Osage In Ontario? (Or Michigan)

[WoodBenderDW]

Has anybody had any luck trying to find any good osage staves in Ontario, Canada? I really want my next bow to be an Osage recurve. I’m in Aylmer (close to London)

[PatM]

I've never tried finding it but you're  close to the right area for it.

[WoodBenderDW]

What about in Michigan? Anyone have any luck there?

[PatM]

I don't think finding Osage in Michigan is a problem.

[bjrogg]

I haven't found any in Michigan but I know several people who have. I planted some seedlings last year and PNewton gave me several Osage Fruits last fall he got from trees he planted several years earlier. I plan on planting them this spring.
Bjrogg

[chamookman]

There is Osage growing in Michigan, but Ya really have to put in Your time searching back roads. Not native, it was transplanted as a natural barrier on Farms - generaly along the road . Bob

[redhillwoods]

There is a surprising amount of osage in Ontario but it's all clustered between Niagara and Hamilton. as soon as you go over the skyway bridge its gone

[PEARL DRUMS]

 

I don't think finding Osage in Michigan is a problem.

Yes it is, its very few and far between. The southwest part of our state has okay numbers if you hear about it, you wont see it from your truck window very often. Other than that you could drive for countless counties and not find any. Fence rows are being tore out every day and have been for decades. Not to  mention it was never popular up here, so its not common to find mile long rows of it, I've never seen one.

[ThreeSons]

There is a great big wind row around the caledon area. Cool story how they got there. You can read about it on the town's website. I have some seedling if you are interested in planting some. Not sure how the rpi would be growing in this climate. Never cut into any here. Pm me if you want. Peter from Guelph area

[Marc St Louis]

I have some Osage from Southern Ontario, both staves and boards.  The wood is as good as wood that I got from across the border

[PatM]

  Interesting that the weather doesn't seem to be a limiting factor here if that famous hedge is any indication.

[ThreeSons]

That's good to know. For some reason I would have thought that they would produce tighter growth rings here. I'm still very much a novice but I thought with Osage we were looking for larger late wood to early wood ratio. Let me know. Also I know this is slightly off the topic but are there any kind of bow jamboree in Ontario? Would be cool to get together and make/shoot. Peter

[PatM]

The growing season and nutrient levels are surely adequate to still allow the tree to lay down thick rings.  Black Locust isn't Native up here and it still can have huge rings.

[RyanR]

I got my hands on a log in Michigan that was cut in a yard. They have a few trees but they won't part with any. I only know of a couple other trees in my area one being mine that is about 15 years old.

[Marc St Louis]

I picked up a couple large staves of BL about 15 years ago that came from Southern Ontario.  The wood had very thick rings and it was the best Locust I have ever worked.  Made some great bows