Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Weylin on August 05, 2012, 03:00:59 am
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Carson (CMB), Michael (Wylden Freeborne) and I just returned from an epic adventure into the mountains in search of the elusive pacific yew. After we got our permits at the ranger station we spent two days scouring the highest mountain peaks and the lowest river valleys in the sweltering heat and we managed to eek out a few passable staves that we could possibly torture a torture a bow out of. Despite our meager haul we managed to have a really good time,, sleeping under the stars, tracking elk, eating berries, skinny dipping in the mountain streams, stalking ruffed grouse, calling for cougars, breaking arrows, etc. We returned bruised, battered, sore and bleeding but at least we had a good time.
Anyway, on to the pictures... These are just the few pictures I took. Carson has more that I'm sure he will add to the thread as well.
Carson and Michael gearing up
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/olivewn/DSCN5654.jpg)
Carson finds his first yew tree, he looks pretty excited
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/olivewn/DSCN5658.jpg)
Starting up the chainsaw
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/olivewn/DSCN5656.jpg)
A beautiful mountain view
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/olivewn/DSCN5660.jpg)
Michael splitting a stave
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/olivewn/DSCN5659.jpg)
Oh, and here's our haul >:D >:D >:D
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/olivewn/DSCN5667.jpg)
A few that we split into staves
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/olivewn/DSCN5668.jpg)
The rest that aren't split yet.
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/olivewn/DSCN5669.jpg)
And if you're curious where our spot is I can tell you that it's in the Cascades, South of the Columbia River and North of Klamath Falls. >:D
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Where's the berry eatin sasquatch photos? Great times, great friends. The Lone Wolf Pack!
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Here are some more pics from Carson's camera...
8)
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/olivewn/04-IMG_0368.jpg)
;D
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/olivewn/05-IMG_0369.jpg)
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/olivewn/12-IMG_0353.jpg)
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/olivewn/11-IMG_0350.jpg)
Dipping the ends in Elmer's glue
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/olivewn/10-IMG_0391.jpg)
Splitting yew staves with yew wedges
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/olivewn/08-IMG_0389.jpg)
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/olivewn/07-IMG_0381.jpg)
some of these had tight rings and the rest had super tight rings >:D
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/olivewn/03-IMG_0362.jpg)
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/olivewn/01-IMG_0360.jpg)
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Eke out a few passable staves!
You teaser, thats some beautiful timber you've got there. (Don't s'pose I'll handle that much good Yew in my lifetime :'()
You've just gotta make at least one proper ELB out of some of that.
And don't let the bugs get into the sapwood (don't believe that stuff about 'grubs don't eat Yew')
Man I'm jealous, I've been stuck here in the worst English summer on record (that's 2 months of rain)
Great pics, great story, great timber.
Del
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Looks like a hoot >:D nice haul, looking forward to some well deserved yew bow porn ...just a little envious of the trip, good on you all ;)
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That looks like fun. The mountain view is amazing. So are all those pieces of yew. I've never seen anyone split staves barefoot before :o
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Looks like you guys hit the jackpot there. Was wondering if it is hard to get a permit and how many trees are you allowed to cut. And I am glad you are splitting instead of sawing them out. Dean
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Looks like an awesome trip 8)
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Now that's what I call fun (& a little work) with a big prize at the end! Nice goin guys!! :laugh:
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... :-X ...
is that envy I'm feeling?
YES! Aaargh!
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Very nice haul guys and what a team you have. 8) I've only been to the NW (Oregon) a few times but love those mountains. What mountain is in the pic?
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How that's a $$$$$$$$$ of Yew!!!
Great job guys :)
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Nice work! Cutting isn't easy. Do I see yew wedges being used?
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Cool pics. Thanks for sharing. I wish we had yew around here but ask we have is crazy yellow stuff ::) :'( I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who splits barefooted.
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Here are some more pics. It was quite the trip. ;D
Pat, that is Mt Jefferson. Tom Sawyer, there are some yew wedges being used and they work great.
Osage Outlaw, those are all yew.
Dean, the permitting is somewhat of a pain, being limited to a certain area. However, it is not that expensive.
Del, you can be sure a couple of proper english longbows will be born of this pile.
(http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k633/Acer_circinatum/7-IMG_0358.jpg)
(http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k633/Acer_circinatum/6-IMG_0383.jpg)
(http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k633/Acer_circinatum/5-IMG_0380.jpg)
(http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k633/Acer_circinatum/4-IMG_0378.jpg)
(http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k633/Acer_circinatum/1-IMG_0354.jpg)
(http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k633/Acer_circinatum/3-IMG_0356.jpg)
(http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k633/Acer_circinatum/2-IMG_0357.jpg)
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So jealous! Thats a great haul guys, and looks like a good time too :)
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Fantastic haul! Some real straight staves. Glad you guys had a good time and returned safe. Thanks again for the nice BBQ last week.
Dave
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Thanks Dave, it was good to see you again.
Del, if it makes you feel any better, we were talking about you and your bows while we were splitting. We will definitely try our hand at some traditional ELB's.
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thats an amazing haul, i actually think you guy shave surpassed the amount of tight ringed yew you can have, but i think you will be fine if you send me about three ;) , i really have to make the trip to somewhere where yew grows, the closest to me is decorative bushes :'( , so out of curiosity, how many staves worth did you get?
