Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: KShip85 on February 15, 2010, 02:57:40 pm
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I've got a couple of trees I am trying to ID. The first one I believe is some kind of elm and I'd like to try a bow from it. The second one I am just curious about. The only thing that I can come up with is persimmon, but it seems way to big for that. The one pictured here is close to 2 feet thick and another one not too far away is probably closer to 3. Thanks for the help!
Kip
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v652/kshipley85/1266256375.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v652/kshipley85/1266256392.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v652/kshipley85/1266256403.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v652/kshipley85/1266256433.jpg)
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The second one looks like either persimmon or sourwood. Any pics of branches or old flower/seed pods or leaves?
The first is unfamiliar to me.
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first one looks like hickory,,second one could be persimmon,, some ash has that type of bark also cut the first one for bows and get to work,,, mike
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the first one is Chinese elm, or piss elm, or thats what everyone around here calls it. It is a pain everytime the wind blows limbs fall out
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The first one is definitely hickory. Second one sure looks like persimmon bark, but we'd have to see pics of the twigs/buds to be sure.
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Here is a look at the inside of the twig, it has a brown pithy center.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v652/kshipley85/1266262803.jpg)
I might try to cut the top tomorrow and take a look at the wood. It got broken over by a tornado or straight line wind that took out some big trees a few years ago. I noticed it still appeared to be alive though as it looks to have leafed out this past year and it still is partly attached to the trunk base.
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The cambium beneath the bark should be greenish if it is alive. Knock a little bark off and see.
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Second one could easly be Ash
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First one I would say is Hickory,not sure on the 2nd. :)
Pappy
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Hickory and ash.
Thust me on this, I am a forester.
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Thanks for the help all. I believe I have narrowed the first one down to pignut hickory. Looking forward to cutting it as soon as the bark and cambium will peel easily.
Kip
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I read somewhere that when the leaves are 3/4 the way out is a good time to start thinking about cutting hickory but anytime during the growing season works well.
With spring coming up, now would be a excellent time to purchase the Audubon Field Guide to North American Trees. Between now and next winter you will be able to identify any trees that are growing in your area and in all seasons, unless maybe they are a recently introduced exotic.
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If it was an ash, the buds/twigs would be opposite, they appear to be alternate from what I can see in the pic. Doesn't really look like persimmon buds, either. Can you post a close-up of the buds and leaf scars?
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that leave is hickory the other bark looks like the persimmon we have around here. most ash looks some what like that only a little neater persimmon is bad for the bark pattern running all over the place
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The bud pictures there are from the first tree. Sorry about that did not explain that well. The closest limb on that 2nd tree is probably over 30 feet off the ground. I'm going to get some binoculars to check out the leaves in it once they come out, but at this point I think I am leaning towards ash with it.
Pat, I do have the National Audabon field guide for trees of eastern America, but I also have a terrible habbit of trying to do my identifying in winter :P . Maybe this spring/summer I will remember to mark out my trees!
Kip
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If those buds are from the first tree, I'd say you have bitternut hickory.
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If those buds are from the first tree, I'd say you have bitternut hickory.
I was thinking bitternut at first until I read that the bark on pignut is smooth sometimes and the bark on the upper part of this tree are fairly smooth. The numbers on pignut look slightly better than bitternut but probably not much difference when it comes down to it.
Kip
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Here is a cross section pic of the top with some bark left on, peeled the rest before thinking to take the picture.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v652/kshipley85/1266443004.jpg)
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Nice rings ! What ever you have looks like bow wood to me. :)
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I was thinking bitternut because of the stalked buds. If there is any fuzziness on the newest twigs, it could be mockernut, too. Several of the hickories have bark like that. Any kind of hickory will make a good bow if you get it dry.
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Hick and persimmon - my stab in the dark.