Huckleberry Small Diameter Branch

[CherokeeKC]

I cut some pieces of huckleberry today.  At least thats what the guy that owns the horse farm where I cut it called it.  It grows all in the woods in swampy wet soil on his land.  Most of it is very crooked and it was hard to find a piece long enough without too many crooks in it for a bow.  It is very hard wood and unbreakable.  The guy uses it to hang pork meat on it in the smokehouse.  He said you can hang 100lbs pounds on an index finger size piece (which might be an exaggeration but you get the point ).  I cut two pieces about 60in long.  One is 1 1/4in diameter small end and 1 7/8in on large end.  The other is 1 1/2in diameter on small end and 1 3/4in on large end.  Can anyone tell from the pics below if it is huckleberry?  Also has anyone tried making a bow from these?

[richardzane]

your huckleberry sounds like this: http://www.rnr.lsu.edu/plantid/webtour/species/treehuckleb/treehuckleb.htm
it has an inedible fruit.

the only "huckleberry" that grows here in NE OK. is a berry bush (like a small blueberry) and doesn't get very big or woody at all.

[Will H]

Good score! "I'll be your huckleberry" 

[CherokeeKC]

Have you tried this Will?  There must not be many people that have used this since there havnt been many replies.

[Will H]

No I haven't tried that wood yet. I'd just go for it. Sounds like it would be a good bow wood. I'd start wide get it floor tillered green and let it dry. I'd bet it works out for ya

[CherokeeKC]

Ok buddy thanks!  How long do you think it should dry once floor tillered?

[Will H]

I'd say 2weeks inside. You might clamp it to a table or a form to keep it from warping up on ya. I'd also leave it wide all the way to the tips for now to help with warping. Just get the thickness out. If you have 2lb scale or so you can weigh it periodically. When it stops loosing weight for a 1/3 of the time it's been drying it should be stabilized to the RH of the environment it's in.

[Josh B]

I think you may have just id'd a mystery wood that I've been harvesting and using for several years.  I harvest it on the south side of Atlanta and having never seen it with foliage, I assumed it was some sort of hickory.  If its the same wood, you've found a jackpot!  I love the stuff!  Josh

[CherokeeKC]

Thanks Will!  Gun doc im pretty sure its not the same stuff.  Im not sure if iv ever seen one as thick as one in ur pic and definitely not that straight.  bark looks different also

[StickMan47]

Hey Cherokee, that bark sure looks just like the Dogwood I have growing around here! Dogwood is a very strong wood as your farmer friend was describing. It is hard to break. I've read where guys on here get great bows from dogwood too. Come spring see if it shows any flowers.

[autologus]

It looks just like Huckleberry to me, I used to eat lots of those as a kid but unfortunately with Arkansas summers most of the time the berry's were like eating sand wrapped in a fruit skin.  I have never seen one straight enough to make a bow from though.

Grady

[CherokeeKC]

Thanks guys.  I am about 99.9% convinced it is huckleberry.  I will take pics of it next time Im out there and also in spring.

[Peacebow_Coos]

looks like the evergreen huckleberry we have here in Oregon, I've been wanting to try it but all the big staves are in parks...give it a shot man!

[CherokeeKC]

I plan on it!  Might rough it out real soon

[PEARL DRUMS]

It looks to be very dense, my guess is it will make a bow. Try a semi rigid handle design for your first. Its easy on the bow and gives it a good chance at shooting arrows.