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What a great haul you guys! Well done :o
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Fishfinder, We haven't finished splitting so it's a little hard to tell at this point. Some logs we thought would only give up one good bow ended up producing three and some that we thought would give several only produced one. I think a conservative estimate would be 30 good staves, a handful of marginal staves and a few billet sets. But, like I said, it's hard to tell right now.
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Any idea from any of you more seasoned bowyers about removing bark on green yew? also, once we get the staves all prettied up and ready to split up amongst the lone wolves, i will be interested in trades. especially for soft, warm furs. my whole family is moving to a tipi in the woods this september and warm furs would be great.
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Don't do it is my opinion.
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Looks like you all had a great time and a severe panic went through my heart as I gazed at those beauties wondering if you found my secret area,,,LOL :o :o I have the paperwork for my permits in hand and I'm getting ready to do a gathering as well. Hope I don't find all stumps,LOL ::) ::) Those are some great looking staves. What elevation were you?
Great to see familiar faces.
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Keenan, if your honey hole is in #### canyon, just passed **** creek, then yep, we found and raided it all >:D >:D >:D
Good luck with your upcoming haul! Elevation was about 3200 ft. Found some higher, but it was pretty sparse and trees were too scragly.
Wylden,, Weylin, I thought of another one: "It is always about yew, isn't it"
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Personally I just paint the ends, leave 'em 9 months (I think the bark helps slow down the drying, but then we don't get insect pests in the UK). Then start roughing 'em down a bit so they are down to approx size when they've had the full year. Bark comes off when I'm ready to make a bow, but if that sap wood is thin enough, I'd prob just let it fall off as it's tillered... all the cracking noises as it pops off will just make tillering more exciting >:D
Del
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I'm not jealous at all. I have quite some yew myself. Not, no envious at all...
Seriously, not at all.
I repeat: I AM NOT JEALOUS!
I don't claim to be an expert in yew, but I've seasoned at least ten yew staves. My advice is to leave the bark ON.. Removing the bark is easy, but somehow those staves then always end up drying in deflex.
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Good times right there :)
So how many pm's have ya guys gotten saying "hey dude,can I get one of those staves"....lol :laugh:
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We (I ;)) pulled the bark off two staves because I wanted to see for myself the difference in drying. The only other time I harvested yew, it was winter and just peeling the bark off wasnt an option. It was surprising when this time I could peel the bark right off in one continuous piece like some of the whitewoods. I sealed up the entire back with elmers (that has proved the best sealer for me on ocean spray, but I bet paint would work well too). I like how removing that back reveals a pristine back with sapsucker holes and pin knots showing delicately on the cream white back. Hopefully, that elmers keeps those bare backs from checking.
This is what I call pest control:
(http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k633/Acer_circinatum/5-IMG_0395.jpg)
(http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k633/Acer_circinatum/3-IMG_0402.jpg)
(http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k633/Acer_circinatum/4-IMG_0404.jpg)
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Looks like you had a great time. Look forward to seeing some bows made from these in the next few years.
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Keenan, if your honey hole is in #### canyon, just passed **** creek, then yep, we found and raided it all >:D >:D >:D
Good luck with your upcoming haul! Elevation was about 3200 ft. Found some higher, but it was pretty sparse and trees were too scragly.
Wylden,, Weylin, I thought of another one: "It is always about yew, isn't it"
Are you sure we passed **** creek? I was almost positive it was up on %^&%@ ridge before **** creek..... and Carson, Jesus loves yew.
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Yep, If you take bark off while green always seal with PVA. Those staves are beauties with, tight ring count.
Hamish.
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Good to see you got some real beauties! Just think of all the hours of fun making and shooting bows. I bet there is one of those bent tip "Chet style" bows in there somewhere just dying to come out! Very cool.
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Sounds like the wood was a bonus. Seems like a blast!
Tracy
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So CMB, does this mean you don't want this yew stave I have sitting here...?
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Yew guys look like yew had fun gathering all that yew. Gonna be some nice bows being made from that don't yew think?
Good haul and worth the effort .
Greg
'
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So CMB, does this mean you don't want this yew stave I have sitting here...?
Dave, well this might come across as greedy, but I would still gladly take that yew stave. :). Truth is, I just don't have any clean seasoned yew staves ready to work, except a couple of short paddle bow staves. Also, I made you a little something in exchange for that yew stave ;)
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I'll try and get ahold of your Dad and see if he can't get it to you....? I need to talk to him anyway.
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Keenan, if your honey hole is in #### canyon, just passed **** creek, then yep, we found and raided it all >:D >:D >:D
;D ;D ;D
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Nice haul! Nice haul indeed! I have no doubt that you guys more than earned every stave. Josh
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OK, the predatry spider living amongst the staves is a great little anecdote, but we need to get some pesticide on this pile o Yew, to make sure we don't get the grubbies. Any recommendations? Also, does anyone know the specifics on the potential pests we are dealing with? Beetle, weevil, wasp, fly, or other?
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Vanilla leaf makes a decent pesticide, as does lemon balm or mint. i would prefer that monsanto keep their damn hands off my future bows. bad juju!
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Go to Walmart find a product that has a high amount of permethrin...spray everything should be good for a few months. I personally have never seen grubs in my yew, but every area is different.
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Gods, what a treasure.... I would kill for this. :-X