Osage that’s laying on the ground.

[Muskyman]

Okay here is another question. I’m going to go back to my Osage harvesting spot. I’ve been reading on here about people using Osage that has been laying on the ground for a long while and it being okay still. I remember seeing a log laying on the ground that I just worked around. I think it was Osage that had fell/uprooted and was probably about 12-14 inches or more in diameter. I’m guessing that I should probably cut it off at the bottom of the trunk and up 6-8 feet and at least take a look at it to see what it looks like inside. Best I can recall it looked like the bark had decayed off it and was kinda decayed looking on the outside but I’m pretty sure it was Osage. Also I don’t remember seeing any limbs on the first 6-8 feet of it, maybe more so I’m guessing it’s at least worth a look. I’d hate to just leave it laying there if it’s got a chance of being good bow wood still.

[Pat B]

Osage laying on the ground should be ok but you will have to open it up and see. The bark will rot off and so will the sapwood but usually the heartwood will still be ok. If you cut it be aware that it's moisture content will he pretty high just by laying on the ground so seal the ends well. Split it down only small enough for you to handle it. Once you get where you are taking it give a it a few weeks to start acclimatize before splitting it into staves.

[TimBo]

And make sure to seal the back!  Like Pat said, it will be far from dry if it's been on the ground.

[Muskyman]

Thanks gentlemen, I’ll keep you posted on what I find..

Pat, that seems to be the state of the log I’m talking about. It looked, best I can remember like the bark was gone and the sapwood was dark and punky looking.. At that time I figured it was trash or firewood at best but, after reading some past posts on here I thought it might be worth looking into..

[BetterTrees]

My first Osage bow was from a stick in the firewood pile that had been laying for three years. The heartwood was fine, except for a few big holes that made me chase an extra three rings, I think.
The end checks went full length and dictated my stave for me.

[Badger]

     I once made a bow from a beekeepers sign post that was supposedly 100 years old. All the bark and sapwood were gone and some kind of ants had moved in but most of the wood was still solid.

[Pat B]

This bow was made by Will H and Pappy for me from a 100 year old osage fence post.
In actuality, the log on the ground has been seasoning since the tree died. All you have to do now is dry it without any or with little checking.

[Badger]

This bow was made by Will H and Pappy for me from a 100 year old osage fence post.
In actuality, the log on the ground has been seasoning since the tree died. All you have to do now is dry it without any or with little checking.

   Very Cool bow Pat!

[Pat B]

Yes it is, Steve. She's a prized piece of my collection.   

[Muskyman]

All that thing needs is a snake skin on the back and it would get mistaken for a snake..
That’s really cool Pat. It’s amazing what the people on here can make a bow out of..

[Eric Krewson]

I helped a friend cut a huge standing dead osage tree a few years ago. He split all the trunk sections by hand in 100-degree heat only to find that the wood was chalky and not usable for bows. This is the only dead osage tree I have seen that wasn't bow material.

[BowEd]

I live in an area that's used osage for fence posts for decades upon decades.9 out of 10 fence lines have oasge posts.The trees grow voluntarily along fence lines here for hundreds of miles of fence line.There's a routine the local farmers do to preserve access for good straight fence posts for the future.
Cutting off trunks to let suckers grow up straight for future posts works for them.It takes 20 years but farming is a life style and passed on from generation to generation.Staples need to be put in while the post is fresh.You wait too long and they'll bend the nails.
The fellas working for local fencing companies selling posts earn their keep here.Some posts here have been in the ground for 80 years and still do there job.Occasionally a tree is standing dead but not very often.
I once had a conversation with an old farmer about him having a pond engineered on his land.He said he was going to stock the pond for his grand kids.He said he was going to put structures in the pond for the fish before it filled up with rain water.Said he was going to use osage fence posts.
I asked him jokingly "how long do you think they'll stay good under there?"He said laughingly.."oh about 50 years and then they'll turn into iron".
I have staves here from logs that were on the ground for well over a year.Bark and cambium was just falling off is all.Sapwood was shrunk down but still good.Luckily no wood wasps got to the log.

[Muskyman]

How disappointing for your friend Eric. If that’s the log in your picture it looks good on the outside from what I can tell from the picture..
I knew they were used for fence posts and hedgerows BowEd. Around here as I was growing up I never knew them as anything other then hedge apple trees. When I got a little older I found out they were actually Osage orange trees and great bow wood. I used to see a lot more of them when I was younger than I do now.
After posting my question I’m feeling hopeful that this log will give me some easier to get bow wood. There are a few other trees I didn’t look at on the property. There’s one in particular that I’d like to get that’s living but might be a little tricky to cut down. I’m planning on getting a better look at it to see if I can drop it without doing any damage. If I can it’s got a nice long straight piece with no limbs at the bottom of the tree and the bark is is straight up the tree. Hoping one or both end up at my house.. might be able to go tomorrow and see what happens.

[BowEd]

Osage will rival against the best amazonian wood for bow wood.

[George Tsoukalas]

Pat, beautiful character bow. Jawge