need advice on cutting staves

[Weylin]

I'm interested in starting to cut my own staves and I'd like some wisdom and advice concerning how people go about it. I don't have my own land nor do I know anyone who does so I would be relying on public land or asking permission of strangers. I live in Oregon. I'm primarily interested in finding pacific yew but also vine maple or hazlenut. my concern is less about finding the trees and more with the best way to approach getting permission to cut it. Let me know what you do and how you do it. Thanks in advance.

[JackCrafty]

Talk to a local tree trimmer.  He will tell you everything you want to know about getting parts of trees in your area.

[osage outlaw]

I am lucky enough to have my own land to cut from, but I know a lot of guys make a deal with landowners.  They cut some trees and in exchange, the bowyer will make a bow from the wood and give to the landowner.

[Grunt]

Take the time before you cut the tree to offer it tobacco and ask it to give up it''s life so that you may live. Not all trees are willing to do this. If the tree is willing put the tobacco at the trees base and take it's life. Remember to use the lower part of the tree as the bottom limb. Respect given in all things will come back to you.

[toomanyknots]

Also, craigslist works sometimes. If you put an add asking if you can cut a tree, that you will make a bow for said person like osage outlaw said.

[sadiejane]

Take the time before you cut the tree to offer it tobacco and ask it to give up it''s life so that you may live. Not all trees are willing to do this. If the tree is willing put the tobacco at the trees base and take it's life. Remember to use the lower part of the tree as the bottom limb. Respect given in all things will come back to you.

right on grunt. it is a good thing to offer thanks for the gifts the earth provides us.
btw-took one of those bl bows to the woods yesterday. had some fun shooting stumps. nice bow!!!

[Del the cat]

I always ask... mind you, sometimes the landowner isn't present at the time .
Del

[Weylin]

Thanks for the replies. that is good advice about cutting on private land. I'll have to try the craiglist thing. Thanks also for the reminder to respect the tree that I'm cutting, it's easy to forget that sort of thing in the eagerness to make a bow. have any of you had experience with dealing with county/state/federal land management? Any tricks to getting them to understand/cooperate?

[ErictheViking]

For yew contact local loggers if they know where some is. then find out if you need a permit from the nearest forest service station. vine maple and hazlenut are all over the place and easily cut from along side of the road. 

[Dag]

Hey Weylin,

I'm kind of in the same boat. I live in SW Washington and attend college in eastern Washington.  So, it almost feels like Yew is at my fingertips yet still unattainable. I have been reading the forest service policies lately for the Wenatchee and Gifford Pinchot Nat'l Forest to get an idea of what the rules are for harvesting.  It maybe different in Oregon but here to harvest what would be a bow stave, the forest service calls it a "post or pole" and describes it as any material 8 feet long and up to 5 in in diameter. The permit is $20 and each piece is $0.25

Maybe that will help you. I just waiting for a free weekend to head to the forest station to ask some questions and hopefully harvest some yew and vine maple.

[Weylin]

Thanks Dag, let me know how that works out for ya.