Good time to cut wood?

[Ruddy Darter]

I'm wondering if this is a good time to cut wood (for longbow if not warbows depending on what I can get) , Hazel,  ash Holly mainly,  maybe some small yew, it's just I might have a chance to cut some now and it won't be possible another time. Will there be an issues on seasoning to consider or anything else to watch out for. I'd like to think it's worth doing. (?)
I think February is optimum time for cutting but not sure,  thanks for any enlightenment on this.

 R.D.

[FilipT]

Cut it now and you can attempt to do fast drying. Meaning you rough the bow to near finished dimensions in profile and thickness but you leave some excess wood, then you clamp it to a steel or aluminum profile so it doesn't move and you put it in some shed or on attic. After a month or so, remove the clamps, clear the bow a little and put it in house near radiator. Watch when it stops loosing mass and then wait some week, then you can proceed to the tillering.

[Ruddy Darter]

Thanks Stalker,  I was going to try something like that,  although the stuff I'll possibly get won't be far off bow dimensions after splitting,  I doubt I'll get anything that substantial but for a couple of pieces to have a play with will be worthwhile. I wondered if there would be any marked differences in the woods properties, or more prone to checking.
Thanks again,

 R.D.

[stuckinthemud]

Some say the sap runs slower now as the leaves drop, some say the sap runs more or less constant through the year but late Autumn and winter are my preferred times to cut as the brambles and nettles die back so access is easier and with the leaves gone finding straight sticks is easier too

[Ruddy Darter]

That sounds about right, I wondered if there was an optimum month for cutting but I have to go for it now anyway. 
Anyone use anything to protect against bugs etc?
 R.D.

[stuckinthemud]

Once I had a carving student who was a proficient stick maker.  He asked me, with a knowing smile, in front of the class, who he had already tipped the wink to, when was the best time to cut a stick, and I said in mid-Winter.  Ah no he said, with a good-natured chuckle, the best time to cut a stick is when you find it.

[FilipT]

Late summer / autumn is in my experience time when the sap runs very slow and bark is not easily removed. That is the time when wood gets its late growth ring. Some say now is best time to cut, but experience of some good bowyers tells me that it actually doesn't matter when you cut the wood. If you cut it in spring when wood is juicy and early rings start to grow, does it really make that back of the bow weak? No, it doesn't.

[Ruddy Darter]

Lol,  I think that sums it up stuckinthemud,  good saying
Thanks Stalker,  I suppose it's trial and error and a learning curve,  I do like the cutting wood when you can is the best time saying
R.D.

[stuckinthemud]

regarding bugs and creepy crawlies, healthy wood doesn't seem to have too many residents, especially saplings with their  smoother bark - less nooks and crannies for things to live in.  No-one I have read posting on PA seems to advocate using chemicals, and although I have only cut a couple of dozen staves, I haven't found any troublesome pests. 

[Lucasade]

There is an optimum time for cutting wood depending what you're doing (for example elm in spring if you want the bark for weaving), and my belief is that January time is when there will be the least sap, but as has been said the absolute best time to do it is when you have a saw, permission and time!

[DC]

The bugs depend a lot on where you live. Here, bugs are not even something I'm concerned about. I don't know if it's the weather(mild and wet)or something else but the bugs around here don't seem to move in until the wood is rotten. I keep my staves dry and I've never had an issue. I got a piece of Black Locust from about 100 mi south and it had a lot of bug holes in it. But they had grown over so the infestation was while the tree was alive. You've been working wood for awhile so you should have a feel for how well wood stores in your vicinity.

[Ruddy Darter]

O.k., thank you.. It was something I thought I'd question on if ever it was an issue. The winters here in the UK seem to be milder in recent years. I had in mind a mild rub of cedar oil or a few bay leaves to keep them company if I were to use anything, but not a concern then.  Thanks,

R.D.

[WillS]

Hazel, ash and holly - now!  Any time between now and February is optimum.  I'm doing all my ash and hazel early November.

Cut it, strip the bark immediately, seal and leave it.

If you have lots of holly I'll trade you some European aspen for a stave

[Ruddy Darter]

Hi WillS,  I had a little look over there today and I'm not that hopeful,  the Holly is pretty twisted and full of crowns or too small to bother with and same with the Hazel,  nothing reasonably clean or substantial. I'm a tad disappointed to be honest. I'll have another stroll over there tomorrow but I'll be lucky to get one piece of something worthwhile. Would of liked a trade  .
I'll keep looking though... (thanks for those tips)

 R.D.

[WillS]

If they're a bit small, maybe you could mark them out and tidy them up for next year.  Remove all the little branches etc and you'll have a good stock for later.