Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Carson (CMB) on March 30, 2013, 02:10:48 am

Title: Yew harvesting
Post by: Carson (CMB) on March 30, 2013, 02:10:48 am

Here are a couple videos of yesterdays yew cutting.  Not my biggest haul by any means, but some good looking stuff, and located some more areas with trees, so it was a good day. 

Here is a video of when I cut two good size branch staves from an old tree hanging to the rocks at top off a cliff.  I will post some other videos when I get a chance.  nothing too exciting, but it gives someone a glimpse into a day cutting yew.   Also, A picture of the day's bounty.

(http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k633/Acer_circinatum/th_Cuttingtwobranches_zpsb4446908.jpg) (http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k633/Acer_circinatum/Cuttingtwobranches_zpsb4446908.mp4)

(http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k633/Acer_circinatum/IMG_1595_zpsfa8918d0.jpg)

Title: Re: Yew harvesting
Post by: snag on March 30, 2013, 02:29:19 am

My legs and arms are burning just watching you Carson! haha  Look forward to seeing what you do with these.

Title: Re: Yew harvesting
Post by: Roy on March 30, 2013, 02:39:51 am

That water falls is awesome. I could sit there all day watching it. Nice haul on the Yew. Here is my one and only Yew Bow. This stave came from Keenan in Bend, Oregon.

http://s47.photobucket.com/user/ROY-CHRIS/media/MVI_7264.mp4.html?sort=3&o=173

Title: Re: Yew harvesting
Post by: Bryce on March 30, 2013, 03:36:26 am

You went without me AGAIN! :P looks like a good haul man! :)

Title: Re: Yew harvesting
Post by: Del the cat on March 30, 2013, 04:33:24 am

Nice to see you cutting by hand rather than a noisy old chainsaw.
A little cut underneath would have saved that bit of splitting, but you prob' got tons of length to spare anyhow....
Jellyous? who's Jellyous? ::)
Del

Title: Re: Yew harvesting
Post by: Dean Marlow on March 30, 2013, 08:42:46 am

Carson  that waterfall would put me asleep if I was there. Looks like you got some great Yew. Thanks for sharing. Dean

Title: Re: Yew harvesting
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on March 30, 2013, 08:49:51 am

Nice haul Carson. Some are as straight as Ive seen in pics.

Title: Re: Yew harvesting
Post by: blackhawk on March 30, 2013, 08:59:17 am

Too bad its not yellow  8).   But the Queen's OK to I guess  ;)

Title: Re: Yew harvesting
Post by: Badly Bent on March 30, 2013, 10:55:53 am

Nice haul there Carson and thats some beautiful country you have out there. I've been collecting staves the last two weekends but the harvest area is a boring flat land commercial development site along a busy street. I guess when I'm getting some nice free
bow wood its sort of zen like anyway.  ???

Title: Re: Yew harvesting
Post by: osage outlaw on March 30, 2013, 11:04:55 am

Nice pile of yew Carson.  Do you split those or do you saw them into staves?  I've never worked with it before so I have no clue. 

Title: Re: Yew harvesting
Post by: coaster500 on March 30, 2013, 12:15:13 pm

Amber Booty right there!!!

What a beautiful spot, any trout in that creek :)

Title: Re: Yew harvesting
Post by: osagejack on March 30, 2013, 03:24:43 pm

that is some good looking wood,,,don't think we have yew here in tn, >:(

Title: Re: Yew harvesting
Post by: Carson (CMB) on March 30, 2013, 07:49:22 pm

Thanks for the comments guys. 

Snag, that was the first time I thought my legs might give out on me.   :o

Roy, that is a sweet yew bow you have there.  I have had a peak at Keenan's stash and he has some fine yew. 

Sorry Bryce, it was just me and the dogs this time.   :laugh:

Thanks Del, I did rattle the woods with the motor saw a little later in the day.  It cuts much quicker, but it is a pain to haul in and out along with the logs.  Anything over 1/2 mile in in these steep areas just eats you up when you are carrying logs and saws.  I should have made a cut on the underside, but I was a foot or two in from where I really wanted to cut...just couldn't reach, so no damage done. 

Thanks Dean, the waterfall was nice. 

Thanks Pearl. Even the straightest in the pile have a little bit of twist.  But straight as I have seen.

Blackhawk...The nice thing about yew is that sometimes one of these red staves turns into two or three of them gold ones.    :P ;)

Greg, it is beautiful indeed. Zen moments abound when you get out on foot and find that first tree, but then you start trying to haul this stuff out and you are cursing the steep ravines, the loose soil, the windfall cedars, the vine maple and rhododendron thickets.  But a cool drink from the snow melt creek, the song of a varied thrush and a look at your prize and it is all well worth it.  But if I had the option to cut yew next to a road in a boring flat development site...you bet that is where I would be cutting! ;)

Clint, I split the ones that look like they will split straight. Bandsaw the branch staves and other gnarly logs that just have one clean stave hiding in them.  This trip I had to split a few on site just to get them out of there.  I carry a backpack with a 8 lb sledge, a camp axe, and half doz. yew wood wedges. 

