Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Blaflair2 on February 23, 2014, 10:18:14 pm

Title: Tree ID
Post by: Blaflair2 on February 23, 2014, 10:18:14 pm

What the heck are all these little red saplings? In central ny

Title: Re: Tree ID
Post by: TacticalFate on February 23, 2014, 10:30:09 pm

Red osier dogwood?

Title: Re: Tree ID
Post by: kleinpm on February 23, 2014, 10:32:10 pm

How big are they?

There is no size reference in the picture.

Patrick

Title: Re: Tree ID
Post by: Blaflair2 on February 23, 2014, 10:50:27 pm

Anywhere from half inch to 1-1/2"

Title: Re: Tree ID
Post by: killir duck on February 23, 2014, 11:08:05 pm

looks like what we call "buck brush" i don't know what the real name is, makes tough, heavy arrows but checks pretty bad, i peel them right away and seel the last 4-6" with spray on poly.

Title: Re: Tree ID
Post by: Pat B on February 23, 2014, 11:49:52 pm

It does look like red osier.

Title: Re: Tree ID
Post by: DuBois on February 24, 2014, 12:08:31 am

I can't figure out how to copy another posting link into this but there are some good pics of red osier if you search "unidentified shafts" on this site.

Title: Re: Tree ID
Post by: TRACY on February 24, 2014, 06:16:17 am

Looks very much like red osier dogwood

Title: Re: Tree ID
Post by: Blaflair2 on February 24, 2014, 08:49:30 am

I thought it was dogwood. So makes arrows ?

Title: Re: Tree ID
Post by: IndianGuy on February 24, 2014, 11:20:19 am

heck yes they are red osier, arguable the best wild arrow shaft material around, cut them now when the sap is low and they wont check, cut them a little longer than you need and bundle them together with rope or zip ties. you can skin the bark when you first collect them and it comes off easy, and they will dry faster. leave the bark on and they will take longer to cure.

Title: Re: Tree ID
Post by: blackhawk on February 24, 2014, 11:39:11 am

Looks like ya found yourself some good arra material...prob the best for your area IMO. Yup red osier...

Title: Re: Tree ID
Post by: Blaflair2 on February 24, 2014, 12:26:12 pm

Does it make a bow ;0)

There's a few bigger saplings, 4-5"

Title: Re: Tree ID
Post by: TRACY on February 24, 2014, 01:09:09 pm

Usually don't find red osier that big of diameter. ?

Title: Re: Tree ID
Post by: Blaflair2 on February 24, 2014, 01:13:51 pm

Next time I go out I'll take a pic. It seems to be coming off the same bush, not red anymore except the bottom is a pinkish

Title: Re: Tree ID
Post by: IndianGuy on February 24, 2014, 01:17:16 pm

red osier can grow to about 15 feet high and get good size in diameter, considered a bush or shrub rather than a tree. from your small pic it looks like red osier.

Title: Re: Tree ID
Post by: Blaflair2 on February 24, 2014, 01:38:51 pm

Thanks guys

Title: Re: Tree ID
Post by: Pat B on February 24, 2014, 06:10:59 pm

I've only used red osier for arrows. If you can get some big enough it should make a pretty good bow but I don't know that for sure.

Title: Re: Tree ID
Post by: kleinpm on February 24, 2014, 07:34:08 pm

I made a kids bow out of a fairly large red osier, maybe 3.5 feet long. I left the bark on and tillered the thick end to match the thin end.

It was actually a pretty sweet little bow and seemed to hold up just fine, until my son used it as a shovel.  :o

Patrick

Title: Re: Tree ID
Post by: Blaflair2 on February 24, 2014, 08:48:33 pm

Gotta love kids man

Title: Re: Tree ID
Post by: lostarrow on February 24, 2014, 10:02:53 pm

Quote from: TRACY on February 24, 2014, 01:09:09 pm

Usually don't find red osier that big of diameter. ?

 The mature tree looks nothing like the pretty red shoots. If you didn't see the leaves you might think it was a different tree. They will get that big here in SW Ontario , but not up North. 2-3" max