" has become known simply as "Day" although the sporrans for day wear are still often referred to as hunting sporrans.

[figheadair]

I've never heard the term and suspect that it is a term that the maufacturing trade has come up with.

It's not one traditionally used here in Scotland where day and dress are commonly used. In fact, I grew up referring to my sporran and my best sporran.

[Spartan Tartan]

Thanks gentleman. I appreciate the responses.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I, too, have always assumed that it was simply something the sporran manufacturers came up with as a name to distinguish this style of sporran (which is called a "hunting" sporran):

From this style:


You have to call it something, right?

[Redhawk]

And here I thought Hunting sporran meant going into the store and sneaking up on one when you bought it..

[Tobus]

Do we know how long the "hunting sporrans" have been around as such? Does anybody have a picture or reference of one that's more than a couple of decades old?

Basically, I'm wondering if these even existed back when kilts were worn for everyday stuff like hunting.

[Brasilikilt]

Do we know how long the "hunting sporrans" have been around as such? Does anybody have a picture or reference of one that's more than a couple of decades old?

Basically, I'm wondering if these even existed back when kilts were worn for everyday stuff like hunting.

As I understand it, back in the 16th-18th centuries, your typical highlander didn't wear his kilt all the time as we are often led to believe , but rather when he was out in the hills and woods as it was a very versatile outdoors garment.
The sporrans these guys had would have been constructed by hand of a simplistic design, and have little or nothing in terms of decoration...Just a plain utilitarian leather bag.

Since kilts were originally outdoors garments, and the first sporrans were made with these activities in mind....Perhaps this is why they later came to be called hunting sporrans.

On the other hand, it's more likely that the term "hunting sporran" is yet another name which finds it's origins among the Highland "traditions" invented by Victorian era aristocracy.