Pacific Yew near Missoula?

[Montanan_Hunter]

Hello everyone  I was wondering if there are any bowyers in Montana near Missoula, who know where I could find some Pacific Yew. I have made a few board bows in the past and would like to try something different. I would prefer to harvest a tree myself, but if anyone knows where I might acquire a stave at a decent price that might be an option as well. Thanks in advance 

[Weylin]

Don't know the area but I'd be pretty surprised if you found pacific yew growing that far east. As for buying staves I recommend you talk to Carson Brown at Echo Archery.

[Josh B]

There's rumored to be yew in the flathead range on up through glacier park.  I've poked around there a few times and haven't found any yet.  I didn't work at it real hard though as i was pressed for time on every occasion I was there.  Good luck!  Josh

[HighEagle]

Maybe some wheres on the Clearwater river I remember seeing large cedars growing

[Bryce]

Yes there is yew all the way through Idaho and into Montana.
Those that know where to find it don't usually tell.

[Badger]

  They have places I think near clearwater where Yew is the dominant growth, they are mostly small and bushlike from what I understand but it doesn't take much yew to make a good bow.

[Montanan_Hunter]

Hey, thanks for all the replies everyone. I know there is Pacific Yew around here because, I have the read forest service reports and USDA reports that say there is even some in Missoula County. I just don't know where to start looking. Montana is a big place. But if anyone is willing to share the knowledge, I am willing to listen

[Badger]

  Idaho has some good stands if that is not too far. Just goodgle up Pacific yew in Idaho and montana

[IdahoMatt]

I just googled it.  I have a cabin up north,  I need to get up there.  I had no idea.  My place isn't that far but I long weekend might do.  The cabin is in McCall.  I think I might have to go a little more north.

[Don Case]

Finding the first one is the toughest part. They look like scraggily hemlock, sorta. Once you see the first one it's easy, you can spot them from a moving car.

[Josh B]

Finding the first one is the toughest part. They look like scraggily hemlock, sorta. Once you see the first one it's easy, you can spot them from a moving car.

I can certainly attest to the resemblance between hemlock and yew to the untrained eye.   Big tip- if you cut into a suspected yew tree and find no heartwood, it ain't yew!  Lol!  Josh

[Pat B]

Years ago Don Berg(OldBow) bicycled out a Pacific Yew pole from 8 miles back in a wilderness near his home in Montana. I know because he sent the pole to me and I made my first yew bow from it. Don lives near Missoula or did back then.   I miss OldBow.

[Bryce]

I have a good friend James Rempp who lives in Missoula. And he lives to teach and craft bows from yew. He's a hard guy to find but I'm sure he would be willing to help yah out.

In fact PA just did and excellent article on James.

[wizardgoat]

You can walk past yews very easily, but once you get locked in, they are hard to miss.
Young cedars and hemlocks can resemble them, but they grow uniform. Yews can look really gnarly and twisted, and many around here are covered in moss.  Some have barely any needles.
I've found and cut many bow wood trees, but for some reason none of them surpass the feeling of finding a clean straight yew tree! My favourite tree, and not just for the bows!

[Accipiter]

I went to school in Missoula and I can verify that there's plenty of yew in Montana. The closest is some scraggly stuff in one of the canyons on the way up to Stuart peak in the rattlesnake. However, you're going to have much better luck in the Bitterroot (a few of the canyons have good stands), the Missions (I remember seeing some incredibly nice yew on the West side, on the reservation) or up near glacier (higher elevations, usually dense stands on steeper slopes with a lot of snowpack). Montana Yew has a very patchy distribution, but in general it seems like the colder, wetter and more shade and/or snow, the better for. Good luck!

Also, the best way to spot yew is the foliage, which is usually denser and darker green than other conifers, often slightly reddish, especially if the tree is growing in sun.