Kip, no trout in there.  I had to pack my fish in...good ol kipper snacks ;D ;D. 

Thanks Jack. At least you have lots of that gold stuff!

Title: Re: Yew harvesting
Post by: Carson (CMB) on March 30, 2013, 08:19:16 pm

Some more videos:

What most Oregon forest really looks like: 
(http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k633/Acer_circinatum/th_M2U00341_zps19ee9bb4.jpg) (http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k633/Acer_circinatum/M2U00341_zps19ee9bb4.mp4)

Title: Re: Yew harvesting
Post by: Carson (CMB) on March 30, 2013, 08:20:32 pm

The yew tree:

(http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k633/Acer_circinatum/th_M2U00334_zpsaace7b2e.jpg) (http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k633/Acer_circinatum/M2U00334_zpsaace7b2e.mp4)

Title: Re: Yew harvesting
Post by: Carson (CMB) on March 30, 2013, 08:22:17 pm

(http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k633/Acer_circinatum/th_M2U00344_zpsb445f3f7.jpg) (http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k633/Acer_circinatum/M2U00344_zpsb445f3f7.mp4)

(http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k633/Acer_circinatum/th_M2U00346_zps6fef1c39.jpg) (http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k633/Acer_circinatum/M2U00346_zps6fef1c39.mp4)

Title: Re: Yew harvesting
Post by: Carson (CMB) on March 30, 2013, 08:24:43 pm

(http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k633/Acer_circinatum/th_M2U00349_zps0ae870b9.jpg) (http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k633/Acer_circinatum/M2U00349_zps0ae870b9.mp4)

(http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k633/Acer_circinatum/th_M2U00350_zpsec9f129b.jpg) (http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k633/Acer_circinatum/M2U00350_zpsec9f129b.mp4)

Title: Re: Yew harvesting
Post by: Carson (CMB) on March 30, 2013, 08:26:06 pm

(http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k633/Acer_circinatum/th_M2U00355_zps13040bc1.jpg) (http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k633/Acer_circinatum/M2U00355_zps13040bc1.mp4)

And then the batteries on my camera died ::). 

Title: Re: Yew harvesting
Post by: Bryce on March 30, 2013, 09:06:15 pm

 it's all good :) you know I just like being in the mountians :)

Looks like you had a good time!

Title: Re: Yew harvesting
Post by: Carson (CMB) on March 31, 2013, 12:16:59 am

I know how you like being in the mountains....stealing all of my prime cutting holes!!!   Just kidding.  We will have to get out there later this spring when we can get to some of that 4000' and up stuff.  See if it is all what it is cracked up to be. 

Title: Re: Yew harvesting
Post by: Bryce on March 31, 2013, 12:31:31 am

I'll bring the truck and we can get you stocked up for the few years :) I might snag a log or two.
 
Yeah Keenan was talking pretty highly of that higher stuff, but I guess it's worth a shot :laugh:

Title: Re: Yew harvesting
Post by: okie64 on March 31, 2013, 12:34:53 am

Very cool videos Carson! Looks a lot different than the woods I roam around in. Your forests remind me of the twilight movies ;D

Title: Re: Yew harvesting
Post by: Bryce on March 31, 2013, 12:41:58 am

Quote from: okie64 on March 31, 2013, 12:34:53 am

Very cool videos Carson! Looks a lot different than the woods I roam around in. Your forests remind me of the twilight movies ;D

Makes sense it was filmed here  8)

The house down the road from my girlfriends house, is the house that was used in the movie.

Title: Re: Yew harvesting
Post by: Blacktail on March 31, 2013, 02:37:01 am

that is some great videos...looks like you might have some tight rings in them trees..thanks for sharing..i havent watched them all..i will try later..john

Title: Re: Yew harvesting
Post by: ssgtchad on March 31, 2013, 09:06:59 am

Is that the natural color of the wood?

Title: Re: Yew harvesting
Post by: BowEd on March 31, 2013, 09:20:33 am

Nice topic there.If that don't get a self bow maker fired up nothing will.Except that other fella showing his harvest of hedge......LOL.

Title: Re: Yew harvesting
Post by: Carson (CMB) on March 31, 2013, 01:32:34 pm

Thanks Okie.  Luckily I had no encounters with beautiful teen vampires or wherewolves  ;)

Thanks blacktail.  I was cutting between 2500 and 3200' and found a couple in some shady spots that were pushing 50 rpi, but most were 20-30 rpi. 

ssgtchad, that is the natural color of the yew bark.  They were dripping wet in that photo in the front lawn.  I give them a good spray down to clear all mossy bits from around the pin knots and sapwood scars. 

Thanks Beadman. I love seeing bows posted on here, but the wood-cutting threads are always exciting to see. Thought I would try and contribute.  Hopefully, my production quality will be a little better next time.