Out scouting around bow wood I have come across these trees infested in certain areas. Now that the leaves are up im still having a tough time identifying this one. I think I have it pegged though. Its a thorny tree. I know its not a honey locust,acacia,buckhorn,blackthorn,or any thorny type plum. Im pretty sure its a hawthorn and a Dotted Hawthorn to be exact. I know the hawthorns are tough to properly identify. I live in western Pennsylvania.
Seeing how there's so many in that area I cut a 1"x2" piece of bark off to see how hard the wood is. Its dang hard stuff. I knocked on it with my hatchet handle and head. And pushed my fingernail in it and it looks like good bow wood. Only problem is its tough to find a clean section of tree. There all gnarls,spirals,twisted,and thorny trunked trees. Isn't it funny how those type trees grow good bow wood when a clean piece can be found.
Here's the photos. Its an alternate simple leaf pattern and some of the leafs lobes vary from one to another.
Here's a single leaf but doesn't represent what each one looks like. See above n look close.
Here's the thorny trunk
Another tree trunk
I have seen hawthorn bows posted before but it was either a euro species or if it was here in north america it was never stated what type of hawthorn. I saw marc st Louis make one a few years back and he quoted it as good wood and if it grew bigger and more in his area that he would regularly harvest it. Does anyone know the specific gravity of this stuff??? If not ill do my own tests. But it feels like this stuff is for sure above .65 as hard as it felt and sounded.
I did find a nice clean straight section surprisingly but didn't wanna cut it till I had all my facts straight first as to what it is. Im def gonna go cut it tho.
Thanks for the help in advance if ya can
Chris
