Harvesting Arrow Shafts in Northern CA.......Now with Pictures. Please help ID.

[tenbrook]

Hi all.

I want to start harvesting my own material for arrow shafts. 

I am wondering what species grow wild around the Santa Cruz area (central california/bayarea)? 

Thanks

Tenbrook

[Boofus]

Look for wild rose or hazel, you should wait 'till about Dec or Feb to harvest them though... the less sap they have in them the less they warp, check and split IMO.

[crooketarrow]

   BOOFUS is right about the time of year. Made my first HAZZEL arrows this summer. Super straight but solf when your use to dogwood. But useable after tempering, rose makews a good arrow.

[tenbrook]

How about river cane.  Can that be found in my area?

[tenbrook]

Went looking a I think I may have found some hazel.

Is this Hazel?

[M-P]

Hi Tenbrook,    I'm over the hill in SJ.   Yes that looks like hazel.  Hazel is easy to find, but I haven't used any for arrows yet.  I did find a large enough specimen to make a bow though and found it easy wood to work.
The hills are full of broom.   It's an introduced plant so feel free to harvest to your heart's content.   Broom will be found in open disturbed areas ( like roadsides).   
I have yet to find a wild rose in the area with large enough stems, but it would be excellent if you can find it larger.   
Snowberry is quite prevalent on my side of the hill and works well. 
I don't think we have any river cane in this area.   Arundo  ( giant reed) can be found and I've seen some light light arrows made from it, though the canes are awfully thin walled.   Japanese arrow bamboo (Pseudosasa japonica) can be easily grown and you may find it or other bamboos in yards. 
Ron

[tenbrook]

Went looking for some arrow shaft material this morning with my son.

Came across some different stuff that seemed like it might work and was wondering if you guys could help me ID what I have.

First up is this.  I'm pretty sure its Hazel.




Then I found some Big Leaf Maple.  I have been told this make a good arrow.  Is this true? 

I did not harvest any as it was off the trail on a steep section and I had my 3 year old with me.



Next we came to a small creek crossing in the middle of the trail.  My little guy could not resist riding back in forth through it about 20 times.  I took a little rest and snapped some pictures.



Needless to say he was VERY proud of himself.


One more time and we were off.....


Another unknown species to me.  Found some straight shoots and cut them off.




Also curious if anyone can ID this?  I did not harvest any but thought it might be Dogbane?



At this point little man was getting tired so we headed back.  Found this guy in the middle of the trail.





On the way out found one last plant I thought might work and cut a branch.  Only took this one pic.  Once again no clue what it is?


Anyhow thats it.  If anyone knows the answers to what I have that would be great.

Thanks

Tenbrook
   

[M-P]

Howdy,  The very last pic looks like  manzinita leaves, but manzinita doesn't grow straight.   I believe dogbane has smooth ovate leaves, so I don't think the earlier pics are dogbane.  I have no idea what the red fruited bush is.   Ron

[tenbrook]

Ran into an Old Timer yesterday while looking for shafts.  He told me that what I had was Alder NOT Hazel....To bad.  I came home and looked up a picture and am pretty sure he is correct.  Back to the drawing board I guess.

 

[M-P]

OK I went out in my back yard and took a look at some of my bonsai.  The red fruited bush is a dogwood!  Its possibly a cornellian cherry (european origin), but may be western dogwood ( local native.)   My western dogwood has considerably larger, rougher leaves, than the cornellian cherry.
Ron

[Pat B]

The fruiting plant looks like one of the exotic honeysuckle. It should make good shafts.   It is not a dogwood(Cornealian Cherry,Cornus mas)  Dogbane is one of the milkweeds so it should have a milky sap if you tear a leaf. I'd try them all. You never know which plants make good arrows until you try them.

[M-P]

Howdy,    Well I went out the yard to compare the photos to my dogwoods and then went around the block to examine the neighbor's Cornelian cherry.   I also looked up japanese honeysuckle.   Based on tenbrooks' pics I'd say his find could be either.   I'm still betting on western dogwood based on the area.  I've never knowingly seen a honeysuckle in CA.
As a a minor quibble, I've been told that dogbane resembles a milkweed, but is from an entirely different family.  The main reason for bringing it up is that milkweeds are edible, but dogbane is not.
Ron