Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: tanner on February 24, 2013, 11:59:31 am
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Last week I was trolling some old threads on here and came across someone discussing working with local public land managers to find good bow wood. I took the tip and decided to email local forestry and park management. The responses I got were great! They couldn't allow me to cut down anything standing, but they said they cut down fresh and salvage old hickory and osage almost every year and would keep me in mind when they got some. Yesterday one of the park managers emailed me back and said he still had an 5'-6' long 12''thick osage log that he'd cut last year sitting by a pile of lumber near their management shed and that I could have it if I wanted. I just got back from checking it out. It's more like 9' long and 18'' thick at the base! While it's not as straight as one would want, I'm guessing I'll be able to get a TON of billets out of it. I couldn't pick it up today because it was frozen to the ground, but I'll go back as soon as I can (might need to take some help to lift it). Anyway, lesson learned - public park managers are GREAT resources to help find quality bow wood. Here're the pics I got:
Here's the base:
(http://i1155.photobucket.com/albums/p548/tannerwade/First%20Osage/20130224_085323_zps5ea3ead6.jpg)
Here's the other end - I'm not an expert, but I think those rings look pretty good from a early/late wood ratio:
(http://i1155.photobucket.com/albums/p548/tannerwade/First%20Osage/20130224_085342_zps92157e62.jpg)
Last one was me just wanting to strike gold to make sure it was osage - I'm still kind of a no0b at identifying wood by the bark. I'm really only comfortable ID'ing hickory and mulberry so far.
(http://i1155.photobucket.com/albums/p548/tannerwade/First%20Osage/20130224_085315_zps9f8e7d03.jpg)
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that is very cool, more info would be cool. do you have to know someone in those offices ? How would a person approach those people. Was it as simple as that just email, or visit an office?
chuck
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that is very cool, more info would be cool. do you have to know someone in those offices ? How would a person approach those people. Was it as simple as that just email, or visit an office?
chuck
If its that esay i need to get on it!
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All I did was look up forestry contacts in my area on the state DNR website. I found the email of the gentleman that is in charge of my particular area and sent him an email asking of there was any kind of program by which I could get a permit to take a tree from public land. He said that there isn't anything in my particular state, but he forwarded me to the park managers of the bigger parks in my area and they responded back that I couldn't take a live tree, but that they'd keep me in mind if/when they clear any and also if they found any downed ones. I just provided them my species preference (osage and hickory for now) and then I got another email a couple days later that one of the managers forgot that he still had this log from last year. That was it. Everyone that emailed me back was really nice.
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That doesn't look like any yew I've seen. 8)
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He said the king, not the queen Bryce.
Nice find
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He said the king, not the queen Bryce.
Nice find
Hahahaha touché!
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nice looking rings on that one ..I'm sure there's a few bow in It.
DB
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Heck yah. Its big enough to get away from alot of the possible bug damage. Good score right there.
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I should add to this for the folks that asked for more details above. There IS a salvage permit - actual physical piece of paper they issue.
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I was finally able to pry the log off of the ground and take it home. I ended-up having to cut it up at the site due to the weight. It was SUPER heavy. I also got some measurements. The two skinny-end logs (from the 'Y') ended up being right at 70'' a piece an around 10'' thick. The remaining part of the trunk is about 52'' long and 13'' thick at the top (skinniest). I haven't split it yet, but hope to get that done in the next few days while it's still somewhat frozen. I'll know then how gnarly they are but looking at the bark now, it looks like there might be some twist to it. Here's the trunk:
(http://i1155.photobucket.com/albums/p548/tannerwade/First%20Osage/20130317_154729_zpsaa014487.jpg)
Here're the two longer pieces:
(http://i1155.photobucket.com/albums/p548/tannerwade/First%20Osage/20130317_154734_zpsaba13ee6.jpg)
And a little bit of size perspective. It was murder getting these into the truck by myself:
(http://i1155.photobucket.com/albums/p548/tannerwade/First%20Osage/20130317_155357_zps3d7f2345.jpg)
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You got that big one in all by yourself? That looks like a heavy lift!
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Yeah - it wasn't pretty. I'm not a very big guy. But then again I wasn't going for style points. :)
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Looks like some nice stuff. Maybe a little twist but that's easily removed.
Must be something about them little homelite saws cuttin' up big osage logs ;)
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Did the wood have any bug damage ???
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I bet that big one was a load to lift by yourself, Im sure adrenaline helped a little as orange wood can really get that stuff flowing! Its amazing what a body can do in hopes of getting some nice bow wood.
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@Okie64 - truth man. I wasn't feeling any pain at the time. I'm moving a little slow today though. :)
@Joec123able - yeah - there appears to be SOME bug damage but I'm not sure how deep it goes yet. The gentleman from the DNR that hooked me up with the log said he felled it last spring so it was on the ground almost a year.
@osage outlaw - I wasn't sure it was going to be enough saw, but it did a pretty good job. It's amazing how much longer it takes to cut through an osage log that's been on the ground for a year vs. mulberry limbs that have been on the ground only a few months.
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Hey there, I think I might have been the guy that mentioned the wildlife preserve letting me cut black locust. Just called the closest state park office and wam bam I was in. Of course, my BL is home to a lot of bugs :'( but I still think I may get a few good staves.
Good job man!
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This was a salvage job from a couple weeks ago.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/ekrewson/osage%20cutting/bridgeosagetree_zpsd4d6f0b6.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/ekrewson/osage%20cutting/bridgeosageloadedlogs_zps6e11d427.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/ekrewson/osage%20cutting/bridgeosage9staves_zps5f6cefaa.jpg)
I can't stress the importance enough of making a call or two to get permission to salvage or cut standing wood. Lots of karma involved in doing the right thing while obtaining bow wood.
When I called the street department about salvaging the above tree, I talked to a gruff sounding guy who was at first annoyed at my call. As I explained what wonderful wood osage was and how I would put it to use making bows I could feel him brighten up. At the end of the conversation he laughed and said"man, get all of that tree you want".
There was a huge black locust underneath the osage tree that I left, just didn't need it.
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Nice haul! I have to admit that expected to get some early push-back when I sent the first email, but everyone I interacted with was really nice. I guess I see it like getting hunting permission. You just have to get over yourself and ask. Be good people and odds are that you'll get more yes's than no's.
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Need see my psychiatrist: got osage envy, I guess...
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They didn't split out nearly as pretty as Eric's, but here they are:
(http://i1155.photobucket.com/albums/p548/tannerwade/First%20Osage/20130323_090930_zps462c199e.jpg)
(http://i1155.photobucket.com/albums/p548/tannerwade/First%20Osage/20130323_090920_zpsef76d627.jpg)
Stacked next to my mulberry:
(http://i1155.photobucket.com/albums/p548/tannerwade/First%20Osage/20130323_091229_zpsc021fde8.jpg)
I've still got the big one to split out. Maybe I'll work on that one this afternoon...
(http://i1155.photobucket.com/albums/p548/tannerwade/First%20Osage/20130323_091238_zps7015ee09.jpg)